Free Royal Ever After by Winter Scott

that I was dead than finding out what their daughter had become.
     
    I wiped the tears away and placed the photo on the nightstand. I took the brand new clothes and the makeup kit into the bathroom. If you ever wondered what a boy's bathroom looked like if he has no one to clean up after him, Brody's bathroom was it. The counters had never been cleaned, cardboard toilet paper rolls were overflowing out of the wastebasket, and hair clippings filled the sink. I would've gagged if I was the Erica from awhile back. But this Erica didn't even use a bathroom anymore. She just pissed and shit in whatever corner was the dirtiest. So I couldn't complain.
     
    I walked in front of the mirror with my eyes tightly shut. I was terrified of what I'd see in the reflection. I opened my eyes and choked back the tears. I'd lost so much weight. My cheeks had no color and my eyes were all sunken in and dark. My hair was in knots and I was surprised it wasn't much worse since I never brushed my hair anymore.
     
    I slipped out of my sweat-stained clothes and tossed them on top of the trash in the wastebasket. I'd never wear those again. I inspected my body in the mirror and was shocked. My figure wasn't too bad. I had lost a bunch of weight but it was in all the right places. My breasts looked even bigger now and you could see the beginnings of my collarbone.
     
    I turned on the shower and waited until it was scalding hot. It was going to take a lot of cleaning to get all this dirt and grime off. The steam filled the bathroom as I stepped under the water. I couldn't even remember the last time I actually bathed myself. The warm water hit my head and cascaded down, instantly relaxing me. The water at the bottom of the tub turned a light brown from all the dirt.
     
    I don't even know how long I stayed under that hot water, trying to forget all the wrong choices I'd made. My parents probably believed I was dead. The tears came back again in full force. I dropped to my knees and cried my heart out until there was nothing left. It was all my fault. I couldn't blame Rebecca or the drugs. It was all my choice. Now I needed to make up for all the bad I'd done.
     
    Putting on makeup was a surreal experience. I couldn't believe that I used to do it everyday of my life no matter what. It seemed like such a far off dream. I darkened my eyes and traced my lips with the light red lipstick. I didn't even recognize myself in the mirror. Old Erica was standing before me. Could I really become her again?

Chapter Five

Brody

I could hear the shower running from the kitchen and knew that Erica was going to be all right. She'd been through so much but she was strong. Stronger than any woman I'd ever met. The thought crossed my mind of sneaking into the shower with her, slamming her against the glass and taking her rough. My hard cock in my pants agreed with me. She wouldn't be able to resist me.
     
    The eggs in the pan sizzled, distracting me from my fantasy. They were just beginning to brown as I used a spatula to move them around. I hoped she liked her eggs scrambled because that was the only way I knew how to cook them.
     
    My phone buzzed in my pocket.
     
    Damon again.
     
    I was running out of excuses. I'd have to settle this with him today. I answered the phone while still tending the eggs.
     
    “This isn't like you, Brody. I've been waiting for an update and I get nothing.”
     
    “Sir, I'm working on it as we speak. I visited the dealer's house and he had already skipped town. I'm working with the junkie right now to find out where he's headed.”
     
    Damon inhaled sharply. “No you're done, Brody. I want the junkie brought to me. Russel and I will deal with this now.”
     
    Fuck. Shit. Fuck. There's no way I could take Erica to the Kelly's. When they found out the junkie was a woman, they'd have their couple rounds with her before torturing her to death for information she didn't have. But I had to go along with it. For now.
     
    “Of course,