I rose to my feet and pulled on my glasses, cut-off pants, and T-shirt, and then I picked up my shoes and carried them through the quiet house and back up to my bedroom.
I secured the door, lost in my head as I showered and washed the dirt from my hair, still feeling him inside me.
I’d show him. I was strong, and I wouldn’t beg for anything.
I’d get out of here and live and keep my damn chin up.
The calm in the madness. The quiet in the chaos. The patience for my moment.
I dried my hair and wrapped the towel around me, heading into my dark bedroom and collapsing onto the bed.
I closed my eyes, hearing the rain outside and trying to concentrate on the next step of my escape plan.
A little more food, a hoodie, and I still needed some kind of tool from the shed. It would make a good weapon, too, if needed.
A draft hit me, and I rubbed my eyes with my fingers, so tired all of a sudden.
But I couldn’t go to sleep. Opening my eyes, I spotted a dark form looming at the side of my bed, and I sucked in a quick breath.
What the hell?
But before I could shoot up and away, she spoke.
“You let them watch while he ate you out last night?” she asked.
And then the lamp on the nightstand turned on, and I looked up at her, hair a little shorter than the last time I’d seen her and dressed like a cat burglar, complete with a black beanie on her head.
“Girl,” she cooed, smiling with approval. “I knew you had it in you.”
I stopped breathing, my eyes going wide. “Alex?”
She threw up her hands, striking a pose, and I popped up, grabbed her, and pulled her into a hug as we collapsed back to the bed.
Oh, my God. “What are you doing here?” I cried.
She clamped a hand over my mouth, quieting me as she shook with a laugh. “Missed you, too, little stick,” she whispered.
My body shook with a quiet laugh, and I squeezed her so tight she grunted.
Will
Nine Years Ago
She stopped and looked around as I
took the key from her and unlocked her back door.
It was after one in the morning, and I hurriedly twisted the handle and pulled her in from the rain.
“It’s okay,” I assured her. “The coast is clear. He’s still at work.”
I closed the door, locked it, and knelt down, slipping her heels off her feet. Taking her hand, I pulled her toward the stairs.
“We really need to stand up to him sometime.”
She leaned her head on my arm, yawning. “He’s scary,” she said.
I shook my head, sweeping her into my arms and carrying her up the stairs. “He’s a joke.” I hugged her close as she wrapped her arms around my neck. “I’m your man now. He’ll have to get through me.”