Page 12 of Daddy's Girl

He bends down and grabs a large black bag from the floor and swings it over his shoulders.

“Yeah, life happens, Pike. Glad you got the memo though.” Cruel amusement laces his deep voice. “Didn’t think you’d hear anything up here in this fortress that you’ve been kept in all these years.”

“You’re acting as if I never cared-” I start, but Rhys is already leaving through the front door.

“Did you ever?” His voice echoes around me and I wince as the door slams shut for a second time, filling the house once again with silence.

I stand there for a few seconds not really sure of how to swallow down everything. I can already feel the bile in my throat rising. The packet of Doritos I had earlier is already attempting to find a way out of my body.

I run up the dark spiral wooden staircase and head straight to my room. I grab the hem of my sweater, pull it over my head and throw it on my room floor before heading into the adjoining bathroom.

Grabbing the sides of the toilet, I fall to my knees and all the vomit comes up, burning my throat as I empty my stomach contents.

My senses are infiltrated by the rancid smell. Clenching the sides of the toilet, I feel my stomach lurch. My throat constricts and I gag but nothing else comes up and all I’m left with after is a bitter, sour taste in my mouth.

I fall back against the wooden cabinet behind me and close my arms over my stomach. The tears fall and before I know it, I’m crying. I’m crying because of Mom and Rhys and everything else that’s fucked up in my life.

I sit like this for about ten minutes, until I calm myself down by steadily inhaling through my nose and then blowing out deep breaths through my mouth.

When I’m done, I stand up and position my shirt right before going over to the sink and rinsing my mouth out with some mint-flavored mouthwash.

I have to go to the game later because I want to go to that party later on, so I strip off my clothes and climb into the warm comfort of my bed for a short nap. As I fall asleep, I can’t ignore the apprehension I feel in my chest.