“I’m sorry.”
“I’m busy with work most of the time,” a lie, because she
made herself that way to avoid certain new members of her
household, “but you could have asked Snake about your
friends, and he would have relayed the message. Or you could
have knocked on my office door yourself.”
“I was under the impression that you didn’t like
interruptions.”
“I don’t, but if it’s important then please ask me next time.
You can’t go around doing whatever reckless thing you want.”
“If you’re implying that my grandparents or my dad didn’t
raise me properly or teach me important life lessons, you’re
wrong.” Haley worried her bottom lip. She wasn’t waspish and
sharp anymore. She also wouldn’t look at Claire. “I’m tired of
the insults. I know what you think. Whatever. I’m sorry. It
won’t happen again.”
“You’re right, it won’t. Your short leash just got shorter.
Snake will now be your shadow until you can prove that
you’ve earned some freedom.”
“What? Oh, so he’s going to attend class and shower with
me too?”
The thought of Snake in the shower, looking at Haley wet
and naked, watching her soap her hair, watching her intimate
moments, watching her touch herself… She doesn’t touch
herself in the shower. She’s a good girl. Sweet. Innocent.
Thinking about it anyway drove Claire to the point of
distraction. She wanted to march downstairs and wrap her
hands around the big man’s neck when he probably hadn’t
even thought about Haley that way and never would. She was
a job for him. Nothing more. Jenny had recommended Snake