Chapter 20
Oakley
Blinking the world back into focus, forgetting where I had been and where I was, my brain hurt.
It usually did after I had a cup of apple juice with Sir, so I wasn’t surprised. Only, I was still in the bathroom with Sabastian.
Normally, with Sir, I would wake up cold, sore, and alone in the basement. I’d have a pounding headache, so bad that sometimes I’d throw up afterward. I didn’t think that part was going to happen, at least.
“Welcome back, sweetheart.” Sabastian gave me a small smile, before returning his gaze to my arm.
I followed the path, finding him putting the last band-aid over one of the bite marks.
His fingers were warm, and looking down, I was dressed in another one of his shirts.
“You made me worried,” he mumbled.
Why? I just…went somewhere else while he did want he wanted in the bath.
The baths were never good. I’d learned that if Sir wanted a bath, that meant lots and lots of pain.
The water would be too cold, and he’d scrub me too rough, and he’d force me to be under the water until I passed out.
That was, if I didn’t pass out from the juice first.
But the juice was always better. I’d rather not be aware of what went on over having to use the bathroom all night. Milk made me sick, and Sir loved to make me drink that often.
“Can you brush your teeth?”
I nodded. I think so, at least. Why he always wanted me to brush my teeth every night was strange. Sir never cared if I did or not.
“You can have this when you get to bed,” Sabastian said, pulling the paci from my mouth. “No sucking on your thumb. Or biting yourself.” He reminded me before leaving the bathroom.
Yeah, that wasn’t going to happen, I thought. I couldn’t control those needs, my mind and body just did them on their own.
I quickly did what he told me to do. I even used the bathroom, too. Afterward, I made my way to his bedroom and waited for more orders.
It was easier to follow orders than to think for myself. The headache began to grow stronger as the minutes passed.
“Go on,” Sabastian said from his bathroom, where he stood in just sleep pants, a toothbrush in his hand. He dipped his head towards the bed.
Crawling in, paci back between my lips, I relaxed into the bed. My eyes fought to stay open, but with how I lay, I could see the man as he got ready for bed.
Soon enough, Sabastian was getting in on his side, pulling the covers over me and tucking me in before he flickered off the light, bathing us both in the darkness.
***
When I peeled my eyes open, I felt more like my normal self, whatever that was. I was aware of where I was, and who I was with.
Sabastian was awake, sitting in bed shirtless, reading one of the books that had been on his shelf. One that I was sure I wasn’t allowed to read.
“Morning,” he lifted his eyes to me as I shifted on the bed.
I didn’t remember moving much during the night, but I must have, as I was more in the middle of the bed than on the other side. Also, my head wasn’t on my pillow.
But, as I clicked my mouth, my brain reminded me about the pacifier.
“I’d ask how you slept,” he went on, closing the book and setting it aside. “But you didn’t exactly sleep. You moved a lot.”
Obviously, I thought. My sleep was a mess anyway, and I was used to sleeping, or at least dozing, day and night. Sir liked to keep me awake at weird times, and my body adjusted to it easily. Or not. I don’t know.
It was nice waking up not feeling sore and sick to my stomach, though.
“Collin is stopping by today,” Sabastian said as if he were talking about the weather. “After that, I have to go to the store.”
Which meant, I’d be chained back up to the bed.
I nodded, because what else was I to do?
After we both used the bathroom and I left my paci on the bed because I wasn’t a freaking baby, I followed the path down to the kitchen, where Sabastian was already starting to make breakfast.
This time, I didn’t wait for orders before taking a seat on a chair. Although I had enjoyed kneeling at the man’s feet the night before, letting him feed me, I couldn’t get used to it.
Things I liked would be taken away, which is why I didn’t like very many things.
I shot a glare at my thumb, seeing the red dented marks. My bites were still covered, but I could feel the bruising when I moved my arm.
I deserved more pain. That was nothing.
“Oatmeal. And milk.” Today, he sat a cup, a grown-up one, in front of me. It was half full of white liquid.
Ignoring the milk, because I’d rather have anything but that, I focused on my breakfast.
The oats were soft, going down easily. It was one of the things Sir liked me to eat, and filling enough to last most of the day.
I finished off the bowel, hungrier than I thought. Or maybe Sabastian didn’t give me as much, knowing what I could handle. Either way, that only left me with a cup of milk. One I knew I’d have to drink.
Taking a small sip, I noticed it tasted a bit different than what Sir had me drink. It was sweeter, almost in a strange way.
Taking another, bigger sip, I kept it in my mouth for an extra second before swallowing.
“Oat milk.” I jerked at Sabastian’s voice. “I have trouble with regular milk. There’s a protein in cows’ milk that I’m allergic to. Which makes it challenging sometimes when I want pizza or nachos, but it’s better than spending hours in the bathroom.”
I blinked, taking another drink. So, it was normal? I wasn’t a freak because I couldn’t drink it without paying a price?
“I like pizza,” I said around the lip of the cup. Why that came out, I’d never know. But the man smiled.
“Me too. Maybe tonight, if you’re good, I’ll order some.”
Would he? Or was this a test, one I’d fail, and I’d have to sit there eating dog food while he got the pizza?
Sir did that a lot. He’d tell me to do something, and if I did, he’d order the best smelling food that’d make my stomach growl with hunger. All for me to not be allowed to eat it, instead, I’d get a can of dog food to eat.
“Oh, Oakley,” Sabastian sighed, laying a hand along my cheek. I didn’t stop myself from seeking more of his comfort. His touch was warm, settling the thoughts in my brain as easy as that. “Even if you mess up today, you’ll still get pizza. I promise.”
We’d see, I thought, letting my eyes slide close.
When a high-pitched ring rang through the house, Sabastian pulled back. “Go get dressed, little one.”
It took a moment to get my feet to work to stand. Then, as Sabastian went to the door, I headed upstairs.
Even though he said to only get dressed, I brushed my hair and pulled it into a clip once more.
The skirt I pulled on wasn’t as long as the others, tickling the top of my feet instead of to the floor where I’d likely trip over the edges.
A white tank top with one of Sabastian’s checkered black shirts, which covered my hands with how long the sleeves were, I deemed dressed enough.
Heck, I even put on a pair of underwear, although it felt odd to do so. The ones that were left out on the top of the dresser were simple, but way better than what Sir had be wear the last few months.
As I descended the stairs, voices reached me. With my heart in my throat, I forced my feet down each step. I followed the voices, hands clasped in front of me in a tight grip.
“Come here, Oakley.” I followed Sabastian’s order, walking right to him. When I was in reach, he grabbed my hand, pulling me to sit down beside him. “Good boy,” he whispered to where only I could hear it.
“Hello, kiddo,” Collin’s voice got me to look up quickly before looking anywhere else. “How are you doing today?”
I lifted a shoulder. When a throat cleaned from beside me, I sighed. “Fine, sir.”
“Bruising is better,” Sabastian supplied, leaning back against the couch. I stayed on the edge, ready to run if I needed to. Not that’d get away with it, though. Not again. “Nights are a bit challenging. Nightmares, I think.”
“Monsters,” I said before thinking. But my reply had both of their attention.
“What monsters, honey?” Collin asked gently, like he understood. Maybe, he did.
“The ones in the dark.”
“There’s no monsters, little one.” Sabastian’s hand ran up and down my arm.
“There are.”
“Is that what happened to your face?”
Oh, right. I forgot about those marks. I nodded. “They…they found me. Sir sent them, and they got me. They…” my breathing became harder to control as I remembered the hands of the dark creatures over my body. I could feel the nails digging into me, burning me.
“Oakley, it’s okay. You’re safe.”
Instantly, I was moved to sit in Sabastian’s lap, his heart against my ear. I let his arms hold me, to hide me away from the monsters that were waiting for me.
I wasn’t safe. What if the monsters wanted Sabastian too, since he was being nice. Would they go after him and make me watch as they tore him apart? Would they enjoy my pleading, my crying, as they did so while I was chained up, too far away to stop them?
“Look at me, little one.” Two warm hands cupped my face, forcing it up. I couldn’t see through the tears. “Nothing is going to happen. I won’t let them get to you. You’re mine now.”
I sniffed, trying to catch my breath.
“Th-th-they hurt me.”
So much, they hurt me. The monsters clawed at my skin. They touched me in places I didn’t like. They played worse games than Sir ever did.
I clenched my eyes tight, willing the monsters to not come during the daylight. It would be the first time ever, if they did. But I could hear them creeping closer and closer to the house. I heard them call my name, coaxing me away from a place they couldn’t yet reach.
“Don’t let them take me.” I sobbed, not sure if Sabastian could understand a word that came out.
I didn’t understand why they were coming now. I didn’t understand why they wanted me to begin with.
I just wanted them to go away. And never come back. but that was too much to ask for. I was stupid for even thinking it.
“Little one,” Sabastian pulled me against him, and I did nothing to fight his hold. I physically couldn’t.
My fear of the monsters was stronger. I knew, as long as I was in someone else’s hands, the monsters wouldn’t be able to get to me. and if Sabastian said I was his, then the monsters would have to wait to get to me.
I sobbed, tears clogging my throat. I couldn’t catch my breath, my lungs aching with much needed air.
I gasped, gagging, as I fought against the darkness that wasn’t desperately to take over.
I wasn’t sure I’d survive it again, but as the monsters got closer, a small poke in my shoulder made everything disappear and my body fell fully against Sabastian’s, a small plea on my lips.
“Help me.”