Page 118 of Beneath Her Skin

Years.

Ago.

Miles and I started dating seven years ago and we got married less than six.

He’s been doing this for basically the entirety of our relationship.

Below the list of videos is a bright red box that readsrequest a video.

I click the button, dread filling me. A pop-up screen appears with a menu of video options ranging from $500 to $5,000, depending on the type and length of video. Below the price sheet is a list of limits that are not allowed during the videos.

Limits: none

So, that’s how much my life is worth to him? I’m nothing more than $5,000 and an unconscious body to control like a living puppet?

Our entire relationship is a pit of lies. Lies that he disguised as well-mannered concern over my safety. He looked me in the eyes, day in and day out, while I felt like I was going crazy from these nightmares I’ve been having, and they turned out to be true? Everything I’ve experienced, all the recent pain and emotions, were because of him. Because of this wicked game he had been playing with my own body, without my consent.

Without.

My.

Consent.

And it’s in this pit of the greatest betrayal I’ve ever known that I make a new vow for myself. A vow to never allow myself to be taken advantage of by the dealings of a man. To never be the puppet in their sick games.

I’ve spent the entirety of my adult life serving Miles as a faithful wife. I stood by him when he needed me, sacrificing my career, social life, and identity as a result. It was my life by his choice.

It’s time Miles finds out what it feels like when it’s his body, my choice.

10

Iscour through the coffee bar in search of the cursed tea Miles used as a disguise to drug me. It’s been about three weeks since I discovered his vile, little secret. After the last bout of nightmares, and a suggestion by a very protective Brooke, I purchased a drug kit at the local drug store.Surprise, surprise.I popped hot for GHB, which after a little research, I realized was liquid ecstasy.

Oh, and the way he slipped me the drug without realizing? In my nighttime, ginger tea. Yeah. Yeaahhhhh.

Turns out he had a stash of meds hiding in an empty licorice tea box. The one drink he knew I would never touch. And by mixing the drug that’s already bitter with an herbal tea like ginger, it’s basically undetectable.

Since I make most of the food in our home, being the loving wife I’m fucking expected to be, process of elimination revealed the only option was the tea.

Well, jokes on him, because I know how to hide gross tasting edibles, too.

I’ve been biding my time these past few weeks.

Do I know that he’s still fucking with me? Yes.

There are days I wake up to new bruises that randomly appear. Other days when my body feels like it’s been ran through a woodchipper. My skin is so swollen and sensitive it hurts to move. When I press him about it, he spouts whatever lies he can think of.

Maybe I’m anemic.

Maybe I was clumsy.

Maybe it’s a result of working out more.

Anything he can say to throw me off his trail.

Too bad, so sad. I know his little secret now.

But I knew there was nothing I could do about it until I got my shit together. After I had my melt down, scrubbing my body in the shower with a loofah until my skin was raw to the touch, I reached out to Brooke to help me plan my escape. She was eager and waiting for me to ask for her help. Honestly, maybe even a little too excited. I never knew she had a macabre side. I love her even more for it.

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