Chapter Seven
Mariska
I am shoving clothing into baskets, but my mind is trapped in the idea that Mark raped me. If I really think about it… It makes sense. I need to call my therapist before Zeke gets here, so I abandon cleaning and call Dawson Thompson.
He is honestly a great guy. He’s never once questioned or doubted me, but he is blunt as fuck. If I am being a bitch, he will tell me. If I am self-sabotaging, he will tell me.
“Hey, Mariska,” Dawson answers. I absolutely should not have his personal number, but I do. I’d like to think he’s my friend, but I pay him to care about me, so…
“Hey. I have minimal time. I am about to dump a whole bunch on you,” I say.
“Alright. Hit me with it,” he laughs. I tell him about my entire day from start to finish as I try to keep cleaning up.
I even include everything that Zeke told me about Meghan today, but end with the realization that it might be Mark who raped me.
I turn from starting clothes and see someone leaning against the counter.
My heart leaps into my throat, and I scream as I nearly jump out of my skin.
“Goddamnit, Zeke!” I yell, and he laughs heartily.
“You really should lock your door, Riss,” Zeke says with a smile.
“Hello? Are you alive?” Dawson says.
“Yeah. Sorry. Zeke is here and gave me a heart attack,” I sigh.
‘Who’s that?” Zeke asks me.
“Dawson,” I say. “He’s my therapist.”
“Get set up somewhere so we can all talk,” Dawson says.
“Dawson, no,” I argue.
“Mariska, yes. Go get set up, and we can do a video call,” he says firmly. He is worried about me, so he wants to actually see me.
“What if Zeke doesn’t want to talk to you?” I ask.
“What if Zeke does?” Zeke says, but I shush him.
“Mariska,” Dawson says.
“Fine!” I huff. “Come sit down. I’ll get my phone stand.”
We go and sit on my loveseat, and I set my phone up on the coffee table so he can see us both. When the call switches over to a video call, Dawson appears. “Evening,” Dawson says with a warm smile.
“You are annoying,” I frown at him, and he chuckles.
“Now, you were saying you think Mark was the one who raped you,” Dawson says. “Is there more to that theory?”
“It is not my place to say,” I say bluntly.
“Mark is my older brother,” Zeke says cautiously.
“He raped me a handful of times when I was a kid. If Meghan has been sleeping with him since before… She didn’t outright admit she contributed to helping Riss get hurt, but she admitted she knew Riss was raped.
I told her I’d find out, and she just looked at me. ”
“Okay, so if he is the one, what then?” Dawson asks.
“I’ll make sure he goes to jail,” Zeke says. “No matter what I need to do, I will get her justice.”
“Even if she doesn’t want anything more than friendship?” Dawson asks.
“Even if she one day woke up hating my fucking guts,” Zeke says. “I feel guilty for it happening. Like… I feel like I could have done something to prevent it.”
“But Meghan drugged and raped you,” I remind him. “It doesn’t surprise me at all that she was able to manipulate her way into a whole-ass marriage with you.”
“I just want you to feel safe again, and I know you don’t,” Zeke says to me. “You act all tough, but I see through that. I know you well, even if we've been apart for this long. You hide behind humor and brattiness.”
I glance at Dawson, and he is smirking.
“Oh, you shut up,” I say with a frown.
“He didn’t say anything,” Zeke laughs.
“He’s giving me that look. He tells me that all of the time,” I say.
“Even calling you a brat?” he asks.
“Because she is a brat,” Dawson laughs. My cheeks burn red hot, and Zeke looks between me and the screen.
See, here’s the thing… I’d let that doctor do absolutely depraved things to me, and I know he is interested in me, too, which is why we don’t do in-person visits often anymore. Last time, I had a panic attack, and he held me in his lap until we both realized he was hard.
“Okay, you two… Be honest… Do you want to be together? No matter how much time you’ve been apart, is that where you want to be?” Dawson asks.
“Yes,” I say honestly before Zeke can answer.
“You do?” Zeke asks me. “Riss, you don’t have to…”
“Pause,” Dawson says. “Do you want her, Zeke?”
“More than anything,” Zeke says gently, looking at me.
“Then try it. Mariska is already about to have you stay with her, yes?”
“Yes,” I say.
“So just try it. We can have group and individual therapy. Remain open to change and the possibility that it doesn’t work out,” Dawson says.
“In person or over video?” I ask, reminding him of the giant cock in his pants. It was like sitting on a tree trunk. Although, last I remember, Zeke is packing a huge dick too.
“Ah… So we can do it in person when it’s the three of us, if you want. I can always come to you all if it's easier,” Dawson says. “Zeke, we can have sessions in person, but we will continue virtually, Mariska.”
“Why virtual for her?” Zeke asks.
“Bluntly?” Dawson asks, and I cover my burning cheeks.
“Yeah,” Zeke says, looking at me and smirking.
“Last time she was in my office, she had a panic attack talking about her past. I comforted her… by pulling her into my lap,” he says. “If I were a lesser man, I would have fucked her on my desk, so it’s for the best that she and I are virtual.”
“Hmm,” Zeke says, watching my reaction. “Okay. We are in a pretty intense case, so in person might be for the best. You are always welcome to come by the station and talk there, too.”
“Why are you looking at me like that?” I ask Zeke.
“Mariska, baby. I don’t know if you want to know,” Zeke laughs.
“I do,” I say.
“Okay. You are awfully giddy hearing him tell me he has very little restraint to not fuck you,” he says.
“I wouldn’t…”
“Oh, but Riss. I’m a big boy who can share his toys, and I think you want to be shared,” Zeke says with the sweetest voice.
“Sir, you call me your toy again, and I’m going to need you to teach me what you mean. I’m a hands-on learner, though,” I say, and Dawson laughs.
“Alright. Alright,” Dawson says humorously. “In person at the station until you have more free time.”
“See? He wants to share you, too,” Zeke says with a grin.
“I mean… we could call it immersive therapy,” I say with a grin.
“Okay,” Dawson says. “You’re a teasing little brat.”
“You can’t say that to me!” I laugh.
“Girl, we are on my personal cell. I can say whatever I want,” he says. “Plus, you like it, so…”
“Anyway!” I laugh. “So dive headfirst? Is that what’s happening? How do we find out if it’s Mark?”
“I can have Caleb put my DNA in the system. It will hit as a sibling match,” Zeke says. “We will need to tell Kevin so that no one can say anything about it.”
“Keep me updated on that. Mariska, I’ll come up and see you tomorrow so we can talk for a bit. Zeke, I’m not going to bill you for this. I don’t even bill her insurance anymore either.”
“You don’t?” I ask.
“No. Figured after feeling my dick, it might be wrong of me to charge you. Feels a bit immoral,” he laughs.
Fuck… He does care about me…
“Well, tomorrow might be a bit busy, but I’ll try,” I say simply, my entire demeanor flipping.
“Mariska,” Dawson says softly.
“I’m going to take a shower,” I tell Zeke. I get up and walk away, ignoring him and the realization that not only have I been wrong about him, but also about myself.
When I get to my bathroom, I strip off my clothes as I let the water heat up. Once it’s blazing hot, I get in and boil the thoughts from my mind.
Several minutes pass by, and I hear the shower door behind me open. He doesn’t make me speak; he just wraps his arms around me and pulls me back against his chest. I hear him breathing weirdly, so I turn to face him, laughing when he has his face scrunched up.
“This water is really fucking hot,” he cringes, making me laugh. “How are you standing in here?”
“It’s getting a little cold now,” I tease, and he shakes his head. I make the water a bit more tolerable for him before turning back and hugging him.
“What’s wrong?” he asks me.
“I was always under the assumption that Dawson only cared because I paid him to. I didn’t know he wasn’t charging me…”
“I’m going to be honest, babe. I think that man loves you,” Zeke says. I pull back to look at him, and he smiles. “And I know you love him, or else you wouldn’t have run.”
“Zeke, I…”
“Do I look concerned to you?” Zeke asks.
“No,” I admit.
“He was there for you when I couldn’t be, and that’s okay. You can love us both, and we both can share you. You don’t have to choose between us, Riss.”
“I don’t even know if he… What if you’re wrong?”
“I’m not,” he says, gently lifting my chin. “So here’s what’s going to happen.”
“I’m listening,” I say with a smile when I see lust in his eyes.
“I’m going to wash your beautiful body, and then fuck you to make up for all the years I lost you,” he says, gently pressing his lips to mine.
“And tomorrow, when he comes by to see you at the station, you will go sit in the non-recorded interview room and let that man fuck you. You’ll accept that people care about you and love you. And we will go forward together. Okay?”
“Okay,” I whisper.
“Is that what you want?” he asks. “You are in control of all this,” he continues.
“Yes,” I admit. “I just want to feel normal. I have focused so much of my energy on school and work that I don’t remember what it’s like to just… enjoy myself.”
“Let me take care of you, Mariska,” Zeke says, kissing my neck. “God, I’ve missed how you melt for me.”
“You should know that I kinda turned into a whore,” I say. “Don’t ask me names, because I have no idea.”
Zeke pulls back and chuckles. “I’m not bothered by how you coped, baby. All I care about is right now.”
I glance down, and my mouth falls open, making Zeke cackle. “Zeke, oh my God. You were big before, but holy fuck.”
“I grew a bit since then,” he remarks.
“A bit? You were at least seven inches before. What the fuck?”
“Are you too scared, Riss?” he asks as he starts washing my body.
“No,” I tell him. “Well, maybe a little.”