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“What are you doing here?” My voice shook. This was not good. If Jeff was here, what happened to Duke and Liam?
“Oh, Abbey. You know better than to ask stupid questions.” Jeff pulled a gun from behind his back, keeping it against his leg.
The girls screamed and huddled together.
“Quiet!” Jeff roared.
“Why are you here?” I asked again.
“You really think your little trick was going to work on me? You think I didn’t suspect you were trying to set me up?” He waved the gun in the air. “Those guys are on a wild goose chase.”
I breathed a small sigh. That meant he hadn’t hurt either Duke or Liam. They were still safe.
“Let everyone go. This is between you and me.”
“I don’t think so. You think I want them all running to their men?” Jeff spat. “I know what goes on around here. I’ve been watching you for weeks. The little whores can stay where they are.”
“Jeff, you know some of them,” I pleaded, hoping to appeal to some hidden sense of decency he might have possessed. “Blake is pregnant. Tori is too. Please let them out of here. This is not good for the babies.”
“No.” The vein on his forehead pulsed. He was getting ready to rage. My worst fear was he’d hurt one of them. I needed him to focus on me. Taking a few deep breaths, I tried to calm the panic threatening to take over. I had to think of something, anything, to get the girls out of here.
But I could only come up with one thing, and it tore my heart apart just thinking it.
I was going to have to give myself to him. It was the only way to get his focus solely on me and get him off the ranch as quickly as possible. And that meant leaving Liam and Duke.
A wave of nausea fought its way up my throat. I swallowed hard, forcing it down.
“Let them go, Jeff, and I’ll leave with you.”
“Abbey, no!” Blake shouted behind me.
His laugh was unhinged. “You were coming with me either way. You really thought you had a say in that? Youbelongto me, not these assholes. They stole you from me, and I’m here to bring you home.”
He huffed out a breath. I could tell he was still angry, but he was collecting himself. He usually did when I obeyed him. Hopefully, by acquiescing immediately, he’d lessen the blow when he punished me.
“Blake, Grace.” He looked at the other girls behind me. “Don’t say I never did anything nice. Go before I change my mind.”
I didn’t turn around. I could hear the scurrying of their feet as everyone rushed for the front door. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Blake and Tori being helped out first, followed by the remaining women. Grace lingered behind. I knew she didn’t want to leave me with him.
“Go, Grace. I’ll be fine.”I gave her a forced smile. I would be fine. I had to be. This little baby growing inside me needed me to be strong.
She hesitated a moment longer but finally left. I let out a breath of relief. Everyone was safe.
Once the girls were gone, Jeff ran to the front door and locked it. “I don’t need anyone barging in here.”
His shoulders relaxed a little. He was calmer than I’d expected. He walked past me, then paused.
“Oh, and Abbey…?”
“Yes.” I looked at him, catching the devilish smile stretched across his face.
His hand came out of nowhere. The sting on my cheek took me by surprise. In the past, I’d been able to anticipate when he’d strike me and at least try to prepare myself.
He grabbed my jaw, forcing me to look at him.“That was for running away. You know better than that.” He sighed and shook his head, giving me a disappointed look. “But don’t think you’re getting off that easy. We don’t have time here. You’ll get your punishment when we get home.”
Jeff pushed me away from him. I stumbled and fell to the ground, landing on my wrist, crying out when a sharp pain shot through my hand. Cradling my arm, I watched as Jeff went down the hall and into the guest bedroom, which was now my studio.
Carefully, I followed him. What was he doing? Weren’t we supposed to be leaving? I wanted to get him as far away as possible to keep everyone else safe. The longer we were here, the greater the risk to the other girls.
