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But she will know soon enough. As I enter the forest, the darkness creeps in around me, but I continue to step further through the trees, kicking aside fallen branches and making my way closer to her one step at a time.
~ Chapter Fourteen ~
Rebecca
Looking around, I see nothingbut trees huddled together in clusters of three or four. There is only the smallest amount of moonlight peeking through the canopy and the songs of different species of night birds above me floats down to softly serenade me.
My bare feet ache from something sharp underfoot. For the umpteenth time since leaving, I silently curse myself for not wearing the shoes I had out. Looking down my body, past my loose black cotton dress, I see that I am standing on tree roots crawling out of the earth, and broken twigs that have fallen from the outstretched branches of the trees above.
I take a tentative step forward, then another, my eyes scanning from side to side, trying the best I can to see if there is a route laid out on the cold, damp, earth. Nothing jumps out at me, so I keep stepping carefully, trying to avoid any of the sharper looking twigs, knowing that any injury to my feet will make it near impossible to continue my escape attempt.
I lose my footing on the next step and fall backward, my head connecting with something hard. I lose focus, my sight becoming blurry, and I start to see stars above my eyes; dazed and confused, I try to sit up. Reaching around, I cup the base of my skull with my right hand, and tentatively run it through my hair. I feel some wetness and I bring my hand in front of me, trying to steady my gaze long enough to focus on it. I’ve cut my head open with that fall.
I feel sick in my stomach, and the knowledge I am going to be physically sick becomes imminent. I clamp my hands over my mouth as vomit makes its way up. I keep my lips closed tight, not wanting to leave evidence for anyone to find. I swallow it, the disgusting chunkiness making me heave again. I heave and swallow once before letting the feeling overtake me, I vomit onto the ground, toeing leaf litter over it to cover it once the urge to continue starts to subside. I hear a whistle in the distance behind me, and my head snaps around to where I think the sound has come from. The action sharpens the pain in my head and I instantly clutch at the sides. Alexander has realized I’ve escaped and he is coming after me. He chose to come looking for me! I really do matter to him. For a split second, I want to call out to him, to let him know where I am. At the same time, though, irrational panic starts bubbling within; I need to move. I try and focus on the leaves above, but my eyesight wavers. I push myself up from the ground and take in the shadows around me—there is one area where the trees aren’t set as close together. Hoping for the best, I take off in that direction at a fast-paced walk, ignoring the pain in my feet. As the forest floor becomes slightly clearer, I commence a slow and steady jog.
With the dappled moonlight guiding me, I jog through the forest until I reach the clearing on the other side. I duck behind an ancient oak tree, using the thick trunk as ample coverage. I peer around it at the open field ahead of me—there’s no one there. Sucking in a few deep breaths, I brace myself. This is it. I either take my chance to run now and escape my life here trapped with Alexander or wait to be captured once more and taken back to the place where I am ignored.
Knowing what awaits me, if I don’t take this chance and run as hard as I can, then I’m done for. If I go back, I won’t get the opportunity to try to escape again. He will make sure of that.
Scanning the field once more, I inhale deeply to fill my lungs. I steady my feet, preparing to take off at a sprint. Just as I take the first step, I see the moonlight glint off someone in the distance, someone on a horse. I slide back behind the tree and peer out—they are too far away for me to make out their face. A chill sweeps over me as the person comes closer and their appearance becomes clearer; clothed in dark ripped jeans, brown leather boots, and a black hoodie. He removes one of his hands from the horse’s reins and lifts something to his eyes, and as he continues to scan the trees around me, my heart begins to beat even quicker. Taking a chance, I dart from the oak to the darker part. I head further back into the forest, finding new trees I can hide behind, hoping that he’ll continue on his way and not want to bring his horse into the cluster of trees.
A twig snaps behind me and I go ramrod straight. My breathing comes in short sharp intakes as I jam my eyes closed. Panic within makes itself present. I wrap my hands around my body and hold myself as yet another twig snaps even closer than the last one. I open my eyes just as he rounds the corner and spots me, a confused look on his face.
“Are you okay?” he asks. With him now closer to me, I take another look at this man, and although similar to my captor, he is not the same. I remain quiet, and while I’m pleased Alexander hasn’t found me, this man is unknown to me and presents his own threat. I take a step away from the tree and edge backward away from him, one step, then another, but when I think I’m ready to run, I bump into something hard. Arms wrap around me and hold me tight.
“Well, well, well, what do we have here?” the voice above me menaces, while the first man comes toward me, his face no longer showing confusion; now it’s a predatory gaze that takes over.
“A pretty little thing, wandering the forest alone, and barefoot at that.” He continues stalking me, and I cannot move, being held in arms of steel. When he stops right in front of me, he reaches out and takes my left hand in his own. “No ring on this little finger, no husband at home looking after you, sweetheart? Don’t worry, Logan and I will look after you.” He leers at me and his companion behind me speaks for the first time.
“That we will, Mike.” I pull my hand from his grasp, and he steps even closer until his body is sandwiching me between them. He looks down at me from his taller position, however he’s not as tall as I had originally thought—definitely a good few inches shorter than Alexander.
He takes my chin between his fingers and holds it tight. “We are going to have some fun with you.” His other hand slides lower until I feel his fingers brushing against my leg, pulling the fabric of my dress up slightly. I start struggling when his hand finds my lace underwear. “You won’t be needing these for much longer,” he sneers.
“Get your filthy hands off me!” I scream, hoping someone might hear me, hoping that the whistle from earlier was indeed Alexander scanning the forest, coming to look for me. Hopefully, my scream will instantly tell him my location and he’ll come running to rescue me.
A sound from behind the man named Logan stops him in his tracks. He spins around and sees my once-captor looming behind him. Alexander stands there with a rifle in hand.
“Let go and step away from her now.” His voice is ice cold, his dark blue eyes shining in a murderous rage as Mike lets go of me and steps to the side.
“Ahh, Black, we don’t want no trouble. We were just taking my wife here home with us, she got lost in the woods earlier today—”
“Enough!” he bellows. I see Mike jump ever so slightly beside me, and it’s obvious he fears Black—with the look on Alexander’s face, he should. “I told you to let her go.” He steps forward, rifle raised at the two men surrounding me. Logan lets me go, but I remain frozen to the spot. These men clearly planned to rape me, and yet I don’t move at all—if I go to Black, I go back to being treated like I don’t exist.
My body seems to make the decision for me; my left foot takes a step toward Black, followed by my right, slowly making my way toward him. Even though he treats me as if I don’t matter at all to him, he has never laid a hand on me that I didn’t want. And the times when our bodies connected, the passion between us was undeniable. I continue till I am a step away from him, and his free arm comes around me, pulling me close to his side. He smells like musk and male sweat, and his hand slides up and down my arm, trying to warm me.
“If I ever catch either of you on my land again, I’ll shoot you on sight.” Mike and Logan both nod and turn to walk away from us. We watch them until they are out of sight. Black drops his gun to the forest floor and silently removes his big, fur coat. He holds it up in front of me, and I slide my arms into the sleeves, shivering until he connects the zipper and pulls it up.
He cups my face with both hands and looks into my eyes, not saying a word. His eyes search my own, looking for something. I blink, and a tear falls. Alexander catches it with his thumb and brushes it away. He pulls me to him and my ear presses on his chest, the thump of his heart a constant beat, quicker than its usual pace.
“Your heart is beating faster than it should be,” I whisper.
“It’s no wonder. Those men would have done horrific things to you before killing you. If it wasn’t for the—” He shakes his head. “I wouldn’t have been able to save you from days and days of immense pain.
A shiver runs through my body, but at the same time confusion settles over me. I made the right decision coming back to Black, yet I need to know. Feeling bold, I speak without being asked to.
“And just why would you care? I’m only your stupid captive that you ignore most of the time. You could always go kidnap yourself a new one.”
His reaction is swift, his grip on my arms through his jacket so tight, it is almost painful and he pushes me away from him. Then he surprises me when he lifts his hands to cup my face and he kisses me, roughly. His cold lips mold to my own, and shocked at what is happening, I open my mouth. It’s taken as an invitation and he dives right in, lowering one of his hands until it settles on my lower back, pulling me toward him, so I am pressed hard against his body. His erection is like stone against my lower abdomen. Shock morphs to confusion. I slide my arms around his chest to his back and give in to the kiss. My tongue tentatively flicks at his, and I am rewarded with a moan as his hand on my face slides into my hair. Gripping it, he pulls my head firmly to provide him with better access. Our lips break and he continues to press kisses along my chin onto my neck, before gently nipping at my collarbone. His nose slides along my neck, back up to my face, and he pulls away, our eyes locking once more.
