Tears prick my eyes, but I force them away. I’ll have plenty of time to cry later in private.
“That should knock him out for a while,” Ryder says as he gives Mojo a pill wrapped in cheese. “You can go upstairs to the guest room.”
“I’d rather stay here with Mojo,” I tell him, my voice shaky from unshed tears and a million emotions swirling around in my core.
“Suit yourself,” Maddox joins our conversation. “There is food in the fridge.”
I assume he means to tell me I can eat something without saying the actual words.
“We’ll be back in a few hours,” Ryder gives me a look that says, don’t do anything stupid.
“Okay.” I nod and watch them disappear through the front door. I cry as soon as the lock clicks in place. Ryder walking out the door without looking back is too much of a representation of what he is doing to me.
Silently, I let the tears fall freely and take comfort in the warmth Mojo’s large body gives me.
Mojo falls into a deep sleep not long after they leave. I keep petting him long after he is out, just enjoying the way his fur feels between my fingers.
When I can’t sit still any longer, I get up and walk around the room for a bit. I feel weird being here, especially on my own. That doesn’t stop me from snooping around just a little.
I inspect the picture hanging up on the wall. Close up, I realize the children are two boys and one girl. They seem all close in age, maybe each a year apart. Both parents look happy and in love.
The first few pictures are taken when the children must have been in elementary school. As I get further down the hall, the kids get older until they are some at high school graduation. That’s when I recognize him for the first time.
He looks like a different person without the tattoos, beard, and constant angry frown on his face, but I’m certain this is Maddox. I can’t help but wonder how he changed so much. What happened to him? What happened to his family?
With those questions still nagging me, my stomach growls, matching the sound of Mojo’s soft snoring coming from the couch. I walk into the kitchen, deciding to hunt down something to eat.
Even though Maddox said there was food, when I open the fridge, I find it almost empty. Like a typical guy, Maddox has more beer and condiments than actual food. I do discover some cheese and sandwich meat hiding behind the six-pack.
I rummage through the cabinets for bread but give up my search quickly. Getting out a plate, I put some cheese and ham on it. The smell of the meat fills my nostrils, and a wave of nausea overcomes me.
My hunger suddenly turns into my stomach churning, and I dry heave.What the hell?
Running over to the sink, I grab the counter on each side and let my head hang. Closing my eyes, I take some deep breaths through my nose until the queasiness subsides.
More tears spill from my eyes and over my face. I don’t have to be a genius to know what this is. Our constant sex without a condom caught up to us. I don’t get my period regularly, so I couldn’t go by that alone, but being nauseated on top of that is a clear sign.
“You better get the morning-after pill then. Because I’m not taking care of some brat,”Ryder’s words run through my mind. Me being pregnant will change nothing. He is still going to send me away…still going to leave me.
How am I going to take care of a baby? I can hardly take care of myself.
The moment the thought of abortion enters my mind, I push it out. I could never go through with it. No matter how hard it will be, I could never do it…never.
Ripping a piece of paper towel off, I dry my eyes and grab my plate. That’s when I hear something breaking. A glass, or a vase, maybe. I run into the living room, sure Mojo must have stirred and knocked something down, but when I get to the couch, Mojo is still out. I don’t think he has moved at all, and there is nothing broken in the room either.
Am I imagining things?
Holding my breath, I stay still and completely quiet, listening for any sound. There is nothing but silence for a long moment. Then I hear something move… right behind me.
I don’t have time to turn. Someone slams into my back. Two arms coming around my body, caging me in.
“Hello, little pet.” Tucker chuckles into the shell of my ear. “It’s finally just the two of us. We’re going to have so much fun together.”
No!I’m screaming in my head. I can’t let this happen.
My heart sinks, and my blood runs cold in my veins as Tucker turns me in his arms, so I come face to face with him. His eyes are crazed, more of those of a wild animal than a man.
His lip curls up into a malicious smirk, as if he is thinking about all the violent things he is going to do to me.