Read Online Don't Say a Word (Strangers Series) by Jennifer Jaynes - Free Book Online
Authors: Jennifer Jaynes
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dressed.”
“Of course.”
Allie stared at the gray, cloud-filled sky, then out at the gloomy woods behind the yard. She remembered the sound she’d thought she heard the night before. The strong sense of being watched.
It was nothing. Just forget about it, she told herself.
She turned to Bitty. “Is Sammy okay out here with you while I get ready?”
“Sure. Go do your thing. He’ll be fine.”
The hot spray of the shower thundered down, pelting every inch of Allie’s skin. She turned to let it hit her face and felt the blood rush to her forehead, her cheeks, her chin.
She thought about this new chapter of her life. In terms of her career, she was following in Bitty’s footsteps as a wellness practitioner. She was drawn to the work for many reasons, but mainly because it was so rewarding and flexible. She worked part-time at a wellness center in the next town on Mondays, then took clients in her own small practice over the phone, two to four days a week. She liked the flexibility of the schedule and of feeling she was making a positive difference in people’s lives.
Her thoughts went to the girls. She wondered what their lives had been like before their parents’ murders. Had they been happy? What had they been like before? Had their parents’ murders significantly changed them? Suddenly she had a strong desire to know.
Allie turned off the spray and toweled dry. She dressed quickly, looking in the mirror only to apply minimal makeup. Because of her BDD, her looks had been an obsession for most of her life. Even now, if she wasn’t careful, she could easily worry about how she looked for several hours each day. Bitty told her she suffered from BDD for several reasons, not the least of which was because of the lies her mother had told her as a child, seeding thoughts of deficiency in her mind.
Seeds she continued to fertilize as Allie grew older.
Allie could still picture the glaring disapproval in her late mother’s eyes. The look of disgust on her face as she’d shake her head.
How I made such an ugly child is beyond me. We’re going to have to figure a way to hide those looks of yours, girl.
In fact, up until only six months ago, Allie never would have let Johnny—or anyone, for that matter—see her without a full face of makeup. She could still clearly remember the first day she’d shown herself to him with a completely bare face, almost trembling with shame. She’d fully expected him to look at her with disgust like her mother had often done. But if he noticed anything was different about her, he didn’t show it.
It had astounded her.
It had also empowered her, if just a little. But she still had a long road of healing in front of her, so aside from basic hygiene and tidiness, she forced herself not to pay much attention to her appearance. She also took care not to catch her reflection in car windows, rearview mirrors, or the glass of framed photos.
Out of sight, out of mind.
Back in her bedroom, she tiptoed around, gathering her purse and laptop, trying her best not to wake Johnny. But as she started to walk out, she heard him grunt and stir in bed.
“What the hell was wrong with that girl last night?” he asked. “Jesus, I thought an animal was mauling her.”
Allie glared at him, then started again for the bedroom door.
“Hey, hey, no. Come back here, beautiful,” he said. When she turned, she saw him patting the bed. “Take care of your man’s needs,” he said in a tone that she supposed was meant to sound playful and sexy but did nothing but repulse her.
“Oh, right. Like you take care of mine?”
Johnny’s smile vanished. “Hey. Easy, tiger. Come on, seriously. Get back in bed with me.” He rubbed the curly hairs on his chest. “Just for a second.”
But she was done dragging out their unhealthy relationship . . . done even talking to him until she was prepared to have The Big Talk . . . after work.
Without a word, she left the room and went to the kitchen
“Of course.”
Allie stared at the gray, cloud-filled sky, then out at the gloomy woods behind the yard. She remembered the sound she’d thought she heard the night before. The strong sense of being watched.
It was nothing. Just forget about it, she told herself.
She turned to Bitty. “Is Sammy okay out here with you while I get ready?”
“Sure. Go do your thing. He’ll be fine.”
The hot spray of the shower thundered down, pelting every inch of Allie’s skin. She turned to let it hit her face and felt the blood rush to her forehead, her cheeks, her chin.
She thought about this new chapter of her life. In terms of her career, she was following in Bitty’s footsteps as a wellness practitioner. She was drawn to the work for many reasons, but mainly because it was so rewarding and flexible. She worked part-time at a wellness center in the next town on Mondays, then took clients in her own small practice over the phone, two to four days a week. She liked the flexibility of the schedule and of feeling she was making a positive difference in people’s lives.
Her thoughts went to the girls. She wondered what their lives had been like before their parents’ murders. Had they been happy? What had they been like before? Had their parents’ murders significantly changed them? Suddenly she had a strong desire to know.
Allie turned off the spray and toweled dry. She dressed quickly, looking in the mirror only to apply minimal makeup. Because of her BDD, her looks had been an obsession for most of her life. Even now, if she wasn’t careful, she could easily worry about how she looked for several hours each day. Bitty told her she suffered from BDD for several reasons, not the least of which was because of the lies her mother had told her as a child, seeding thoughts of deficiency in her mind.
Seeds she continued to fertilize as Allie grew older.
Allie could still picture the glaring disapproval in her late mother’s eyes. The look of disgust on her face as she’d shake her head.
How I made such an ugly child is beyond me. We’re going to have to figure a way to hide those looks of yours, girl.
In fact, up until only six months ago, Allie never would have let Johnny—or anyone, for that matter—see her without a full face of makeup. She could still clearly remember the first day she’d shown herself to him with a completely bare face, almost trembling with shame. She’d fully expected him to look at her with disgust like her mother had often done. But if he noticed anything was different about her, he didn’t show it.
It had astounded her.
It had also empowered her, if just a little. But she still had a long road of healing in front of her, so aside from basic hygiene and tidiness, she forced herself not to pay much attention to her appearance. She also took care not to catch her reflection in car windows, rearview mirrors, or the glass of framed photos.
Out of sight, out of mind.
Back in her bedroom, she tiptoed around, gathering her purse and laptop, trying her best not to wake Johnny. But as she started to walk out, she heard him grunt and stir in bed.
“What the hell was wrong with that girl last night?” he asked. “Jesus, I thought an animal was mauling her.”
Allie glared at him, then started again for the bedroom door.
“Hey, hey, no. Come back here, beautiful,” he said. When she turned, she saw him patting the bed. “Take care of your man’s needs,” he said in a tone that she supposed was meant to sound playful and sexy but did nothing but repulse her.
“Oh, right. Like you take care of mine?”
Johnny’s smile vanished. “Hey. Easy, tiger. Come on, seriously. Get back in bed with me.” He rubbed the curly hairs on his chest. “Just for a second.”
But she was done dragging out their unhealthy relationship . . . done even talking to him until she was prepared to have The Big Talk . . . after work.
Without a word, she left the room and went to the kitchen
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