Lily’s lip had scabbed over during the night. Small dark line where Jack’s teeth had torn it open. Every time she licked it, she tasted faint metal—his kiss, his blood rule. Her ass still burned from the dry fucking while she hung and bled. Walking hurt. Sitting hurt. But the hurt kept her wet. Kept her thinking about him.

She stayed in bed most of the morning. Naked. Legs apart. Fingers sometimes drifting to her pussy, rubbing slow, remembering how he had forced three fingers in while raping her ass. How she squirted anyway. How she came choking on rope and pain.