Papa was likely passed out now from drinking.
This was the best time to get out of here.
But how could I abandon Damien? How could I expect him to live in that hell without me? Papa might not hit him, but Damien still had to witness Papa’s abuse to Mom. I needed to get my brother out of that toxic environment. If Mom refused to leave, that was her decision. But Damien was just a little kid. If I could get him out of there, then I needed to do it.
We were brothers. We would survive somehow. Together.
My decision made, I ran back across the yard and quietly opened the back door.
No sooner had I stepped inside than a large hand clamped around my neck, lifting me off the floor, and slammed me against the wall.
I gasped and choked, my eyes bugging out as a big dude with long hair pulled back into a ponytail leered at me. “This the boy?” he asked, turning to my father, who appeared off to the left.
Papa sniggered. “What do you think? You ever seen anything so ugly before?”
I continued to squirm in the giant’s grip, but the man easily held me up.
He laughed. “No, can’t say I have.” His gaze swept over me critically. “What happened to him? Car accident?”
Papa’s gaze darted to mine. “No. Dog got him.”
The man’s brow shot up. “No, shit. Damn, must have been a vicious animal.”
Papa’s gaze hardened. “My best fighter. Had to shoot the thing to free the kid’s head. Pissed me the fuck off.”
The stranger laughed. “I’ll bet. So, the kid’s probably got a dog phobia, eh?”
Papa smirked. “Yep. Won’t even go near them now.”
My heart thundered. “Fuck off, Papa!”
The hulk sniggered, eyeing me with contemplation. “Interesting. I like the fight in him. People will pay good money to see an ogre on stage. And if I add a dog to the act, that will make it even more exciting. I’ve got just the place for him in my show. How much you want?”
What? My head spun as they bartered back and forth, then finally settled on an amount.
Letting me drop to the floor, the hulk pulled an envelope of cash from his pocket and began counting out money. Then he slapped a wad of bills into Papa’s hand.
“Half down, balance after he makes me some more.”
Papa grumbled. “Fine.”
Drawing air into my starved lungs, I gaped. Had Papa just sold me to this dude? What the fuck?
“He won’t go willingly,” Papa warned, stuffing the money into his pocket. “You’ll probably want to drug him or something so he doesn’t draw attention. We don’t want the cops involved.”
The man smirked at me. “I’m not an amateur. I’ve done this plenty of times before. I’ve got just the thing.”
Terror arced through me. I had to get out of here. Now!
I scrambled to my feet, but he was fast for a big guy. He cuffed me on the back of the neck, sending me sprawling forward again. Then he jammed a needle into my arm and pressed the plunger.
“Sleep tight, ogre. When you wake, you’ll be a star.”
I opened my eyes to see Annika staring at me wide-eyed and anxious. “Ohmygod,” she whispered. “My hands are shaking and my heart is racing with terror for you. Whathappened?”
I gulped. “My worst nightmare happened.”
I blew out another breath and forced myself to finish the tale.