“No,” she said again.
Jamie narrowed his eyes at her. “You don’t say no. Not to me.”
“I’m saying it,” she said. “Get off me, Jamie.”
“Bullshit,” Jamie said, reaching for the band of her sleep shorts. “Quit fuckin’ around, Mered.” He gave the shorts one tug.
And Meredith lost it.
“No!” she screamed at the top of her lungs, bucking wildly beneath him. “Get the fuck off me!”
His hand left her shorts and clamped over her mouth, his eyes wide and vicious. “God dammit, shut up! You’ll wake my parents,” he hissed.
Meredith thought he’d stop then, but he released her hands to reach for his fly. His right elbow pinned her left arm, but with her right, she struck. She slapped. She scratched. She pushed. He didn’t stop. He yanked down her panties. Her muffled screams died in his palm.
Oh God. Oh God.
She pulled his hair as nausea pooled in her belly. Meredith shut her eyes again when she felt him touch her. Then they flew open.
Eyes.
With a prayer of thanks to Gray and his Alex Booth, she balled her fist and punched Jamie in the eye. It wasn’t a hard punch, but his head snapped back.
“Aah! Fuck!” The hand at her mouth disappeared before he smacked her across the mouth, but she was already screaming.
“No! No! God, help me!”
A door opened across the house. The hall light came on. “What the hell is going on?” Leona’s voice came through the kitchen.
Jamie shifted above her, blocking her from view. His hand slammed over her mouth again. “Nothing, Ma… Mered and I are just messing around. Go back to bed.”
But this time the heel of his hand met her teeth, and she opened her mouth and bit down hard.
“Ow! You fucking cunt!”
“Help! Help me, Leona, please!” Her screams tore through the house.
“What in God’s n— Jamie, what the on earth are you doing?” Leona stood in the doorway in her nightgown. Her eyes took them in, and her hand flew to her mouth. Big Jim crowded in behind her.
“Jesus Christ, son! Get off her! Can’t you hear her saying no?” Big Jim’s voice rumbled over the room.
“Get up! Get up!” Leona said, hooking her son by the elbow and pulling him off her.
Big Jim ducked his head and turned away as Meredith tugged her clothes back into place. She tried to stand, but her legs went rubbery beneath her, and she stumbled against Big Jim’s La-Z-Boy.
“Well, it’s a misunderstanding,” Leona said, pulling down Jamie’s shirt to cover his open fly. Her voice trembled “I-It’s just a misunderstanding.”
Big Jim’s eyes narrowed on her “Leona—”
“Quiet, Jim,” she snapped. And for the first time, Meredith saw that Leona McCormick was terrified.
“But, Ma, she owes me—”
Leona’s hand shot out as she smacked her son across the face. “Hush now, Jamie,” she scolded, glaring at Jamie who now wore a stunned expression. “It was a misunderstanding, and that’s all.”
Meredith gripped the back of the recliner, shaking beyond control. She wanted to throw up. She wanted to start crying. She did neither. Instead, she drew in as much air as her lungs would allow, which didn’t feel like much, and she turned her gaze to Leona McCormick.
“It wasnota misunderstanding.” She pinned Leona with her stare until the woman looked away, but not before an unspoken understanding passed between them. “Oscar and I can’t stay here anymore.”
