Gilber

was only darkness, the stench of stale beer, the brutal hands, and the gut-wrenching finality of my own despair. They used me, broke m

eet away, his face a mask of undisguised disgust, as if I were something unclean. He spok

raumatized. Compromised. Lik

her eyes wide with a kind of morbid, theatrical horror. She was wearing o

cker of pity in his expression was instantly replaced by revulsion. The same disgust I had seen on his employee's face.

his men. "Take her back to

s back and led Fallon away, his arm a protective shield arou

hour, scrubbing at my skin until it was raw, trying to wash away the filth, the

ting in my bedroom. The room had been put back

atory. He paced the room, running a hand through his perfe

voice a dead thing.

so crude," he snapped. "What's done is on you! If you hadn't been so difficult,

nally broke through my shock. A volcanic rage, ho

sed me up as your whore and served me on a platter to save her! You left me th

e, crossed his face. He kne

suit, with your philanthropist reputation, pretending to be a saint, but you are a monster. You are the vilest, most hypocritical creatu

never seen this side of me. The consultant was gone. The loving

oom, unable to face the

methodically took every bottle of shampoo, every conditioner, every expensive cream and lotion he had ever bought for me and emptied them down the d

ge sense of peace. The love was gone. The hope was gone. But in their place, somethi