Page 37 of Dreadful

There’s anothersnick, and the finger bounces to a stop beside the other. Percy screams into the gag, but Sev talks over him.

“That’s four. This one?”

Percy doesn’t even have time to fully shake his head “no” before another flash of steel cuts off his pinky. He shouts a stifled, weeping plea against his gag as Sev continues. With every single question and every severed finger, Percy begins to slowly hesitate before answering.

“Damn, Percy. You’re only two for nine so far. I might have to start on the toes.” He reaches for the last, blood-soaked finger. “What about this one?”

Percy slowly nods and mumbles against the tie, his face pale from blood loss and shock.

“Ah,bravo. I’m going to untie you so you can tell me what happened, alright? Maybe you’ll be able to keep your toes after all.”

My heart pounds. When Sev asked me the question, unexpected memories of each touch flashed like snapshots in my mind. I’ve told myself over the past few weeks that none of them were a big deal because, hey, I’ve endured worse, right? What girl can’t handle a wandering hand or two?

But they weren’t just “touches.” They were assaults. I didn’t realize until I answered Sev just how much each one had burned into my soul.

Although the stench of alcohol triggered me tonight, paralyzing me, Percy has physically done worse. I’ve done my best to brush it off because I was too afraid that reporting it could bring about unwanted attention that would interfere with my goals. But as Sev choked Percy in the dressing room, for the first time I asked myself,What if I modified the list?

Surviving my kidnapping left me with this eerie sense that I’ve been living on borrowed time. When I decided to finish what Vincelli started all those years ago, I guaranteed that my life would have an early expiration date. I never dreamed that I could survive marking off every name on my list.

I push the thought away and center myself back to the present. Sev has unwrapped the gag from Percy’s mouth and pulled out the sock. The man tries to catch his breath, but Sev jerks the remaining attached finger.

“I’m waiting. You better make it worth my time. No more lies.”

I don’t want to hear this.

Shame and embarrassment flood my face with heat. I don’t want to be reminded of the times Percy touched me, and I let him get away with it.

“I-it was after our dress rehearsal last night.”

My heart pounds.Che cazzo, why would he go with the worst instance? Doesn’t the man have a shred of self-preservation?

Last night was the first time I fought back. Did he believe the others were actually consensual? Or maybe he thinks that if he tells the worst truth, Sev will spare his measly pinky finger. The only reason I don’t cover my ears to protect myself from reliving it is because I’m dying to hear how he tells his side.

“First, she wore that outfit she knows I like…”

Lie.

Fuck, I can’t take it. I hope Sev doesn’t believe this bullshit, but I don’t want to listen to it anymore. There’s no way I’ll be able to hear my actions through this pervert’s point of view. My mind immediately detaches, filling in the blanks in flashbacks instead.

It began without warning…or maybe Percy’s intentions were obvious, and I just refused to see the signs. He cornered me in the dressing room, roughly grabbed my hip, and squeezed my breasts, forcing me to cry out. I stabbed my needle into his flesh to get away, just like I did tonight. But he didn’t stop then.

Instead, he shoved me into the wall and pressed his revolting cock against the apex of my thighs. It wasn’t until he tried to cram his hand down my leggings that I finally realized how far he was willing to go. I stomped on his foot and pushed him as hard as I could into the clothing rack. As he untangled himself from the costumes, I fled without finishing my after-show routine.

And tonight, we pretended like nothing ever happened…until we almost had a repeat performance.

I should’ve reported it, I know that now. If Sev hadn’t interfered, I have no doubt that my silence would’ve encouraged Percy to finish the job. Embarrassment at the thought makes me nauseous.

No.

I won’t let a pervert’s actions makemefeel bad for mine. Not anymore.

I breathe in and out against my scarf and focus on the scene in front of me. Percy looks hopeful as he chokes out the rest of his story.

“See? She came onto me, I swear. It was all a misunderstanding.”

Wow. Vaffanculo, asshole. Fuck you.

“Tallie, came onto you?MyTallie?”