Page 40 of Vicious Little Darling

I shrug. “Sure.”

He nods. “Listen, Jax, it’s time for us to cut the bullshit out of these sessions. Iknowwhat you’re doing out there, and I know how you’re spending your time. Iknowyou’re the psycho that slipped into that apartment on the bad side of town and tried to assault and kill that woman. I’m not an idiot. So why don’t we talk about why the fuck you do that?”

I raise my brows. “I didn’t know you had it in you, Doc.”

“Well, news to you, I’m not cheap, and I’m always willing to take on patients ofallvarieties.”

I pop my jaw as I fold my arms across my chest. “Okay, so what do you want from me, huh?”

“I want you to be open to fixing this…habitof yours,” he mutters. “Otherwise, your uncle is wasting his time and his money. He’s fighting a losing cause, Jax. We both know that. Your mom fucked you up, and I don’t know how, exactly, but you’re never going to get rid of your urges. However, wecanfind healthier ways to work them out of your system.”

“I don’t haveurges.”

“Right, so what was your reasoning behind assaulting that young woman last night?”

I rub my forehead. “She had sex with me. Willingly.”

“Don’t fucking lie to yourself,” Dr. Pitman laughs, his tone almost condescending.

“No,” I say flatly. “This time itwasdifferent.” I shift in my chair uncomfortably. “Shewantedme, and I like her.”

“So why try to kill her?” he reasons, suddenly softening. “That doesn’t fit your MO.”

I shake my head, ignoring the emotions that well up in my chest. “She likes the real me, too.”

“Oh boy,” Dr. Pitman sighs. “You’ve gotten yourself into a real mess, I see.”

“I thought that was the best way to fix it and, now, there’s no way she can know the truth about me.” I bite down on the inside of my cheek until I taste copper. “I’m afraid this one has just gotten out of control.”

“I’ll say.” He almost laughs. “You do know you’re going to have to stay away from her, right? The police are all over this one. Ember Thatcher has a family that cares about her, and they’re going to be all over this once it gets out.”

I frown. “They all do.”

“Yeah, but Ember is alive to tell the tale. I suggest your best course of action would be to let her go. Entirely. Or end her.”

“That’s some advice from a therapist,” I mutter.

“I’m being up front and honest with you—unless you somehow think you can tell her the truth and convince her to stay silent.”

I give it some thought, shifting in the chair. I wince at the wound in my side.

“I’ll figure it out.” I push off the chair and get to my feet. “Session over.”

Dr. Pitman nods, as I head for the door.

“What’d your mom do to you, kid? Molest you? Let a boyfriend touch you?”

I glance over at him, meeting his gaze. “She left me to my own devices, and killed my father with an overdose of drugs I know he never took.”

I don’t give Pitman a chance to reply before I swing the door open and exit out into the hallway. As if on cue, my phone beginsto vibrate in my pocket. I expect it to be my uncle, but instead, it’sEmber.

Fuck.

“Hello?” I answer lazily, heading down the hall for the elevator.

“Hey,” Ember’s voice sounds meek. “I’m so sorry for scaring you last night. I just had something bad happen, and you were the only person I felt like I could call. Josh would’ve freaked out too badly.”

“Yeah,” I said, my tone flat. As much as I want to bend to her, and beXanderright now, Pitman has me contemplating my next move—and I’m starting to think he’s right to some extent.

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