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"Water," I beg in a raspy voice. A cool waterfall hits my face with full force, and I lap it all up as Parker empties a jug of water over my head. He chuckles low in his throat at my misfortune, and for the first time in days, I feel a strong surge of emotions. It's hate—pure, unadulterated hatred. The need for revenge makes me feel alive for the first time since I've been abducted. He leans down next to me, tipping my chin back with his fingers. I fight hard to conceal my feelings, knowing they might set him off and make him go on another killing spree. I'm surprised by the need to protect myself when I had all but given up not that long ago.
"Tonight," he growls in my face. A sick smile splits his face, which is so much like Kade’s. But not now. Now it's only a twisted grimace, the expression that of a sick, disturbed person. They're nothing alike when Parker is like this... thank God. "Tonight, you're mine," he snarls next. "Tonight, I'll ruin you for him, little sis."
With that, he lets my face drop, and I feel the rage boiling in my belly. He kicks me aside. An evil laugh emanates from his mouth. "I'll bring down a mirror later, so you can take a long look at your face while it's still perfect. It won't be for long." I shiver as his words resonate in my mind.
"That's right," he says in a low growl. "You'll have a pretty scar to match Dove's. Isn't that what you've always wanted? To be special?" His laughter echoes in the room. He shuts the door on his way out, and I crawl to my mattress, curling up in a ball as I imagine the worst things he could do to me.
I feel sick for hours after that, and I retch several times, but nothing comes out of me since my body is so empty. Lying on the mattress, I feel sorry for myself, and I dip so low that I finally let myself think about Kade and Theo. I've stopped myself every time my mind drifted to my loves. I told myself I mustn't think of them, knowing just how much it would hurt.
But now, my mind is filled with images of my husband. Sweet, loving. Rough, dark. The father of my child. He's the light at the end of the tunnel. But I can barely make it out anymore.
Tears fill my eyes as I think of his resolve to have more children. He's always been the strong one; the first one up after life dealt another blow. I was the one who languished under pressure, suffered from panic attacks, and sobbed at any given opportunity. And Kade was the one who held me, consoled me, and always made me feel like it was worth going on.
Just then, I hear noises upstairs and someone coming down the stairs. I turn toward the wall, too terrified to look. I'm bound, and I know I can't make a run for it in my current state. As the steps come closer and closer, I curl myself in a ball and prepare myself for the worst, which is yet to come.
37
Kade
Since June disappeared without a trace, I've been desperate. I've looked everywhere. I searched the house and the surrounding area. On the beach, I found the pendant I'd given her, and for a moment, the thought that she'd gone into the sea enveloped me in a thick fog of panic. She wouldn't have done that. Not with our son back at home. She'd never hurt herself.
Then I started thinking something bad happened, and my suspicion only grew stronger when I realized the electricity in the house had been tampered with. Someone had jammed the generator, so I couldn't turn it back on, either. There was no way of contacting the mainland now. As far as they were concerned, June and I were perfectly fine, enjoying our time cut off from real life. And the boat wouldn't arrive for another few days, which meant I was on my own.
I remembered the second property on the island and made the trek there. The moment that dark-haired woman opened the door, I knew something was up. She was nervous, twitchy. I could see the lies in her eyes, and my suspicion deepened when I realized she looked familiar. I left her there, not wanting her to know I suspected something was off. As I made another trek back to my house, I wondered where I'd seen her before.
It hits me hours later. She is the woman I saw at the gallery with my brother. His lover, assistant, or whatever the fuck she is. A growl escapes my lips, and my hands form fists at my sides. Parker's here—he has to be. And he has June. Who else would take her?
