Vicious Minds: Part 3 (Children of Vice 6)

I just watched her.

I just listened.

I didn’t have a choice.

Since the beginning of our marriage, I had always wanted her to open up to me, to cling to me, to be submissive and soft. Oh, how I had gotten my wish and oh how hated it. I hated it so much I wanted to slit my own throat. But I couldn’t lift my own arms! I couldn’t move my legs! I couldn’t fucking move!

What day was it? I didn’t know.

How long had I been like this? It felt like centuries.

This was a prison, and I did not do prison.

“Did I tell you?” she asked, getting up and taking the blankets off my legs so she could message them. “Darcy’s won his political campaign for senator. Apparently, it’s step one to his road to the presidency. Ethan wasn’t very happy about it. He had other plans for Darcy, but I guess he figured a Callahan president might come in handy somehow. It is bound to happen, especially with Mina as his campaign manager. I—”

“Mel…” My voice was so hoarse that even I didn’t recognize it.

She paused but only for a second before she continued working and talking. “I just remembered, Dona…she definitely has to name her daughter after me whenever she gets pregnant. But she and Gabriel are doing fine now, so it can’t be that far off—”

“Mel…” I said again. “Please.”

Turning back to me, she stared for the longest time before shaking her head. “Stop it…stop looking at me like that.”

“All I can do…is look…” I frowned, hoping this time she’d listen and do as asked. “Mel, please. I…I can’t stay like this. Please…end it.”

The tear slipped down her cheek, and she moved back up the bed with her face above mine. She kissed my lips.

“Kill me. Please, love.” I had begged God knew how many times now.

It was the only thing I wanted. Dying by her hands, by the great Melody Nicci Giovanni Callahan, would be a thousand times better than living like this.

She held my face, placing her forehead on mine, shaking her head repeatedly. “Never. Death is going to fight me to my last breath before I ever let you go. We will fix this. We will win. We always win.”

That was another thing I had wanted once upon a time, for her to cry freely in my arms. Each time I begged her, she broke down, and because of her tears, I fell silent.

And I would remain silent, to fall asleep and wake up again to her hovering and watching over me anxiously.

I was in prison… so was she.

Death was the only way she and I could be free, but she refused to kill me. At least that was one thing that had never changed. No matter what, Melody never just danced in the palm of my hand and did what I asked.

I loved her.

I hated her.

And then I loved her more. The tighter she held on, the more I realized, no matter what, my life and my death would be praiseworthy.

THE END