I had decided on wearing a tight navy blue dress that stopped right above my knee and had a long golden zip right down the center and paired it with some black suede heels.

I then pulled my hair up into a messy ponytail and applied the smallest amount of makeup I could get away with.

As I drove to the prison I couldn't help but feel nervous. This was my first case back, so I imagined I would be supervised with a close eye. But I was also a bit worried about Alexander himself. I had a bad feeling about him.

Once I got to work I went to the canteen because I had no food at home for breakfast. The area was empty, which only worried me more. I almost felt like I was being watched as I devoured my potato waffle - which was sacrificed to my tummy along with egg and mushroom.

Though I hadn't been at work for a while the routine was still fresh in my mind. I remembered every noise, feeling and smell of the ward. The clashing of heels on the floor, the strong smell of bleach which almost masked that of sweat.

It was already 9 am so I knew Alexander would be waiting for me in one of the rooms we used to hold my sessions. The room was like an interrogation cell but more comfy. It had no mirror glass window, only a clear glass one and the room was decorated with some books and pictures. However for safety the guards always insisted that the prisoner was cuffed to the table. I hated this.

Sure enough the guard was there waiting for me to open the door. I smiled at him kindly but the gesture wasn't returned. I often felt as if everyone else here was so cold and I was the only warm person but maybe I was giving myself too much credit. I wasn't some angel.

But sure enough there he sat.

Alexander Marino

He was very handsome. He had dark hair that was strategically cut on his head. His eyes were green and somewhat bright, I always was reminded of adventure by that color.

God I could definitely fall for someone who looks like this, he was so good looking that...

Stop it Alice.

He is a criminal.

He is your patient.

And most importantly he is grinning back at you with a look that can only confirm he knows what you're thinking.

I lowered myself onto my chair, still holding eye contact with Alexander.

He smirked at me, and I swear I almost caught myself growling in annoyance at the gesture. It was a cocky smirk. I hated the cocky ones.

"You must be Dr. Green...." he spoke as if he was amused at me

"Yes I am, I wish I could say it's nice to meet you Mr. Marino but considering the circumstances..." I put out my hand for him to shake (hoping that would make me seem more professional and come back from my moment) however I then realized I was embarrassing myself even more as he was cuffed to the table.

"Oh I'm sorry I forgot" his hands fidgeted awkwardly as I ushered over a guard to unlock him.

"I really hate this, my job is to get you to trust me and how can I do that when I'm keeping you chained down like an animal, right?"

He just chuckled. At me. He was finding me funny.

"So Mr. Marino..."

"Please call me Alex"

I paused, took in a deep breath and closed my eyes for a second. I had forgotten how big the ego of some of these men was.

"Mr. Marino," I started again. I was still wanting to keep things professional and this gesture made him once again chuckle and shake his head.

"So I believe we should start your assessment with making sure you're aware what's going on here, so tell me Mr. Marino why are we here today?"

He leant back in his chair, rubbing his wrists slightly as they were still probably stiff from the cuffs.

"We are here Mrs. Green because we must see if I am Crazy"

I nodded and then corrected him, it was Miss not Mrs.

"Really, a beautiful woman like yourself is single?"

I nodded, slightly bitterly. I wasn't going to fall for his tricks, it was obvious he was trying to win me over so I would help him get a mental health plea or even escape. But that would never happen.

Most of the session went well- he had responded with many cheeky comments (of course most of them had hidden meanings, sexual meanings) however I did my best to stop myself from giving away that I was bothered.

I just kept telling myself, the quicker I sorted his case the sooner he would be gone. My boss hated me and I knew that was why he had given me such a tricky case. He wanted me to lose it again. I had rejected him a while back, when I first started. He thought I was naïve- I wasn't. I immediately told him I had a boyfriend and even as he continued I stood my ground and said no.

No.

He knew that if I was fired I would retaliate and tell everyone so he just needed a good reason to get rid of me so that I simply couldn't have another chance at work afterwards. If I still seemed unstable then it would be bye bye Alice.

But like I said, I was good. And some cute guy with amazing hair wasn't going to stop me. God I sounded 13 again....

Today I discovered that Alexander was very much going to go to jail, but the official paperwork would be completed later on in the week.

I had scheduled 1 more appointment so I could get things settled and confirmed.

But for now I was bored of worrying and was extremely tired.

And so once again I placed my head down on my pillow waiting for another sleepless night.

"What's the matter baby?"

Ryan asked me, the question seemed innocent but his voice was drenched with sarcasm and evil.

"Please, S-stop"

I could barely talk now. We were knelt by the bathtub. Ryan held my fragile body so I was between his legs. He had filled up the tub with freezing water and had been dunking my head in and out of it, only pulling me back out when he could feel I was close to passing out.

I was being punished because I had made a joke about how lazy Ryan was in front of his co-worker.

I had meant no harm but as soon as the comment left my mouth I realized I had made an awful mistake when I felt him squeezing my waist. I took that as my warning to stop laughing and shut up.

I had spent the rest of the evening staring at the floor and barely speaking to anyone in fear of being hurt. But I knew it was already too late.

"Come on baby, you know I'm doing this for us."

He gently caressed my wet cheek, but the moment was over as he pushed my head violently back into the water.

Just as I was fading out, he took the que and pulled me back up, leaving me as a coughing and gasping mess on the floor.

"Come on Ali you just need a little reminder of who you belong to"

"I don't belong to anyone"

Without even giving me a chance to take a breath I was slammed back down and it felt as though my lungs were burning- desperate for oxygen within a matter of seconds.

I could feel myself losing consciousness, and expected to be released. But I wasn't.

I knew why Ryan was doing this. He was trying to prove who was in control.

He was in control.

When I woke up I was drenched in sweat. It seemed as if my dreams were always going to be plagued with flashbacks of the torture I had been forced to endure with Ryan.

I peeled off my vest top and wrapped my arms around myself. It was comforting. I felt like I was being hugged. It had been so long since I had just been held lovingly in someone's arms. Ryan was my first proper boyfriend and I couldn't remember the last time he just showed me affection.

I trudged to the bathroom and turned on the light then began to take the rest of my clothes off.

I stared at myself in the mirror.

Scar upon scar littered my broken, pale body.

I had several whip lashes on my back.

Ryan had forced me onto the floor and knelt on the backs of my legs so I couldn't move. He then whipped me with his belt. It hurt so much- it was like sparks of electricity on my back but every time the pain dulled another lash would come down.

I had cigarette burns on my collarbone. A long uneven line of pink circular flesh wounds. It burned like a bitch when Ryan had used me as his human ashtray.

My body was covered in bruises and cuts. Most of them were healing but I had accepted that my once clear porcelain skin probably would always be tainted.

The saddest part was, I couldn't even remember what most of the scars were for.

I was so scared of him but now I just hated him. I knew he couldn't hurt me though. He was in a prison far away and I'd never see him again.

But it didn't change the fact my body became the map of every beating, raping and torture Ryan had committed on me.

No one could ever love me. But what scared me more was I wasn't certain I could love again either.

Today was the day that I had to make a decision on whether Alexander could stay at the asylum or go to prison. Honestly I didn't know what was better. Spend your life locked up with everyone calling you mad or locked in a dirty cell. I think I'd rather people know I was sane even if it meant being treated worse than an animal in the local prison. The local prison was particularly bad, the only reason it's kept open is because of the high crime rate and we didn't have the time or money to do it up.

I sat opposite Alexander as I delivered the news.

"So Mr. Marino,"

"Alex," he said with a wink.

I had told him repeatedly that I wasn't going to call him by his first name because it was unprofessional but he just kept persisting for me to call him Alex.

"So I have come to the conclusion that you don't have any mental problems that will keep you out of prison. I'm sorry but there is nothing more I can do."

I was expecting him to say something, most people normally shouted at me or tried one last trick to make them appear bonkers, but not him. He just stared at me.

"Mr. Marino do you understand what I just said?"

This time he just smirked at me and then began to slowly nod.

"Ok....well how do you feel?"

"About what?"

I raised my brow at him, a pure look of shock displayed on my face.

"About the fact you will be spending the rest of your life in prison!" I practically screamed at him, but still he looked unfazed, in fact he seemed amused.

"Oh that doesn't really bother me"

I was amazed by how little he cared....maybe he was crazy.

Unsure of what to do I said my goodbyes and began to leave the room.

"It's not like I'm staying here long anyway"

I paused at the door, and turned my head slightly so I could see him through the corner of my eye.

What did he mean?

Eventually I just opened the door and left but not before hearing the sound of Alexander Marino's very familiar chuckle echo behind me.

However this time it wasn't sweet and cute. It was just dark. Like he knew something I didn't.

What are you planning, Mr. Marino?