I bolted through the opening.
My retinas instantly began to water, burning as warm sunlight beamed down on me.
I covered my brow with my forearm and stumbled sideways, slamming into someone who had come from the back of the cabin.
Sucking in a surprised breath, I inhaled the strong scent of Cool Water.
–Chapter Fifteen–
Harper
How the fuck did he get out?
“That was very stupid,” he said, way too calmly. His chest was heaving up and down. One partial look in his darkened, rage clouded eyes had me stumbling away from him, blindly beginning to run.
His footsteps sounded behind me, making me pour on speed.
“Help!” I screamed as loud as I could, hoping to god someone heard me. My eyes continued to water as I ran. Startled birds took off from where they’d been perched in trees.
I zig-zagged, having no idea where I was or where I was going. There were trees everywhere, and I couldn’t spot a designated path.
His breath was on the back of my neck, and I knew he was right behind me.
I darted sharply to the right in an attempt to throw him off and gain some distance. Twigs and dirt pushed up between my toes, digging into the soles of my feet.
My lungs were already beginning to burn from exertion. I realized too late that just because I felt fine, it didn’t mean I was.
“Help me!” I screamed again.
“You stupid bitch,” J seethed, slamming into me from behind.
I landed flat on my stomach; all the air I had left whooshed out of my lungs. I threw an elbow, catching him in the corner of his eye.
He cursed and straddled my back, struggling to get a firm hold on me.
Unable to buck him off, I turned my head and bit down on his lower wrist, the only part of him I was able to reach.
“Dammit,” J cursed, punching me in the back of the head.
I let go as spots swam in front of my vision. Temporarily stunned, J used it to his advantage, standing up and grabbing me by the hair.
I went over his shoulder, and he started back towards the cabin.
“I can’t go back,” I cried to myself.
Everything inside me said death would be better than being his fuck toy for another day longer.
I pounded my fist into him, tossing my weight around, but he refused to let go.
We rounded the cabin, and a pair of cellar doors came into view.
“You’ve ruined it all,” he growled when we reached the opening.
Time seemed to slow as he lifted me up, and hurled me between the doors.
I bounced, and missed the first stair altogether, banging my elbow on the second when I finally landed.
Pain radiated from my tailbone. I did my best to ignore it.
I stared at the place the industrial shelving unit always sat, never knowing this was behind it.
My brain urged me to run away, find somewhere safe, but that wasn’t possible.
There was nothing safe here.
I scrambled to get to my feet, ignoring the various throbs on my body.
J was on me before I could stand all the way up.
“You told me you’d be good!” he yelled, shoving me across the room.
I caught myself, gripping the bars.
He slammed my head into them before I could turn.
I cried out in pain, feeling one of my top teeth knocked loose.
“Fuck you!” I whirled around as strands of my hair pulled from the scalp, and spat a mouthful of blood into his face.
He blinked like he couldn’t believe I’d just done it, backhanding me when it registered.
I spat out another , colliding with the bars again when he slammed me backward. He wrapped his hands around my throat and squeezed so hard, I began sinking down.
“You were special,” he repeated over and over.
My chest felt like it had been set on fire, my lungs unable to get the oxygen they needed, as my vision blurred.
A fluffy sort of feeling washed over me a few seconds later.
I never tried to fight him off.
When I passed out, I prayed I’d wake someplace far away from here.
–Chapter Sixteen–
J
I watched the blood wash down the drain, bracing my hands on the vanity.
I’d lost control.
Not only did I feel shamed, but emasculated and humiliated.
She bit into my dick like it was a chicken wing.
I couldn’t tell anyone that.
My friends had already doubted my ability to pull this off for so long.
I’d told them Harper would be different, and she had been.
She’d gotten more than any of the others—so much so that I’d contemplated moving her upstairs, setting up the cabin for her to be more comfortable.
Only to her, it was all a lie.
A fucking joke.
Lifting my head, I stared at myself in the mirror.
Aside from my sore dick and throbbing balls, I wasn’t bothered by what I saw.
I was an attractive thirty-three-year-old man, with a majorly successful real estate company, and a charming smile that got me almost whatever I wanted.