Chapter 4

James stood over me, his chest heaving with the exertion of his latest cruelty. He didn't look at me with guilt; he looked at me like a broken toy he was momentarily finished with.

With shaking, sweaty hands, he fumbled his phone from his pocket. He tapped out a number, his eyes darting toward the kitchen door to ensure Julianne hadn't forgotten anything before her meeting. The line rang twice before her voice filled the room, crisp and professional.

"Yes?"

"Jule, baby," James said, his voice instantly shifting from a predator’s hiss to the tone of a concerned, hardworking partner. He looked at me and smirked, a chilling contrast to his words. "The little brat is back-cheeking me again while you're trying to get out the door. Do you want me to handle the punishment, my love?"

On the other end of the line, Julianne’s voice turned sharp and impatient. "Do what you want, baby! If you’re going to punish her, make sure she actually learns her lesson this time. I’m sick of her ungrateful mouth!"

"You got it, honey," James whispered, clicking the phone shut.

He bit his lip, staring at me with a slow, greasy smile. He grabbed my wrist, the skin bruising under his grip, and dragged me toward the living room.

“Two parts to your punishment, Libs,” he began. “One now, and the second once you finish your chores. We don't want you too sore to work, do we? This way, you’ll have all afternoon in the garden to reflect on your attitude—and what’s waiting for you when the sun goes down.”

He threw himself onto the sofa and yanked me over his lap. I knew better than to struggle; it only fed his hunger. I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for the heat. He yanked my leggings down, the air hitting my skin like a warning.

“Hmm, a black thong?” he chuckled, the fabric twanging against my skin. “Making my job easier, aren't you? Fifty should suffice for a start.”

The first blow was a shock of white-hot stinging that echoed off the walls. I bit my tongue until I tasted copper, refusing to scream. His hand was heavy, raining down in a rhythmic, brutal staccato that turned my skin to fire. Even Mya, my inner wolf, retreated into the darkest corners of my mind, shivering in fear. When he finally stopped, he didn't let me up. His cold hand caressed the burning welts.

“A lovely shade of red,” he murmured. “When you’re my special girl, you’ll learn to please me, and we won’t have to do this anymore.”

He shoved me onto the floor like trash. I scrambled up, pulling my clothes into place and fleeing to the garden. I spent hours under the blistering sun, weeding until my fingernails bled, my body throbbing with every movement. I worked like a machine, desperate to finish and hide before Julianne returned. The garden was finally done. All that remained was the mowing. I walked to the shed at the bottom of the lawn, fumbling with the latch in the dimming light. I found the mower tucked beside the old chest freezer. As I reached for the handle, the heavy wooden door slammed shut behind me. The latch clicked.

“Funny how we keep finding ourselves alone,” James hissed from the shadows.

I backed away until the cold metal of the freezer bit into my spine. I tried to snarl, tried to let my fangs drop, but James just laughed. It was a wet, hysterical sound. He spun me around, slamming my chest against the freezer lid. In one violent motion, my leggings were at my ankles.

“Please, James, no,” I begged, my face pressed against the icy metal. “What would Julianne say?”

“Shut up, slut,” he growled into my ear. “What Julianne doesn’t know won’t hurt her. This is our little secret.”

The sound of his zipper was a death knell. He squashed me against the metal, his heavy weight suffocating me. He forced a hand over my mouth, stifling my muffled scream of agony as he stole the last piece of me that was still whole. I stared at the cobwebs in the rafters, my tears dripping onto the rusted freezer, wishing my soul would simply leave my body.

Then, from across the lawn, a voice drifted through the air. Julianne.

“James? James, are you out there?”

“Shit! She’s back early!” James cursed. He pulled away with a violent jerk, fumbling with his jeans. He leaned over me, his face inches from mine. “Don't you say a word. No one believes a Ghost Girl. You talk, and I’ll kill you.”

He slammed the shed door, leaving me in the dark. I lay there, a broken, sodden mess. I wanted to be with my parents. I wanted the sea to claim me. Eventually, I managed to pull my clothes back on. I wiped my eyes, trying to find some shred of composure. I stepped out of the shed, expecting to find silence, but Julianne was already storming across the grass toward me. Her face was a mask of absolute rage.

'What have I done wrong now?' I thought, my heart sinking into my shoes.

To her, I wasn't a victim—I was just a problem she hadn't solved yet.