A Penny For The Girl

Chapter 9

Tate

"I'm sorry you weren't given a choice.."

I paid attention when my mum said that. She wasn't given a choice, it began to make sense now. How she reacted to me, what she said about her uncle. I'd just assumed she was some gold digging girl who wanted an easy life. I'd been so awful to her and she was just as trapped as I was, if not more so as she was now stuck in a house with a bunch of strangers. Man I felt guilty. The look on her face when I'd pinned her on the bed, I wasn't going to have sex with her but I wanted to make her think I was. The bruises on her wrists I'd left, what kind of person was I?!

When she walked in with my parents that night I hadn't noticed her until my parents stepped out of the way. I had to admit she was beautiful, the white dress she was wearing contrasted with the black hair cascading down her back made her look almost ethereal. I was momentarily lost for words but then I remembered what pretty girls do to you and the anger returned. I was always angry nowadays.

I had noticed her checking me out and the slight blush on her face when she realised what she was doing, it was very cute and when she bit her full pink bottom lip it made me want to taste them but there was no way I would fall for that again. I'd already made that mistake once, fool me once shame on you, fool me twice, well I wouldn't let anyone ever again.

I don't think anything could've prepared me for what my parents had done. I guess money really can buy anything!

I shouldn't of assumed anything, I completely humiliated her that night. Making her stand there in her underwear in front of me she must think I'm a monster. She sobbed in that bathroom for about an hour, the shower did nothing to cover the sound. I made myself listen to it though, I made myself listen to every single sob because I deserved it. I hadn't meant to be so cruel to her I was just so angry with what my parents had done and it was easier for me to take it out on her rather than confront them. I was a damn coward. When I heard her coming I shoved my headphones on so she wouldn't know I'd heard her, I'd thrown a blanket and pillow on the couch for her as I didn't want her anywhere near me, I was still under the assumption she was just after my money. I couldn't look at her though, I couldn't bring myself to see the pain on her face.

Her uncle had sold her. He'd actually sold her! And to make it worse he'd mistreated her. This poor girl sat next to me hadn't had a chance. She probably thought I was exactly the same as him, wasn't I though? I'd made her sleep on the couch with just a blanket, I'd humiliated her, ordered her about and hurt her bad enough to leave bruises on her arms and wrists. I was going to make this right though, I wouldn't make her do anything she didn't want to do and I was going to make sure she was treated the way she should be.

All throughout dinner I couldn't talk, I could barely utter a word, I was so angry at what she had endured. She was so calm about it, even down playing it that it could've been worse, I would find a way to make her scumbag uncle pay and the rest of his sorry excuse of a family.

I watched her laughing and smiling with my parents. She had a beautiful laugh and I found myself wanting to hear it more, as a friend obviously. We may be married but there was no way I'd give my heart away again, I'm not even sure there was anything left to give now anyway.

Her smile was so bright when she talked about her parents but if you looked close enough you could see the hidden pain behind her eyes. She must miss them so much they sounded like amazing people. As dessert was served I realised I didn't really want the evening to end yet. I wanted to know more about her, I wanted to see her laugh, for her sake obviously, she deserved to have a nice evening after everything she'd been through.

I don't know what came over me, I didn't mean to blurt it out so bluntly. It sounded so rude, lacking compassion.

"So what made you buy her then?" The shocked look on my parents faces and the undeniable hurt on Brooke's face. I just kept messing this up.

Authors Note

What do you think of Tate now? Rude? Awkward? How do you think Brooke is feeling right now??
How's the pace of the story flowing?? Is it too fast?
Thanks for reading 🥰