Page 57 of Deliria

Who is ‘he’? The question echoes in my mind, like some sort of flickering light, some beacon of hope in amongst the darkness.

Before I can ponder further, the door creaks open.

I turn enough to glance over my shoulder as Vincent steps inside. The sight of him sends a jolt of terror through me, a visceral reminder of all the violence he’s inflicted upon my body.

“I thought I’d find you in here,” He says with a hint of what sounds like amusement in his voice.

“What, what do you want?” I ask, getting quickly to my feet. I’m not going to show weakness. I’m not going to leave myself in a vulnerable position. If I have to fight, if I have to use my fists, then so be it, but I’ll do it standing.

He runs his eyes over me, and that disgust in my belly grows.

It’s like the two of us perform some sort of dance. He takes a step towards me, and I take one away. That distance remains as we circle one another, but the entire time I know exactly where the door is, where the exit is. Where my escape is.

“I thought you’d be painting.” He says, picking up a brush, running the bristles over his lips like it’s something sensual, something sexy.

My stomach twists at the sight, and it’s all I can do not to turn my face up in disgust.

“You used to love to paint so much, Scarlett.” He says like that’s some sort of taunt.

I shake my head, taking another carefully measured step.

Five more. Five more steps and then I can be out of here, away from him.

“Do you remember that exhibition you did, those oil paintings? I’d never seen anything like it.”

“No?” I murmur, unsure what the hell his point is.

“The detail, the drama…” His lips curve into a smile. “You poured your emotions onto those canvasses in a way I’d never seen.”

I meet his gaze but say nothing. Two more steps. Just two more and then I can run for my life.

“I wonder what you’d paint now if you were able to,” He muses. “What delights your hands could conjure in your current situation.”

My heart seems to stop at the tone he uses. It’s as if something shatters in me, something erupts. I stumble back, darting for the door and he snatches at my wrist, throwing me back into the room like I’m a rag doll.

“Do you think you’d paint your anguish?” He sneers as he tightens his grip, as he drags me up until I’m practically nose to nose with him. “Do you think you’d paint your pain too? Wouldn’t it be beautiful to witness it, to see all the trauma inside you, expressed in such vividness.”

“Fuck you.” I hiss back without thinking.

He lets out a chuckle. “If you insist. I won’t have anyone saying I mistreat my daughter-in-law, that I don’t give her everything she desires.”

He pushes me back even as I scream, even as I fight, and he’s forcing me to my knees, shoving me face first over the bench. I’m too weak, too low on energy for anything I do to have any meaningful effect.

I grab at nothing, I kick out and meet only air.

All the drugs they’ve pumped into my system render me useless, render me defenceless.

He wrenches my dress up over my hips and groans as my bare arse is exposed.

With one hand he pins me in place as the other he runs up over my thighs, hooking into my thong and he pulls it out of the way.

“Such a sweet cunt.” He taunts. “I’ll admit, I never anticipated Lionel’s daughter to be as delectable as you are, but your mother was always a looker. I guess it’s a good thing you inherited her looks.”

“Don’t…” I’m not sure if I’m begging him to not do what he’s about to do, or simply wanting him to shut the fuck up about my parents. It doesn’t matter either way, because the man’s a sadist. He always was.

His fingers trace down my labia, making me shudder in revulsion. The way he’s savouring every bit of my flesh, it’s disgusting, it’s so much worse than his aggression. Why is he even being gentle right now? I know from the diary entries that this man is the complete opposite of that. That he delights in forcing himself on me in the most brutal of ways.

“Such a pretty cunt.” He says. “Considering how many cocks you’ve taken, I still can’t get over how good you look.”

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