Chapter 16

Charles' question hung in the air. Charles walked into the house without even turning on the lights. He pressed me against the wall and kissed me hard. He had spent years sick, so his body ran a bit colder than most. He wasn't blazing hot. His temperature rose anyway. We both broke into a thin sweat. This time, no matter how much I begged, he refused to show mercy. He was as rough as ever—maybe rougher than before. I felt dazed, recalling our first time when I lay there trembling not because it was my first time, but because I had thrown away my dignity and become his plaything. "Shay, you're spacing out right now? I could really kill you!" His breathing was rough, and his voice had turned cold. I bit my lip and hugged him tightly. "Charles, would you really?" In the dark, he went quiet for a moment. Suddenly, I began sobbing in grievance. "Charles, what took you so long? I thought… I thought you didn't want me anymore." He listened before coming up to sit on the bed and reac