Page 15 of Pretty When She Breaks

I didn’t move.

Everything hurt.

I breathed in.

I breathed out.

My scent hadn’t changed.

But my spark had survived.

He sighed and took a sip from his whiskey glass, laying the switch down on his desk.

“Get up, for god’s sake,” he snapped, and I uncurled, my limbs stiff as I struggled to my feet. My left leg was trembling as it held my weight, but I ignored it and stood as normally as possible.

“I’m sorry I failed you, Father,” I said automatically.

“Come here.”

I went over to him until he was close enough to snatch my head and twist it side to side, checking to see if my face was damaged. The strike had connected with the side of my head, clipping the top of my ear, but I’d be able to cover that with my hair.

He let me go with a sigh, and I straightened as he rubbed his forehead.

“This is my fault,” he said. “I believed you’d be all right if I loosened your leash a bit, but I was clearly wrong.”

I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to hide my dismay. What was I about to lose? Would I be able to keep fencing my jewelry with Jade? What about my surveillance gear? It was all in my villa, and the thought of having to get rid of it made my heart squeeze painfully. And what about Muppet? What if someone found out about him?

“What are you still doing here? Dismissed,” he said, loud enough to alert the security outside.

The door opened, and the guard held it open for me.

“Thank you, Father,” I heard myself say, but he’d already turned his attention to something else.

I slipped out of his office and limped to the elevator. I took the staff corridors and the back garden path to my villa.

Once inside, I finally let the pain out. My scentunfurled, marred with deep, bitter notes, but no tears came. I wasn’t sure my body knew how to cry anymore.

My vision was blurry as I grabbed some ice packs and headed to the bathroom. I pulled off my clothes and stared at myself blankly in the full-length mirror.

My face was perfect, the tinge of red around my eyes the only indication of what had happened.

The bruises from the last time had almost completely faded, traces of yellow green in lines across my body. My hip’s bruise from where I’d hit the corner of his desk still had some purple in it.

The new welts were bright and stark in contrast. Two were blooming on my legs, two on my shins, and a bruise from where he’d kicked my left knee. I had three on my arms and one on my right shoulder. Lifting my hand, I delicately touched the tender spot behind my ear. I winced and pulled away. No headbands or clips there for a while.

I let the Duchess take over as I pulled my clothes back on and started to wrap the ice packs into place. She was efficient and emotionless, and I felt as though I was watching someone else take care of me, like Jule used to.

When I was done, my scent was back under control. I sank down onto the couch. Muppet jumped into my lap, purring and curling up.

I stared blankly at the wall, then closed my eyes.

I could try and leave.

Did it make me a terrible person that I wanted so desperately to go? To leave and never look back?

To abandon Jule?

What if he is dead? What if you’re staying here for nothing?