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Please, God, let him have a plan.
A woman ahead cries out, followed by several female shrieks. I can only wish she got eaten by a bear. I quickly retract that thought because my baby brothers are with that group. Everyone slows to a stop.
“Stacey,” Tom grunts to Sadie in explanation. “She sounds hurt.”
Sadie is tense as she tries to see what’s going on. It’s raining, which muffles the sounds of the voices, but we don’t have to wonder for too long. Owen makes his way over to us and offers a grim smile.
“She’s in labor,” Owen says. “We have to break for camp.”
“Are you sure she’s really in labor? Maybe it’s just another ploy to trick a nice, trusting family that she can weasel her way into their home, so she can murder the parents and kidnap all the children,” I blurt out, unable to keep the words from spilling out. “Or, yeah, maybe she’s really having the baby this time.”
Owen shoots me a nasty glare before turning his stare behind me. “Deal with your wife.”
If I hear that phrase one more time, I’m going to throw myself into our next campfire.
CJ’s firm hand clamps over my shoulder and he squeezes. “Stop being a bitch, Raegan.”
“She can’t help it,” Mya calls out. “It’s who she is.”
I give her the finger and once again take satisfaction in the bruising on her face. A lump has formed on the bridge of her nose. Maybe it’s permanently damaged. This makes me grin.
CJ pushes me out of the line and toward a clearing before I can say anything more to Mya. I jerk out of his grip to start picking up sticks since that’s my job at each campsite. The rain has soaked everything, so finding dry kindling is a fruitless effort. Still, I’d rather do a pointless job than have CJ touch me for another second.
Stacey cries out again as the men work quickly to erect a tent for her. The campsite we’ve been forced to use isn’t the best. I don’t hear any creeks rushing by and I’d seen bear scat not far back on our trek, which means danger could be lurking. But this might be the perfect opportunity to make our escape.
As Ronan and Logan pass me, Ronan’s hand reaches out for me. I take it, eager for a quick touch, only to discover him putting something into my hand. Rather than looking at it and outing him, I discreetly shove it into the pocket of my jeans.
It’s small and sharp.
He was giving me a weapon of some sort.
I could kiss him for that.
The tents all go up at record speed but can’t be placed in their usual circle because of the thick trees in the area. To my dismay, my tent and Sadie’s are across from the rest of my other siblings. Stacey and Michael’s tent is closest to mine, which is also a downfall, though it does put me closer to my little brothers. But if Michael were to see me trying to escape with them…
I can’t finish that thought.
That man scares me more than anything.
“Can’t get a fire started,” Tom gripes as the rain starts dumping. “Fuck. Get in the tent.”
Sadie and his kids scramble inside. I remain outside of CJ’s and my tent, eyes scanning the dark forest as I plot our escape.
Running away through a rainstorm with little kids sounds like a horrible idea, but I’m fresh out of options. It’s our only chance.
“Inside,” CJ barks, snatching my elbow and jerking me along.
I struggle in his hold for a moment just to piss him off before conceding and taking shelter in the tent. I’m soaked through every layer of clothing and shivering. I’d give anything for a fire right about now or dry clothes, but it’s not happening tonight.
Tonight is only going to get rougher.
Me and Ronan will have to be strong for the kids. They’ll be scared traveling at night. We’ll have to scavenge for food and shelter all while running from these freaks. It won’t be easy, but it’s better than living with these murdering rapists forever.
CJ follows me inside and turns on a battery-powered lantern. He eyes me warily like I might bite. There’s no might about it. I will if I have to. I’ll bite his stupid penis right off.
I snap my teeth at him, taking delight in the way he shudders. Good. He can stay on his side of the tent where he belongs.
“It doesn’t have to be this difficult, you know,” CJ grumbles. “I’m a good guy.”
