Page 11 of Borrowed
“Then say it with your blood.”
I dragged the covers off.Mila didn’t wake.I pulled the pillow off her face in case she wanted to hear the walls talk to her.
Hesitating, I stared at the pencil, the sharp point warping like chewed metal.
Toby made a motion with his finger over his heart, and I brought the metal to my skin, following his line of direction.The sharpest edge faced out pressed on the top of my breasts.
My hands were shaking.
“You’re mine,” he said.“Show everyone else who you belong to.”
I closed my eyes.
Pushed once.
Again.
The first letter burned like fire, and Toby’s mouth was on me, licking away the sting.
‘T’
My breath hitched, but I kept going.
‘O’
‘B’
‘Y’…
I choked on the ‘Y.’The groove wasn’t deep enough.
He growled.“Again.”
I dug it deeper, tears streaming down my face like salty worms.I carved it like a brand, sealing it with my tears as they ran down, joining the crimson.
Blood ran down the curve of my breast.
Toby knelt in front of me, fingers ghosting the letters.
“You’re perfect when you hurt for me.Look how ruined you are.Painted in blood.”
I sobbed.Not from pain.From relief.From belonging.Love hurt.
“Now show me more,” he said.“Take it all off.”
I hesitated.
His hand clenched around my throat, cold, icy.My vision blurred.
“Do you want me to disappear again?”
“No,” I cried harder.
“Then obey.”
I did.Pulling off the last bit of clothing.My panties fell to the ground with a sticky sound.I dropped my arm slowly.My hands were shaking.
He watched like a starving thing.
