Page 11 of Saddles
His teeth grit before his fingers knot into my long hair, forcing my head back painfully.
“Wanna play like that?” He stares down, the brown of his eyes almost black in the shadows. “You’re lucky, ya know? I learned my lesson from my last stint.” He frees his hand, ripping some of the short hairs out on the back of my neck when he does.
“How to charm a girl? Because I think you failed that class, asshole.” I know I shouldn’t, I’m in no position to sass.
But I’m not going to cower.
“Nah.” He lets the word out in a long sigh as he digs into his pockets.
When he unfurls the string of condoms, a chill runs through me and all of my limbs go numb.
“I learned that DNA can fuck me over, even if I know for sure no one will ever find you.” His smile doesn’t reach his eyes.
“Hey, Dougie?” He doesn’t waver in his stare when he calls into the other room.
“Yea?” Doug appears in the door.
This room doesn’t have enough space for all three of us and oxygen, because I feel like I’m suffocating.
Maybe that would be better, to just be unconscious.
“I want you to get that other handcuff from the table. We’re gonna have a little fun with our new friend.” Davey reaches over his head to grab the collar of his shirt, revealing a scarred chest.
They look old, like pock marks all over his body.
“See that?” He glances down. “You’re lucky I don’t smoke. This is what happens when you don’t mind.”
Jesus. Cigarette burns?
What kind of hellish cycle did I fall into?
“Got ‘em.” Doug dangles the silver links from his finger with a wide grin plastered on his uneven mouth.
Davey steps back, unbuttoning the top of his jeans. “Get her other wrist fastened. You can have a turn when I’m done.”
Chapter 5
Ford
I wonder how long this storm is going to settle in for? I didn’t get as much snow last night as I expected though.
There’s only a skiff, but the way the dark clouds are pressing down, I bet there’s a bunch more in store.
These are the only days I’m mildly curious about access to the outside world. It’d be handy to know if I need to plan for days stuck inside, or if it’s only a small cloudburst.
On second thought, I really don’t give a shit.
It is what it is. I’m here until March. Bring it on, Mother Nature. Let me have your worst.
“Roscoe, what do you say? Should we go check on the cows again before we’re stuck here?” I thread my arms through my heavy coat while watching my blue heeler run in circles next to the door.
“Careful, buddy. You’re gonna start knocking shit down.” Reaching over him, I twist the handle to free him from the tightconfines of the cabin. At barely three hundred square feet, there isn’t a lot of room for a wiggling dog.
I kinda want to check and see if I can find any more snow machine tracks. Their presence makes me a little worried knowing how far we are from any civilization.
It ain’t exactly a tourist attraction out here in the middle of nowhere.
Pepper pins her ears as soon as she sees me step into the barn.
