Page 50 of Tortured Whispers
Once she saw the door open, her eyes darted over to Cease and she smiled seductively. It turned me into a crazy person. I’d never experienced anything like it. My muscles seemed to strain against my skin as I locked onto this woman’s gaze. She was staring at Cease but I was staring at her.
“Hi, Dr. Powers,” she purred her words out like she was a fucking sex kitten and I wanted to rip her throat out.
“Hey, Denise. Back from your break, I see. I want you to meet Brooklyn.” He smiled at me like I was his everything and it made the pounding in my ears subside a little.
“Brooklyn, nice to meet you,” Denise smiled, offering her hand. I refused to shake it. I hated shaking hands anyway because I was always afraid someone would see my scars by accident but right then, I hated Denise. That was reason enough not to shake her hand.
Cease noticed my refusal and chuckled a bit, pulling me close to his side.
“Yes, Denise, this is Dr. Powers’ niece. She’s gonna be my patient and she’s lucky because we all know I’m the best doctor in here,” Dr. Hollows interjected playfully.
“Yeah, okay. Keep telling yourself that,” Cease laughed. He was so sexy when he laughed. He was sexy when he did anything really.
“Niece? Okay. I got scared for a second. I thought you had a girlfriend. I was thinking I didn’t even have a chance to get my hooks in you first.” Denise was back to eye fucking Caesar and my heart rate climbed quickly.
“He does,” I blurted. I had to concentrate really hard on saying my R sounds. “He does have a girlfriend.” My voice shook a bit but I’d be damned if I was going to let some woman sit in my face and hit on Cease after the way he fucked me in his office.
“Mmm, all the fine ones always do,” Denise grunted and went back to her computer. Dr. Hollows looked at Cease and made a noise.
“You never mentioned your girlfriend, Dr. Powers. Congratulations,” he smiled. He was a handsome man with smooth brown skin and deep brown eyes. He only looked to be slightly older than Cease.
“Yeah, it’s still new but…it’s serious,” he swallowed and put his hands in his pockets.
“Uh oh, we talking marriage?” Hollows asked.
“Eventually. I just need to get settled,” he said. My emotions swung wildly in the opposite direction of rage and headed toward downright giddy.
Marriage?
Could I be Cease’s wife?
I rocked back and forth on my heels and suppressed the smile trying to emerge. I didn’t know how it would ever work though. We’d have to move far away from LA and New York. We’d have to be somewhere where nobody knew Dr. Caesar Powers or had his books.
“Brooklyn, are ready to be seen?” Dr. Hollows broke apart my thoughts of an exit strategy where I actually got to be happy with Cease forever. I smiled timidly and nodded, following behind him.
“I’ll see you in a bit, Brook,” Cease assured me. I nodded in response then entered Dr. Hollow’s spacious office. Inside smelled like books and leather. It was unexpectedly soothing.
I sat on the couch and looked around a little at the plaques and degrees hanging on the walls. I tried not to let my nerves go wild because if I did they would drag me toward the water like wicked, insolent children. They were such fucking pests.
Dr. Hollows spent a half hour listening to me talk about myself and who I was. I didn’t think it would take that long. I had no defining qualities. I still spoke though.
It was when he asked me why I was in his office that I clammed up. I pressed my knees together and nibbled on the edge of my sleeve. I really missed the thick sleeves on my hoodie but my shirt sleeves would do.
I wanted to tell him I was in there because I needed my head cracked open and examined. I needed to take out all the ugly parts and make them pretty but maybe that wasn’t the best way to start. Instead, I looked at him and shrugged my shoulders.
“You don’t know?” He quizzed, knitting his brows together. “Why did you agree to see me when your uncle suggested it?” Hearing Cease referred to as my uncle, stung. I averted my eyes and sucked on my sleeve harder.
“Cease wants me to talk about some stuff. Get some things out of my head and say them to someone who can help,” I told him.
“Cease?” Hollows noted. “You don’t call him Uncle Caesar?” He gave a small smile but I still wasn’t totally comfortable. A part of me was always on edge no matter who I talked to.
“No. He’s not like an uncle. He’s like a friend. A best friend,” I said firmly. My jaw was set and my eyes locked on to Dr. Hollows.
“I understand,” he nodded. His voice was still smooth and non-judgmental. Why the hell was I so on edge? It wasn’t like he was peering into my darkest secret. He was trying to help me with my cutting. He was there to help me get through my anxiety and depression. He didn’t know Caesar and I were in love.
“Cease wasn’t there for me when I was growing up. He wasn’t around. Now that he is…” I gave another timid shrug of my dainty shoulders and hugged myself.
“Now that he is, it doesn’t seem very much like he’s your uncle, does it?” His eyes crinkled at the corners and something inside of them reminded me of my father. My heart twisted.
