9 – Dr. Weiss
DR. WEISS
Night Six
(I’m done calculating the exact ‘late’ day for you. Just subtract three from now on.)
“ A hhh … Yesss … Please …”
Sadie’s moans are the first thing I hear when I step into the cabin that evening. She’s in the shower for what must be the hundredth time since she arrived here.
From where I’m standing, I can see the curve of her bare back, the soft gleam of damp skin, and the outline of a rose tattoo. Its vine slinks from the back of her left shoulder down to the side of her ribs.
“ Deeper …” she groans again, like she’s completely alone in the world, like no one can hear her.
It’s taking every ounce of self-control not to imagine what she’d sound like with my hand over her mouth, with her wrists pinned to my bed, with my…
Fuck.
Focus.
I set down the bag with tonight’s medication and the new assignments, trying to push every image of fucking her out of my head. But before I can fully regroup, my cell rings.
Robin.
Annoyed by her intrusion, I step outside and close the door behind me.
“Yes, Robin?” I answer.
“I found something that might actually help Sadie’s new attorney with the appeal for a new trial,” she says, breathless. “But I can’t work on that and keep up with everything else at the office.”
“No one’s responded to my threat about firing them if they don’t assist?”
“Not a single one.”
“Unbelievable.” I glance at my watch. “Send me what you have. I’ll take care of it.”
“I thought today was your move-in date,” she reminds me. “Weren’t you planning to stay with Miss Pretty for the rest of the experiment?”
“I was, but I clearly can’t afford to. Send me what you have.”
I end the call and head back inside the cabin.
Might as well make my next move on our chessboard.
When I make it to Sadie’s room, she’s standing in her bathroom doorway, wrapped in a white towel that barely clings to her curves.
Mental note: Buy her a robe.
“Hello, Miss Pretty.”
“Dr. Weiss,” she says quietly. “I haven’t received any case notes. No new updates, no scheduled talks about proving my innocence. Is there a reason for that?”
“I only came to move my chess piece and drop off your next ‘then’ page.” I can’t make it obvious that she affects me. “And I’m not obligated to tell you anything about my team’s work.”
“Can you just answer the question?”
“No.” I glance at the board. “Pretend like I’m not here.”
Her eyes burn with anger, and she turns away from me.
I slide my knight across the board and feel her shifting in a way that’s too subtle to explain.
Then I see why…
Out of the corner of my eye, I see her untying the towel and letting it fall to the floor.
She steps back and sits on the edge of the tub, daring me to take a look.
“What the hell are you doing?” I growl, turning to face her.
“Pretending like you’re not here.” She shrugs. “It’s quite nice, actually. No questions, no judgments…”
“Put your fucking towel back on.” My blood boils at the thought of anyone else seeing her like this. “There are cameras, remember?”
“I thought you said they weren’t in the bathroom.”
“They’re not. But I’m not going to ask you to put that damn towel on again.”
“Good. It’ll be nice not to have to follow an order for a change.”
Without thinking, I move forward and shut the bathroom’s half door behind me.
I glance down at the towel on the floor, then at her strawberry-kissed nipples and freshly shaved pussy that glistens slightly in the light.
“I’d prefer if no one on my staff ever saw you like this,” I say, my voice tight.
“No one… or no one except you?”
“The latter,” I admit, and her cheeks bloom red.
She sucks in a breath before stooping down to retrieve the towel. Then she swiftly wraps it back around herself.
“I’m sorry.” Her voice is a whisper. “Will you just tell me if I should hope for a new trial regardless of whether the parole board sets me free… or just stop thinking about it all?”
Silence.
I step back in view of the cameras.
“I’ll see you in the morning for our next session, Miss Pretty,” I say. “Your homework and medication for tonight are in the kitchen.”
I leave her standing there and staring, her question still hanging—unanswered.