Page 7 of Seeing Grayscale

“So they can take that too? Are you stupid? Too rich to use your damn eyes?”

“No—I—”

“If you don’t have anything, they leave you alone. If you’re worthless, you’re safe. Well, I’m fucking worthless now, aren’t I? Paint a target on someone else. I…I’mdone.” The word is said on an exhale that has my hackles rising.

The evidence supports his claims. “You might be done, but you’re hurt, and it’s getting dark. I know you have no reason to trust me, and I don’t expect you to. I’m a stranger. But I have resources. I have doctors on call who are discreet and won’t ask questions. I canhelp you.”

“And I don’t want it. I don’twant it.” Through all that vitriol, I spot the lie in his words.

He wants it more than anything else; he’s just been denied and beaten into thinking he’s better off. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.

I rise to my feet, an idea forming in my head before I can dissect what I’m doing, and I hurry back to my car.

FOUR

Whothehelldoesthis rich boy think he is?

And better yet, why did he come back?

I don’t trust him. He’s right about that. I don’t trust a damn thing about him. He wants to help me? Had doctors on call?

Bullshit.

He’s seeing me at my lowest—at my most vulnerable—and now he’s going to attack. I can’t walk, can hardly see, everywhere hurts. I’m hungry, cold, and thirsty. But just like Tammy says, you don’t have to be hot to get fucked.

You don’t even have to be the preferred gender.

I curl up into myself tightly, not bothering to stop my teeth from chattering. Maybe I’ll freeze to death. I hear it’s not that bad of a way to go. A few people have died like this—people I knew. Winter is unforgiving, and some of us don’t survive. I wonder if their bodies were ever found or if they just thawed out in whatever field when it got warmer and decayed into the dirt.

Maybe coyotes got a little meat off their bones.

Who knows?

Just when I think Rich Boy is long gone, tires pull up in front of me, a silent engine powering the sleek, black car.

Oh, forfuck’s sake.

His tall frame gets out, walks to the passenger side, and opens the door—every muscle in my body tenses, preparing for more horrible shit to happen. I don’t know what else can top being held down and ripped apart by three disgusting men, but the universe is full of surprises.

“Tell me where you want to go, and I’ll take you there.”

“Something is wrong with you, huh?”

“I grew up learning how to read people, spotting certain body language, the dilation of pupils, and flare of nostrils. Anyone can say anything; if you take it at face value, you’ll never know the lie being told through a smile. Your leg is worse than it was two days ago. You are holding your middle, so you’ve likely got a few busted ribs. I don’t know what that is on your jeans, but it looks a lot like blood to me. Most STDs are treatableif caught early. Tell me I’m wrong.”

He folds his thick arms and arches an eyebrow.

So, he’s not only rich but he’s got power.

Great. Real fucking great.

He’s probably some trust fund kid with parents who own half the country.

Nothing he said is wrong, though. I completely forgot about the blood. Those fuckers took my extra clothes, so I had nochoice but to pull up my pants and hope the bleeding stopped soon. All I know is this: if I deny this man, he might come back with friends, and I’ve had enough experience withfriendsto last me a lifetime.

“You aren’t going to go away, are you?” I ask.

“I will if that’s what you truly want.”

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