Page 8

Chapter 7

May-Martha

My fingers grazed the faded red heart, feeling the raised skin of the tattoo we shared as I stared at myself in the vanity mirror. We had gotten these so long ago, when we were just teens, hiding our relationship from everyone else. I’d hoped that, despite the way things ended, he would know my heart had never changed—never wavered. But I guess he didn’t, and after everything that happened, he had every right to feel that way. Even now, I felt the same as I did that day. I may work in the brothel and fuck these men for money, but my heart was and would always be his.

The fur-lined robe lay around my elbows as I examined the nick along my neck closely, the wound still sensitive to the touch.

“Fucking psycho,” I hissed. Cindy was right: Max was insane, absolutely fucking insane. I needed to be careful. She slaughtered Cindy and was coming for me next. They both were.

I dipped my fingers into a small jar, applying a thin, pasty balm to the wound. It burned, causing me to wince as the balm seeped into the cut. I deserved this pain for what I did to him.

“May?” A heavy knock tapped at my door, causing me to jump.

Gus.

I quickly shoved the jar into the vanity, frantically applying powder to my neck to hide the wound as much as possible. The last thing I needed right now was Gus seeing it and accusing me of something. He was overly protective in the worst possible way. I might deserve pain from the Grouch, but I didn’t deserve it from Gus, even though he liked to give it to me as often as possible.

“May!” The sounds of his fists banging against the locked door frightened me as I readied myself, glancing into the mirror one last time to ensure perfection before unlocking it.

“Sorry, Gus,” I forced a smile. “Here for your usual?” His usual being me drugging him unknowingly before he could finish. I hoped by jumping to the point, he'd focus on sex and nothing else, particularly the cut on my neck. I didn’t feel like dealing with him tonight—or any night, really. He’d always get a few thrusts in before passing out, allowing me to clean whatever mess he’d make off my body and pocket the rest of my time as he snored in the bed, dreaming our exchange was more than it was.

“May,” he groaned, shoving past me as he shut the door. His eyes fell to my chest, glaring at my tattoo, filling with disgust. “I thought I told you I didn’t like seeing that? Cover that shit up. Now.” I quickly raised the robe, wrapping it around myself.

“What can I do for you?”

“You can marry me.” His words pierced my heart as my body stiffened with shock.

What did he just say? Did he say…marry him? This had to be a dream. No, a nightmare.

“May.” Gus struggled to bend down to one knee, his sweaty palms snatching my hand as he stared up at me. “I can’t protect you from him if you’re working here, but I can if you’re my wife. Think about it. You can leave all this behind and come home with me. I’ve loved you since we were kids, and, in spite of your struggles and current occupation, I’m willing to make this work, to give you a better life…with me. Only me.” He played with a strand of my hair as I stared at him in shock. “No one would touch you anymore?—”

“Except you,” I whispered in horror.

“Of course me.” His tone began to shift. “May, this is no life for someone like you. You need to marry me and be my wife. I’ll take care of you, protect you—we can even have a nice little family.” A family? “No more whoring yourself out. Just comfortable living. No one would be allowed to touch you anymore. You’d belong to me.” His grip on my hand tightened as he began to hurt me. “Just say yes, May.”

“Gus, I-I appreciate your offer, but?—”

I don’t belong to anyone.

“But what? You’d rather stay here, fucking anyone willing to pay?” The snarl of his voice made me anxious and on edge. His temper was growing.

Gus squeezed my wrist, yanking me down towards him.

“Now you listen here, May. I’ve waited years for you. Years! I’ve given you time to get over your ridiculous childhood trauma. It’s time to face the truth. He’s gone, you hear me? Gone! And you’re mine! You always have been; you just haven’t realized it yet.” His strength seeped into my bones, bruising me as he stood, towering over me.

“Gus,” I whimpered, “you’re hurting me.”

“Good.” He yanked my body from the floor, staring down at me with disgust. “I’ve been patient long enough, May. You will be my wife, even if that means I have to buy you like the fucking whore you are.” My eyes began to water as he grabbed his coat and opened my door, purposely hitting me in the process. “You will be my wife whether you like it or not, so get fucking used to it.”

The door slammed shut as Gus left with angry haste.

I remained on the floor, forcing back tears. I didn’t want this life anymore, any of it. I wanted to go back in time and run away into the woods, something I promised to do long ago and never did. Everything had fallen apart. Everything was wrong, so very wrong.

My hand slid under the bed as it pulled the small box from its hiding spot. I opened it and immediately began to sob.

“Please,” I ran my fingers along the contents. “Forgive me.”

Or kill me. Either way, just make it end. All of it.