Chapter 8

As Avery took her shirt off, her flawless, unmarred back came into Eason's view. A trace of disappointment flitted past his eyes as he averted his gaze. He said seriously, "I'm sorry."

Avery tugged her blanket from her bed and wrapped it around herself. Her tearful eyes were aggrieved as she looked at him. "Have I proven myself now, Mr. Lavigne?"

Eason parted his lips but found that nothing he said would make the situation better. As he left, he looked up at the second floor to see that the light was still on inside.

He couldn't help thinking about how fragile Avery was. Could she be crying?

He called Xavier. "Prepare a gift for me. It's for a woman, so make it more exquisite."

…

Once Eason left, Avery locked the door and went to the bathroom with a clean pair of pajamas. She looked at herself in the mirror. Though the marks on her chest had faded slightly, they were still a gruesome sight.

There hadn't been many marks on her back to begin with, so they'd quickly disappeared af