Page 346 of Coal Hearts

“Jesus.” He ducked his head. “Someone get her the hell off me!”

Arms snaked around my waist.

Unfightable strength pulled me back.

I stood breathing hard as Roger clamped his hands around my throat, his fingers strangling above my collar. “Do that again and I’ll kill you then fuck you.”

In a dripping black part of my mind, I actually preferred that option.

At least I wouldn’t be alive to feel him pierce my body.

Peter grunted again as Daxton scrambled to his feet and kicked him right in the kidney. “Motherfucker! How dare you jump me, you little whore.”

Larry smoothed his thin mousy blond hair and marched toward Peter. Kicking him for good measure, he bent down and snapped a leash to his collar. Wrapping the leather a few times around his hand, he braced himself as if Peter would take off like a rabid dog. “For that you can watch all three of us fuck her. How does that sound?”

Roger chuckled as Peter spat a glob of blood on the grass. It shone like oil in the darkness.

“Know what I think, boys?” He laughed again, his fingers tightening around my throat. “I think he’s got feelings for this one.”

“Oh?” Larry tugged Peter’s collar, jerking him back. “Is that true, little whore? Fancy that you’re in love with the new girl?”

“Stop it,” I spat, squirming in Roger’s suffocating choke. “Leave him alone.”

“Oh, this is too perfect.” Larry danced on the spot. “Tell you what. Confess you love each other and once we’ve had our fun, we’ll let you have your fun.”

Peter looked away, glowering at a rabbit-shaped hedgerow.

“Nothing to say?” Daxton asked, toeing Peter in the thigh. “Go on. All you have to say is ‘I’m a whore and I’m in love with another whore.’” He ducked down and grabbed Peter by the ear. “Admit you have feelings for her, and we’ll let you fuck her.”

Peter’s dark eyes narrowed. “Let her go. Her Master will only make your lives miserable. Play with me. Fuck me. You know I’ll make it far better than a newbie who doesn’t know how you like it. I’ll even let you—”

“Shut up.” Grabbing the leash from Larry, Daxton dragged Peter by his collar over to me. Grass and mud stained his legs as he struggled to crawl, choking as his collar cut into his windpipe.

Dumping Peter at my feet, Daxton grinned. “How about you, pretty new girl? Do you have feelings for the boy who’s sucked far more dicks than you?”

My back prickled with sobs.

Panic etched the corners of my mind.

Self-preservation urged me to check out.

Turn blank and mute and go.

I couldn’t look away from Peter kneeling before me.

His eyes so worried.

His heart so weary.

Just like all the others.

Corine and Citra, Kirk and Dane.

So many broken faces.

But the one face that stuck in my mind on repeat was his.

The man responsible for all of this.