Chapter Six

~Mel~

Carmine never came.

I wasn’t sure if I should be relieved or just dread the anticipation of the inevitable. If he had taken my virginity tonight, at least it wouldn’t be this looming threat hanging over my head, a constant reminder of what was to come.

I sucked in a deep breath, pushing myself off the bed and walking over to the mirror. My reflection stared back at me, a stranger with eyes that were too wide, too haunted. I’d never been one for makeup, but I’d always heard that layers of it could cover up anything—physical pain, emotional scars, whatever you needed to hide from the world.

I could use that right now.

The bruises on my neck were no longer visible, thanks to the two women who had come in earlier. One had cleaned the blood off me, scrubbing at my skin like she could erase the memories of his hands around my throat.

The blood on the floor and wall were gone too when I stepped out of the bathroom.

Then the other had layered on makeup, painting over the evidence unti