He held my tied hands in one fist and cut the rope with the dagger. Then he bent down and did the same with the bonds around my ankles. In my peripheral vision, Beth was stomping back toward the gun.
“Time to talk, bitch.” He grabbed my hair and pushed me toward the pit. “But first you’ll pay for barfing on me.”
He hurled me over, and I fell to my knees against one of the chairs. I braced myself, holding on to the metal arms. “Do whatever the fuck you want to do with me, but I guarantee you will never see your son alive again.”
His boot kicked my butt as I struggled to my feet, and I fell again, hitting the chair edge with my chin. Standing behind me, he gripped the back of neck and forced my face down. Then he stomped on my toes, squeezing a yelp out of me.
His weight on my toes was unbearable, and I thought I heard them crushing. My heart sank to my stomach when what sounded to be his belt unbuckling chimed in my ear.
“Let’s see if you can say that again when you’re left out here in the cold, thirsty, famished and bleeding your ass out,” he said.
What? Was he going to fuck me in the ass?
My head jerked to the side, but he forced it back down. Everything was happening too fast, and I was in shock. I thought of something to say to literally save my ass. “Whatever it is, Dusty is going to die first.”
He smacked me with the belt, the buckle heavy on my already sore skin. That would leave another mark. Another welt stung my thigh. Then my back and ass. At least, he didn’t unzip his jeans.
“No, he won’t, because you’ll fucking tell me where he is right now.” He whipped me so hard warm blood gushed down my back.
I moaned, my fists tight around the chair. I thought about fighting back, picking the chair and hit him with it. Maybe even try to escape Rosewood. But to what end?
I’d lost everything. No one to live for. Nothing to go home to. The future? What would I do with it without Annie? How could I live and start over knowing I failed to save my sister? My pathetic life wasn’t worth saving.
Dusty’s face flashed in my head. What about his life? Was it not worth saving, too?
I deliberated with myself for a few moments, the welts on my body too searing to feel the upcoming ones anymore.
“Wait.” I raised my arm to stop Roar. It barely lifted above my head. “I’ll tell you where he is under one condition.”
The whipping stopped. He moved around me, yanking my hair to make me look at him. “You don’t get to make demands. Where the fuck are you keeping him?”
The blood on my back trickled from one open wound to the other, burning it further. I curled my upper lip under my teeth in pain, Beth coming forward to where I lay.
Roar pulled my head harder. “Speak, bitch.”
“I’ll only tell you if you turn yourself in. Tell the police what you did to Annie.”
He laughed. “Are you stupid or just plain nuts?”
“It’s the only way to save your son.”
“I have a better way.” He dropped the belt and brought the dagger to my sight. He flipped it backwards, the engravings to my face. “Shoving this down your ass will get you singing like a canary, and if it doesn’t, the blade comes in next.”
My eyes bulged at Beth, Roar already behind me. Then the cold silver pushed between my butt cheeks.
I fought, jerking my body, my arms, my feet, but he was way too strong. He pinned me down and let the dagger tear at my rim. It was too big for me, and with my struggle, it wouldn’t slide inside.
He put more force, and I cried. Unwillingly, I lifted my eyes to Beth, as if she was going to help me if I asked.
She was just staring at us, the gun low in her hand. The rough engravings inched their way inside my ass, injuring me.
I didn’t have the will of the strength to fight anymore. Every part of me was distressed, and I was pretty sure I was about to die.
I’m sorry, Annie. I love you.
I snapped my eyes shut and waited for it all to end.
CHAPTER 27
