Defiance flared as I tried not to move, but one of his buddies shoved me closer. Bruiser’s hand wrapped around my arm as he dragged me toward the closest restroom.
“Check inside and kick anyone in there out.”
His goons left to follow his orders, exiting a minute later as they informed us there was no one inside.
“Stay out here and make sure no one comes in.”
Bruiser led us in, pushing me into a little lounge area with a couple of couches and a table. “You’re lucky that all I want is a blowjob. Next time I’ll fuck your ass while one of my friends out there gets your pussy. You remember what it’s like to take two of us at once, right?”
Swallowing back the sudden need to vomit, I didn’t reply.
“I do. You have the tightest holes, baby. I remember what you looked like with my cum all over you. Been hard to forget.”
I closed my eyes, ignoring him as he shoved me to the floor on my knees.
“Hey,” he snarled, slapping my cheek. “Open your eyes. You’ll watch everything I do to you. Hear me?”
“Yes, sir.”
Bruiser loved it when I called him sir. He demanded it, and I didn’t forget it usually tempered his violence when I became meek and submissive. He got off on it, thinking he knew what it meant to be a dom. Bruiser was nothing but a bully and a rapist.
There wasn’t a kind, gentle bone in his body.
Ignoring the sound of his belt unbuckling, I tried not to let my thoughts wander to Daniel. That would only taint the experiences we shared, and I didn’t want to think of Bruiser or my father when Daniel and I were together.
The shrill ringing of a cell phone interrupted us. Bruiser pulled it from his leather jacket, staring at the screen before he swiped across to answer.
“What you want?” he barked.
I heard a man’s voice yelling, but he had a thick accent, making it hard to understand his words.
“Right now? Fuck!” Bruiser stared down at me, adjusting his dick. “Hold him. I’m on my way.”
I almost betrayed my relief but kept a tight hold over my reaction.
“Looks like you got off easy this time, Missy.” He tugged me up from the floor, slamming his lips on my mouth in a sloppy kiss. “When I see you again, I want the whole fucking night with you.”
Not gonna happen, asshole.
“Take care, baby. Don’t forget to stay in touch.”
After he left, I sank onto the cushion of the closest couch, wiping his spit from my lips. I needed to find a way to cut ties completely with my father. I’d never be free of him or Bruiser until then. I lived in fear and pain for so long that it took leaving for a year to realize how bad it had gotten.
Maybe that seemed stupid or silly to some, but when you lived in a nightmare, that became your reality, and you shut out anything that could steal the last bit of goodness in your soul.
Standing on shaky limbs, I went to the sink, splashing cold water on my face. It took a few minutes to regain control, breathing normally again. I gathered up the bags that held my purchases and walked out into the mall. Outside, all the world would see was a young woman and her shopping haul. Inside, I rallied my tired spirit and clung to the hope of a better tomorrow.
“HEY, SKYLA.” SNOOKIjoined me in the kitchen, sharing the rotation as I chopped vegetables and marinated chicken for dinner.
“Hi.”
“How’s everything going?”
I knew what she meant. “Zara is a joy. I love that little girl. She’s a sweetheart. Hardly ever cranky.”
“Aw, yeah, she is.” She leaned against the counter, watching me cut up peppers and onions. “Listen, I know something is happening with you and Daniel.”
Shit.