Page 7 of Grave Sins (Graveyard of Hearts Collection #2)

Archer

The whip snaps across my back, and it’s her scream I hear…

Kendra. “Please don’t do this!” Kimberly once screamed, tied up in a shed.

My body is weak, but it’s on fire. I can feel his hand on my dick, forcing pleasure to mock me with.

I’m screaming on the inside, but it’s still her screams on the outside.

I’m in a dark room, but it’s so bright. I can’t see past the noise deafening me.

It’s consumed everything, drowning me in my mistakes.

Every blazing crack of that whip, it’s Kendra that is constantly reminding me that Jeff coming back for me was my punishment.

He wanted me to admit to Kimberly dying, but I wouldn’t. I just never denied it.

Finally, it’s Dad that I see. The screams are surrounding us, but his words hurt worse than any whip. “You are no son of mine. You are dead to me,” he growls. “I never want to see you again.”

I am suddenly thrown into consciousness, and I’m screaming. No. Crying. Everything is blurry from the tears. Small warm hands cup my face before I am pulled down to sit. Lips press against mine, and I pull back.

“Maisy,” I say, confused. “I…”

“Have nightmares,” she says. She’s sitting in my lap, and I have my hands gripping her ass to keep her pressed against me. I nearly jump up when I see Kendra at the door.

“You’re okay,” Kendra says as she walks into the room and sits next to me. “I thought you said the nightmares stopped?”

“I… lied,” I say quietly.

“Why did you lie, Archer?”

“Because you get sad when you know I dream of Dad,” I admit.

“What is the dream of?” Maisy asks.

“It’s Jeff whipping me and forcing me to get off. But I can hear Kendra and Kimberly screaming. Jeff’s degrading voice… And then Dad. He tells me I am no son of his, and I’m dead to him. That he never wants to see me again. It’s what he said to me the day he got home and found that I raped Kendra.”

“He loved you, Archer,” Kendra says. “He might have been angry, but he loved you.”

“The day he died…” I say cautiously. “He was going to ask you again to sign the adoption papers."

“How do you know that?” she asks.

“Because I talked to him that afternoon,” I say with a sigh. “I called him and left him voicemails on holidays and his birthday. He did the same for me. He would never answer, but something prompted me to just keep calling until he answered. Eventually, he did, and I begged him to see me.”

Tears well up in my eyes, and it makes me angry. “He said he wanted you to sign the papers first, and then he would sit down with me.”

“I didn’t know,” Kendra says tearfully. “Archer, why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because I didn’t want you thinking that you prevented us from talking,” I admit. “I’ve spent so long just… trying to do better. Trying to keep everyone happy and safe. And I’m just…”

“Drowning in the memories,” Maisy says, and I nod.

“Ada said that I’m having nightmares because I’m keeping it bottled up.”

“Well, Ada is smart. What else are you hiding?” Kendra asks.

“I like to feed the twins chocolate when you aren’t looking,” I say.

“You monster!” she gasps dramatically. “Seriously. What things do you think you have to hide? I’m asking as your sister and your friend.”

“He likes violent sex,” Maisy says, throwing me under the bus. “Like… Safeword needed because he will try to fuck me through the floor kind of rough.”

“I mean… same,” Kendra laughs. “Why would that upset me?”

“I guess I’m afraid that by liking things that intense, it’s glorifying what I did to you,” I say. “Slow and gentle makes me spiral because Jeff intentionally slowed things down to make sure he could humiliate me for every sound I made.”

“Has anyone ever complained?” Kendra asks.

“You did,” Maisy says, and Kendra bursts into laughter. I hear Marcus and Bellamy chuckling behind us, and I narrow my eyes at Maisy. “Don’t look at me like that!”

“You are a brat,” I say to Maisy.

“Good fucking luck with that,” Marcus snorts.

“Asshole,” Kendra quips back at him before looking at me. “Has anyone complained, Archer? How does the situation usually go?”

“I usually just tell them that I have a tendency to be very rough, and I make sure they are truly consenting. I’m afraid I won’t be able to stop if they…”

“I panicked hard for like the first thirty-five seconds of you railing me into the bed, and you didn’t even hesitate to stop,” Maisy says.

“Wait,” Kendra says with a grin.

“Don’t,” I laugh.

“Archer, you dog, look at you,” Kendra says, poking me in the side. I playfully push her shoulder, and she giggles. “So, she panicked. Said stop. And you stopped?”

“Yeah,” I say with a sigh.

“Well, Bud. I think that’s called consensual sex,” Kendra laughs.

“She knows you are rough, and I don’t see her complaining.

She got triggered, and you stopped. You provided aftercare.

You did good, Archer. You can lead, but you will follow her lead, ya know?

Learn her nonverbal body language and the way her body responds to things.

Just because you like to fuck her like she doesn’t want it doesn’t mean you are doing anything wrong.

More than sixty percent of sexual assault survivors have some form of a CNC kink. And you know what you are, Archer?”

“A survivor,” I sigh.

“Damn right,” she says. “Stop being so damn mean to yourself, or Julie and Jesse will help Maisy tie you up and tickle you.”

“Oh God,” I laugh when Maisy grins at me. “What time is it? Why are y’all here?”

“It’s eleven,” Maisy says.

“Ah, shit,” I say. “The group session is at 11:30.”

“Well, I brought Maisy some clothes,” Kendra says. “We can do actual clothes shopping later on, but this should get you through for a little bit.”

“Thank you,” Maisy says. “I could try to get my stuff from home, but…”

“No,” I say firmly.

“But I didn’t think you’d want me to go there,” she finishes with a laugh.

“Damn, Archer. Day one and you’re controlling,” Jesse says flatly from behind me.

“Fuck off, Jesse,” I say. “Let’s get dressed and go. Afterwards, we can grab some lunch, if you want.”

“That would be good,” she says with a sweet smile.

I pat her thighs before moving her to stand.

I get up and go to the closet to get jeans and a T-shirt.

When I come out of the closet, Maisy walks out of the bathroom with a beautiful, pale yellow sundress on.

Her dark blonde hair is down, and somehow, her icy blue eyes seem to be brighter.

“You look beautiful,” I say as she slips her feet into sandals. A blush spreads across her face and chest as she smiles up at me.

“Thank you,” she says sweetly. “You do too.”

“I look beautiful?” I ask with a smirk.

“Mhmm,” she laughs.

God, this woman is incredible. I will walk through hell and back to make her smile like this. I will destroy anything that gets in the way of her happiness.