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She agreed to marry him and when her father came home, they announced the good news.
He was not pleased.
Marcus asked her to wait in her room while he smoothed things over. There was something about his words, the way his mouth lifted into a smirk that turned her stomach combined with the glint of fear that flickered in her father’s eye before he blinked it away.
But she left.
She heard muffled voices, rising then dipping to a murmur. They escalated to a fever pitch, and she listened, her heart in her mouth, jolting when a sickening thud caught her ears.
A few moments later, Marcus called her out. She still remembered stepping gingerly into the living room, seeing her father tense and pale with a bleeding lip.
“Dad? Are you okay?”
Rebelle turned to Marcus who just stood there, a smile frozen on his lips. “After a quick moment of reflection, your father has given us his blessing,” he said.
She looked towards her father, concerned and confused about what had just happened but after a moment, her father smiled and nodded. “Exciting news!”
“Go and pack a bag, babe. You’re moving in with me.” Marcus came over to her and kissed her, squeezing her ass possessively. She pulled away, embarrassed at his behavior in front of her father and the suggestion of something physical. They hadn’t crossed that line yet, Marcus said he would be patient with her, he said he knew she would be worth the wait.
“Let’s go!” An edge had crept into Marcus’s tone. She jumped and scurried off to her room, packing an overnight bag and grabbing a photo of her mom and dad and another of her with her twin sister. As she headed back to Marcus, she remembered something, and a sudden impulse had her scurrying outside to the dwarf rose bush her sister used to tend to. Rebelle quickly took a small cutting; she couldn’t bear to leave it behind to die and lose that connection to her twin.
Marcus was hurrying her out the door so fast she barely had time to say goodbye to her father, but she managed to see him. She just didn’t realize it would be the last time. His eyes were bloodshot, likely from the alcohol, but he hadn’t moved from his spot.
“Bye, Dad. I’ll see you soon?” she called.
He sounded strained when he replied, “Sure thing.”
Something felt off but she didn’t know what. She prayed on the way to Marcus’s house, prayed to Jesus that she had done the right thing.
That night when she left home, she thought her father had mouthed something to her, but with Marcus rushing her out the door, she didn’t know what it was. Looking back now she could see it clear as day…I’m sorry.
Turns out Sheriff Marcus Black wasn’t her knight in shining armor at all and the façade dropped as soon as they were married.
He was an evil, manipulative man. He’d discovered that her father had racked up gambling debts in Palm Valley. Marcus blackmailed her father and ultimately paid them off. But now her father owed Marcus. And Rebelle was his prize.
Marcus Black was a bully, a crook, a thief, a violent man with a vile temper. His heart and soul were as black as his name, and Rebelle was soon shut off from her family and any remaining friends she had. He abused her, starting right after they said‘I do’.
Dinner not on the table as soon as he got home? He’d burn her with cigarettes. If she didn’t clean properly or talked back? She earned herself a beating. She spoke to another man, any man? Marcus raped her.
And she could never forget the time she brought in an injured bird from the garden and dared to show it some attention when she should have been with Marcus. He killed the bird and starved her as punishment.
The fairytales he’d spun had all been a lie. He didn’t want to take her away, to let her spread her wings and fly, let her follow her dreams of veterinary school and helping animals. He wanted her caged, subservient and broken.
And she was.
Until the fateful night she tried to get away.
Marcus had dragged her to an abandoned building he owned on some land on the outskirts of town. It was brick built, the size of a barn with an outhouse that looked more like a crumbling ruin. She asked why they were there and earned a glare for her troubles. He must have been in a good mood because he didn’t hit her. When would she learn not to open her mouth?
It was dark, chilly winds had swept through the autumnal night and she shivered. They waited, Marcus chain-smoking his Marlboros until finally some headlights appeared. Two men pulled up in front of them and got out of the vehicle. They were both tall, white with forgettable faces.
“How much?” Marcus said, nodding towards Rebelle. The men scrutinized her, head to toe and she had a prickling awareness tickling her neck.
One of the men shrugged. “Has she been used?”
“Of course, what do you take me for? She’s still pretty tight though, she’ll be worth the ride.”
Understanding dawned on Rebelle as she realized these men were here to buy her body. Her stomach turned and before she could choke it back, she vomited up the tiny portion of food he’d allowed her to eat.
