Because it's going to get worse before it gets better.

"Well get your shoes off, let's not do this in the entryway," Valerie told her family.

Lucy's leash in hand, she returned to the living room. Dan and Henry followed them after kicking off their shoes, and Dan loosened his tie on the way, Lucy noted when she looked back at them. She also noticed Henry giving her a peculiar look. Quickly she turned her head forward again. She felt self-conscious crawling naked with two men walking behind her, but she had to believe she was safe around them. She had been stripped of her humanity along with her clothes, but she didn't think Valerie's goal was to humiliate or **** her. Whatever her motivations for turning Lucy into a pet may be, Valerie wanted her to be happy with her new life. As long as Lucy played the part she wouldn't allow her to be abused.

And sure enough, the rest of the day was spent on typical pet activities. After Dan went back out to the car for some supplies, the whole family gathered in the back yard to play with Lucy. They threw balls and foam rings for Lucy to fetch. They taught her tricks like 'roll over' and 'beg' while praising Lucy for being such a quick study, which made her roll her eyes. She was a college student, they knew that! Yet as angry as she wanted to be, the way they showered her with praise and affection felt oddly nice. She should have hated being treated like an animal by these people, but all she could think was that she was glad to be here instead of with Kim or surrounded by her laughing classmates.

At least she was until they end of the day. When she was shown where she was to sleep, in a dog bed that had replaced the pile of blankets by the fireplace, while everyone else retired to their bedrooms. Only for Henry to come back to the living room half an hour later.

Grinning deviously, he turned on the light and looked down on a sleepy Lucy. "Playtime isn't over, Lucy."

Lucy's blood froze in her veins when she saw Henry looming over her. Now she understood the look she'd picked up from him earlier. He was leering at her the way men look at attractive women, not the way you'd look at a pet.

Still hoping she was wrong, Lucy got up on her hands and knees and reached for a toy to offer Henry. He ignored it, smirking as he grabbed the front of his pants. "Not with that. I have a bone for you to play with, Lucy."

This isn't happening. Shaking her head, Lucy started to back away. Henry followed her, casually undoing his belt buckle.