Page 72 of Make Me Bleed

“Oh, don’t be so dramatic. You knew I’d find out sooner or later.”

“Yeah, whenIdecided to tell you. Not when he deemed it best. The fuck.”

“Well, if we would’ve waited on you, we’d be waiting a century.”

“That’s not fair.”

Her lips quirk into a grin. “Maybe not, but it’s true. You like to keep him all to yourself. You always have.”

“I don’t need you perceiving me that well, Mother,” I complain loudly, and she laughs.

“Just speaking the truth, honey. So… how is he?” she asks softly, and I sigh. I wish I could tell her more.

“He’s… well. He’s good. He’s Abel, and you know how he is. He really hasn’t changed much, believe it or not. He’s just more fiercely independent and stubborn…”

“Oh, boy. I can only imagine,” she chuckles, and I roll my eyes.

“Yeah. And he’s… well, he’s… he’sbeautiful,Ma.” As soon as the words leave my lips, I flush at my admission and pinch my lips shut, but Ma just smiles softly at me, eyes creased from how big it is, and my heart swoops.

“Beautiful, huh?” she says, and I cough.

“But we had a fight, and I don’t know what’s going to happen.” I admit to her the painful truth without the actuality of it.

“A fight? About what?”

“I can’t really say,” I tell her, and she nods, accepting it easily. “But it’s something we can’t agree on, and I know I can’t get past it, and he won’t stop doing it, no matter what.”

“So, you’re sort of at an impasse.”

“Yeah.”

“Well, baby, you’ve gotta decide what’s more important to you. Having Abel… or not having Abel.”

“It’s really not that simple,” I complain, and she shakes her head fondly.

“It is, Peris. It really, really is.” And then, she reaches up to rake her fingers through my hair, and I drop my head onto her shoulder as I absorb her words.

Is it really that easy? Do I just… accept Abel and all his disgusting parts?

Can I do that?

Can I stand the thought of letting other men touch him, have him,take him,as long as he comes home tome?Lovesme?

Fuck.My breath stutters, and I blink against the burn in my eyes.

“I don’t know, Ma,” I say after a while.

“It’s okay to not know. Just… think about it. For once. Don’t be rash.”

I snort softly but nod against her. “I will.” Because what other choice do I have?

CHAPTER 18

ABEL

When I stepinto the bathroom and take note of the choker around my neck, I feel a smirk tugging at my lips, even as I refuse to meet my own gaze in the mirror. I can’t look at myself. Not knowing the fresh wounds I have on the insides of my thighs. Not right now… not yet, anyway.

The rest all feels surreal.