by Sally Mason
As if he can read minds, his gaze lands on me. “Napoleon will be over at six.”
A gasp escapes Hallie’s mouth. She cups her hand over her lips, her eyes wide with a pitiful glow.
I turn around under Jed’s burning stare, carefully placing Maisie on the floor. Without a single word, I stroll into the bathroom. The door closes behind me with a loud bang when I give it a good push with my foot.
The solitude of the enclosed space fails to give me comfort when I break down, hugging my knees. I want to cry—maybe even rant and rage—but all emotions have vanished. The fighting spirit is extinguished. What would be the point? Jed will watch me like a hawk for the rest of the day, and I doubt I’ll get another opportunity to be with Hallie outside. Attacking him is not an option—with his boxing skills, he will beat the crap out of me before getting rid of Maisie. He’d probably even make me watch when he slit her throat.
I’m not sure how long I have been crouched on the cold floor when Jed knocks on the bathroom door. “Are you okay in there?”
He asks the dumbest questions at times. I choose to ignore him.
More knocking. “Can I come in?”
Again, I don’t bother to reply.
The door opens with a low squeak and he pokes his head in. After a good once-over, he steps inside the room, lowering himself next to me.
“I know it sucks,” he says.
“How can you pretend that you care about me and then have another man touch me?” My voice is getting shriller with every word. “You’re such a coward.”
He shakes his head with vigor. “No, that’s not true.” His hands enclose mine. He looks like prey, trying to hide from a hunter. “I can’t fight him, honeybun. Trust me, I’ve tried. If I don’t do what he asks of me, he’ll kill you before coming after me. There’s no way to fight him.” His words are laced with utter fear and panic.
I realize it is not some act he’s playing. “How the hell did you ever get involved with him? He sounds like a total psychopath.”
He buries his face in his hands. “I’ve known him for a really long time. He didn’t used to be this way, but ever since we took you the first time, he has gone totally mental.” He pulls up his shirt, exposing a long slash alongside his ribs. “That’s what he did after I let you escape. When I left town after the charges were dismissed, I didn’t try to get away from the rumors, but from him.” Wetness glistens in his eyes. “Last spring, he tracked me down and told me I had to return because he wasn’t done with you. The dog leash, the spiders, the book—those were all his ideas.”
I squint at him. “Oh, come on, Jed. He didn’t force you to rape me and I saw how much you enjoyed torturing me.”
“True,” he concedes. “I wanted revenge, but after you got away, I was done. All this”—he swoops his hands around—“I didn’t want.”
“Then let’s go to the cops together now and you’ll tell them everything. They’ll protect you, and if you cooperate, they’ll give you a deal.”
His eyes go wide. “I can’t. Do you know what they do to rapists in prison?”
If it’s anything like what Finn had suffered, he should be concerned, but that really isn’t my problem. He brought this on himself.
“Look, Jed,” I say calmly. “Sooner or later, you will get caught, and this time, you won’t get off on a technicality. My stepdad is a lawyer and I promise you, he’ll defend you and make sure that nothing will happen to you in prison. Just let us go.”
He squeezes my hand, his face devoid of emotions. “I’m sorry, honeybun, but I just can’t.”
~~~~
For the rest of the day, he avoids striking up a conversation. Hallie is locked up in her room and when I ask if she could come downstairs to play with the puppy, he flat out refuses. When Maisie whines to go outside, he grabs her for a short stroll on the porch, and his sinister glare deters me from asking whether I can tag along.
With every passing minute, the tension in the cabin becomes more pressing, and by the time the clock chimes 5:45, the atmosphere is so explosive that a lit match would have caused mayhem.
Jed clears his throat. “It’s time, honeybun. You have to get ready.”
I cuddle my face into Maisie’s fluffy fur, pressing a kiss on her with a soft “see ya later, girl.” She whimpers when a sob runs through me and a stream of hot tears gets her wet behind her ear. With gritted teeth, I follow Jed into the bedroom.
He passes me a Victoria’s Secret bag. “Put this on.”
I stare at him. “You can’t be serious.”
His eyes are pleading. “Please, honeybun, just do what I tell you and don’t fight me. I really don’t want to have to hurt you.”
My dignity gets the better of me and I lunge forward—I will not be some dress-up doll who will pander to Napoleon’s whims. Jed, however, expects trouble and I run straight into his fist. The blow is not hard enough to knock me out but still floors me. I shake my head to get the fuzziness from my mind, black spots dancing in front of my eyes. Jed’s fist gets a hold of a bushel of my hair and tilts my head back, which is about to explode.
“Why do you always have to be so difficult?” he yells, clutching my hair tighter until I scream in pain.
When he releases me, I close my eyes to get the buzzing out of my head. Nausea sits like a fat lump in the back of my throat and my whole body is covered in cold sweat. I lie still on the floor until my ragged breath calms.
Jed is towering over me when I squint at him, my head still a throbbing mess. When he probes me with his foot, I instinctively curl into a ball to protect myself from a kick.
His glare sends shivers down my spine. “Napoleon will be here any minute, so get changed. I swear if you give me anymore hassle, I’ll knock every single one of your teeth out.” His lip trembles slightly, but I’m not sure if it is anger or fear of his master. Whoever Napoleon is, he scares the living daylights out of Jed.
My hands are shaking while I fumble with the button on my pants until Jed loses his patience and pushes me on the bed. I don’t fight him anymore when he slides off my pants and orders me to stand up so he can pull off my shirt. His fingers brush warmly over my skin when he unclasps my bra. His eyes stay on my breasts for a brief moment before he covers them again with the new lingerie. The panties are actually a thong that make me feel naked.
A blindfold soon covers my eyes, throwing me in a world of gloom. My tears are caught by the soft fabric. Ever since the last abduction, I’m terrified of complete darkness and my whole body shivers, competing with my chattering teeth. Yet the rushing of my blood in my ears is soothing. My heart beats strong, even if it is twice its usual speed. When my tongue runs over my lips, I taste the salt from the sweat, pearling on my upper lip.
I focus on my other senses, determined to learn as much as possible about Napoleon. This time, I will give Larouge something to catch that bastard with, and if I try hard enough, I might even be able to figure out his identity on my own. I will no longer be the helpless victim. Jed confirmed I know him. If I try hard enough, something will give him away.
When Jed starts to secure my arms and legs with cable ties, my body turns stiff. From prior experience, I know they are especially painful when I struggle, tightening to a point where my hands and feet become totally numb and I lose all feeling in my fingers and toes. They also leave nasty cut marks behind, the scars still visible from my last encounter with Napoleon.
Jed is just tightening the restraints around my left ankle when there is a knock on the door. “He’s here,” he whispers.
My heartbeat accelerates even more and a large stone fist pushes harshly on my chest. I open my mouth wide to suck in oxygen, feeling like a fish on land.
“Just don’t fight him and it’ll be over quicker.” Jed’s voice is hushed and drifts over from the door. A low click confirms that he must have left the room to greet his friend.
I lie perfectly still in the darkness, focusing on my breath and heartbeat. When my ears pick up a low scrat
ching noise, my fingers instinctively curl—I can sense the presence of another person in the room. A cool draft floats in before the door closes, causing a shudder to run through me.
As footsteps approach, my heart races so fast that I fear it will jump out of my chest and fly away. More tears spill from my eyes and soak into the blindfold, which sticks to my eyelids and cheeks. My arms and legs automatically begin to fight the restraints as he walks around the bed. Only the burning pain of the plastic strap breaking my skin forces me to still again.
Goosebumps spread all over my body when his hot breath grazes my neck before he traces little kisses along my jawline. Every part of me transforms into clumps of ice, my stomach twisting in knots. I bite my lip to stifle a scream. His tongue probes and I grant him access, knowing that any resistance is futile. He used to squeeze my cheeks with his fingers so hard when I clenched my teeth—they worked just like pincers to pry my mouth open.
Don’t be afraid, I tell myself over and over in my mind. You’ve survived this before and can do it again.
His breath becomes heavy when he presses against me, but I force myself to stay calm, thinking of Maisie and her warm round eyes as they gaze at me with trust. If I beg and cry like I did in the past, he might hurt her, or worse, kill her, to teach me a lesson. I have to stay strong. His fingers run alongside my body, teasing me. It takes all my effort not to gag. He doesn’t need to know how much he disgusts me.
I sense him sitting up and staring at me. Holding my breath, I brace myself for more of his touch, but he gets up instead and moves away from the bed. By the time the door closes with a low thud, I am utterly confused. What the hell is going on? Where did he go?
Muffled sounds from a hushed conversation drift through the wall, and I prick my ears to make out the words and voices. It’s to no avail. I can’t even tell if one or two people are talking. There are rushed footsteps and someone storms into my room. Before I can even register what is happening, light stings my eyes when the blindfold is pulled off. I blink to find Jed’s face just inches from my own.
“I’m so sorry, honeybun. I swear I didn’t want this to happen.”
My brain is scrambling to make sense of his words when a loud scream echoes through the house. The ice clumps turn into an avalanche that hits me full force, knocking all life out of me. Yet my willpower fights back with all my might and I twist in my restraints as sobs and loud pleas from upstairs open up the gates to my nightmare.
“He’s with Hallie. I have to help her.” My voice is shrill and pierces my eardrums.
Jed’s hands wrap around my arms just below my wrists, his body almost entirely covering me to prevent me from tearing the skin off my bones in my restraints.
“Please, honeybun, calm down. You can’t help her.”
I wiggle to get him off me, spitting a colorful assortment of profanities in his face. His pocketknife finally frees me and my fists start pounding on his back. Hallie’s continued screams and wails fuel my rage and give me more strength than I’ve ever experienced. My fingernails claw every part of Jed that is not covered by clothes until his arms wrap tightly around me like an iron rope, preventing further damage.
“Let me go,” I shout at the top of my lungs. “I have to help her.”
“You can’t help her,” he repeats, the calmness in his voice boiling my blood.
His weight knocks the wind out of me, and soon, my lungs sting from my efforts. Exhaustion overpowers my will to fight and my fury manifests itself in fresh tears.
While I weep in his arms, he starts talking softly to me. “Please, you have to stay here with me. He’ll kill you if you ever see his face. Just stop fighting and I’ll cut off the ties on your legs.”
It’s the first time that I realize I am still bound to the bottom bedposts. My ankles burn as if the cable ties were fiery bracelets, and the sudden pain causes a small whimper to run from my lips. More tears roll down my cheek as I desperately try to banish Hallie’s continued shrieks from my mind, focusing all my remaining energy on my next rescue attempt.
As soon as Jed cuts the ties, I’m on my feet and leap for the door. He reaches me before I can close the gap, his embrace quashing my hopes. He pulls me back on the bed, spooning me tightly into his arms. Neither my pleas nor death threats rattle him; he holds me firmly in place while I continue to fight him, telling me over and over again how sorry he is.
When Hallie’s cries finally die down, I’m close to insanity. My throat is raw, my lips a bleeding mess, and large parts of my body are bruised from my struggles. I can barely walk straight when Jed finally allows me to get up after the front door slams shut. Yet, my need to comfort Hallie prevents my knees from buckling.
At the door, I turn around and glare at him. “I swear I’ll kill you for this.”
A frown is his only response. He doesn’t realize that, in my whole life, I have never been more serious.
CHAPTER 21
Hallie is curled up on the bed, her small frame shaking under her sobs. Her underwear was torn off and tossed carelessly on the floor. Napoleon must have cut the ropes she was tied with before he left. Her wrists are burned and raw, but not cut like mine from the cable ties.
I carefully slide the blindfold off her eyes, but she still shrieks, her body almost convulsing with fear until she realizes it’s me. I notice the blood streaks on the mattress and bile rises in my throat. For a moment, I almost burst out crying, but I have to stay strong for her. She must feel incredibly dirty; I need to get her out of the bed and into the bathroom.
She allows me to guide her, her eyes staring vacantly into the distance. Half her face is beginning to swell, her lip bleeding from a nasty cut. There are red spots all over her body which will turn blue in a few hours. She whimpers with every step she takes, and I drape a blanket over her shoulders so that Jed won’t get an eyeful of her nakedness.
My arm slides around her waist, supporting her while she stumbles down the steps. Once she slips and I almost drop her, but my fingernails dig into the rail at the last second. Pain throbs through my shoulder and robs me of my breath when my arm is almost pulled from its socket.
Jed is gazing up and opens his mouth, probably to offer his help, but I just shake my head. A male voice, no matter how gentle, will scare her and make matters worse. Obediently, he steps aside when we get to the bottom of the stairs—one wrong move or word and he will feel my knee in his groin. I’m done playing, even if that means he’ll beat the crap out of me.
I lead Hallie into the bathroom and turn on the shower, ensuring that the water is warm but not too hot before allowing her to step into the tub. Mechanically, she applies soap to her skin, silent tears streaming down her face. Every move is robotic. No sound passes her lips and her eyes are totally blank.
I decide to give her some privacy and step into the kitchen after sliding into a bathrobe that is hanging on a hook by the door.
Jed stares at me with big round eyes. “How is she holding up?”
It takes all my effort not to slap him across the face. “What do you think?”
Walking over to the sink, I pour myself a glass of water, letting the cool liquid run down my raw throat before playing around with it in my mouth. My head throbs, and every time I move, my bleeding wrists and ankles shoot pain waves up my arms and legs. I glare at the inside of the glass, my thumb running over the rim. Anger, stronger than I’ve felt in a long time, takes a grip of me, a vicious devil hacking at my frayed nerves until they finally tear apart. With one swift move, I throw the glass against the wall with all my might.
“You fucking knew this was going to happen, didn’t you!” My eyes burn into Jed’s skull when he drops his gaze. If I had a gun, I would shoot him right in the center of that forehead.
“I didn’t want him to touch you.” His words are low and he pulls his head in between his shoulders like Luke used to do when he was little and scolded by his dad.
“So you set Hallie up?” My voice trembles with fury. “I mean, you m
ade sure she was tied up and blindfolded, all ready for Napoleon when he decided I wasn’t worth his effort.”
His eye twitches under my glare. “Look, honeybun, your words really hit home when you said that I was a coward for letting someone else touch you.” He gives me a pleading look. “I really like you and I couldn’t stand the thought that he would rough you up. I knew he would turn away when you were submissive and didn’t fight him—that’s the kind of person he is.” A slight blush colors his cheeks. “He joked once that he can’t get off unless a girl struggles and he can hurt her.”
What kind of sick bastard is Napoleon? With disgust, I turn my back on Jed, squatting down next to the shards of glass. With careful fingers, I reach to pick them up, but he is by my side before I can even touch the first piece.
“Let me get that for you.”
I realize he’s afraid that I will use the broken glass to cut myself though the thought hasn’t even occurred to me. I’m doing well on that front. Hallie might be struggling, though, and I will need to keep an eye on her. I don’t want her to fall into the same trap and repeat my mistakes.
With my back leaning against the wall, I hug my knees and watch Jed while he sweeps up the glass with a dustpan.
“You’re really mad, aren’t you?” he asks when he pours the leftovers in the bin.
Mad is the understatement of the century. “How could you do this to Hallie? She was still a virgin and it’s her birthday.” Not that it would have been any better on another day—losing one’s innocence through rape is traumatic under any circumstance.
“I’ll make it up to her, I promise,” he mutters.
I gasp at his ignorance. “And how are you going to do that, Jed?” My eyes are challenging. “Get her a puppy?” My gaze wanders to Maisie, who is curled up on the chair, sleeping. “But let me tell you—whatever it is you’re planning to do, you can never replace what Napoleon stole from her today.”
