43

Alice stared at her phone, her thumb hovering over the screen. The message from Adam glared back at her, a cold command devoid of emotion:

“Mine. Tonight. 9pm.”

It wasn’t the words that stung the most, but the tone. Dismissive. Ownership disguised as an invitation. Her chest tightened as doubt crept in.

Why does he even want to see me? she wondered bitterly. He has a perfect new girlfriend now. Someone prettier, stronger… not pathetic old me.

For what felt like the hundredth time, Alice re-read the message, hoping some hidden kindness would reveal itself. It didn’t. With a resigned sigh, she typed a simple reply:

“Okay.”

She stared at the word for a moment before hitting send, her finger trembling. Refusing Adam wasn’t an option. Not with Jamie's social survival hanging in the balance. Her brother was finally happy, his popularity soaring thanks to Adam’s influence. She wouldn’t ruin that for him—not now.

The night air was cold as she set out, her steps heavy and reluctant. Normally, music was her solace. She opened Spotify and let her playlist shuffle, hoping for a distraction. Instead, Blink-182's Adam’s Song blared through her headphones, a cruel twist of fate that sent tears brimming to her eyes. She skipped it hurriedly. The next song, Brother by Falling in Reverse, hit her like a gut punch, its melancholy lyrics dredging up emotions she couldn’t suppress.

“Do I not have a single happy playlist in here?” Alice muttered under her breath, her voice trembling. Frustrated, she scrolled through until she found a more defiant track, something loud and chaotic to drown out her spiraling thoughts. She took a deep breath as the music blared, steeling herself for what lay ahead.

When she reached Adam’s house, her fingers hesitated over the doorbell. Her heart pounded in her chest, each beat echoing louder than the music still playing faintly in her ears. Summoning courage, she pressed the bell.

The door flew open with a violent bang, hitting the wall behind it. Adam stood there, his expression unreadable but brimming with tension. Without a word, he turned and walked inside, leaving the door ajar. Confused, Alice hesitated before stepping in and closing it behind her. The house was eerily silent, the faint hum of the refrigerator the only sound as she trailed Adam to the kitchen.

He stood with his back to her, arms crossed. When he finally turned, his glare was icy, like she’d committed some unforgivable sin. The intensity of his stare made her stomach churn.

“What did I do?” she wanted to ask, but the words froze in her throat. Instead, she stood silently, her hands fidgeting nervously at her sides.

“You’re going to do exactly what I say,” Adam began, his voice low but razor-sharp, “if you want your little brother to survive the school year. Understand?”

Alice’s breath hitched. She swallowed hard and nodded, her throat too tight to speak.

“Strip. Now.”

Her body stiffened. The words hit her like a slap, her mind scrambling for a reason, an explanation, anything to make sense of this. She hugged herself tightly, her fingers digging into her arms as if to anchor herself. Surely, he didn’t mean—

“Did I stutter?” Adam snapped, his tone dripping with impatience. “I don’t have all night.”

Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes as the weight of his demand sank in. Her hands trembled as she reached for the hem of her shirt. If I don’t do this… Jamie, she reminded herself. With shaking fingers, she began to peel away her layers, each item of clothing feeling heavier than the last.

“Faster,” Adam barked, his eyes narrowing.

Her chest tightened at his words. By the time she removed the last piece, she stood frozen, hugging herself for what little comfort it offered. Shame and confusion coursed through her veins, each second dragging on like an eternity.

Adam approached her slowly, his sneer deepening as he looked her up and down. He grabbed a glass of water from the counter, the casualness of the act twisting the knife in her heart, before tossing the contents over her chest.

Alice gasped at the icy shock, her body recoiling instinctively. She shivered as the water trickled down her skin, pooling at her feet on the grimy kitchen floor. She wanted to speak, to ask why he was doing this, but the words stuck in her throat.

“That’s better,” Adam said coldly, reaching out to pinch her nipple between his fingers.

She flinched at the sharp pain, her voice finally breaking through in a desperate whisper. “Why are you doing this?”

Adam’s mocking laughter filled the room. “Why are you doing this?” he mimicked, his voice high-pitched and mocking. The cruelty of his imitation stung worse than his grip. “Shut up,” he snapped, his voice turning harsh. “You don’t speak unless I tell you to. Got it?”

Alice nodded, her vision blurring as tears welled up.

Without warning, he grabbed her hair, yanking her head forward. The sudden motion made her yelp softly. She felt the cool press of leather against her neck and caught the unmistakable scent of dog. Her stomach dropped as she realized what it was—a collar.

“On your knees,” Adam ordered, but before she could process the command, he shoved her down roughly. Pain shot through her knees as they hit the cold tile, the impact sending a sharp ache up her legs.

Alice’s mind swirled with questions, none of which she dared to voice. Why is he doing this? Was Joseph right all along? Is Adam really this cruel?

Her thoughts were interrupted by the acrid smell of marker ink as Adam scrawled something across her forehead. The humiliation burned almost as much as the marker’s fumes. She winced, hoping she’d be able to scrub it off later.

Adam grabbed the lead attached to the collar and yanked, forcing her to tilt her head upward. The bright kitchen light blinded her momentarily as she heard the click of a camera shutter.

“Cute,” Adam muttered, smirking at the image on his phone. “Now, let’s go for a walk.”