Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 85387 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85387 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
I stop at a stoplight, thankfully, and meet her gaze full on. “Who. The. Fuck. Hurt. You?”
Her breath hitches as she holds my gaze. Her mouth moves, but nothing is coming out as her eyes burn into mine. When a horn sounds, I growl in anger before hitting the gas and then pulling off onto the shoulder. I throw the truck into park and then meet her stunned gaze. “Wife,” I demand, and her eyes widen more.
“It doesn’t matter.”
“Was it a man or a woman?”
“Men,” she answers, and I’m not okay with the fact that the word is plural. “But it doesn’t matter. I got away from them.”
“Men?” I bite out, my heart slamming in my chest, making it real hard to breathe.
“Yes, but it’s all over.”
“I don’t care. What do you mean, men? How many?”
Her lip trembles, and I reach for her seat belt, unbuckling it and then pulling her into my lap. She comes willingly, and I push the lever to move my seat back so I can wrap her in my arms. I tuck her head under my chin and feel her fighting back a sob. “Talk to me, Wife.”
She nuzzles into my chest, and quietly, she whispers, “There was this ritual when we were of age, usually when we first started our periods. We’d be forced to stand in the middle of the hall, in only our underwear, as men looking for partners would circle us and decide if they wanted us. They could touch us and do whatever they pleased. If you fought, they’d bite you to keep you in line. The leader said it was how male animals controlled their females and that was how we needed to be treated. We were treated as objects, something to own, and I accepted a lot of the abuse because I’d watch Louisa and Austen get the shit bitten out of them. Or beat up. Louisa has the most awful scars along her back, and I have some too, but not nearly as bad as Louisa and Austen.”
“Fucking hell,” I mutter, my heart racing as I plant kisses along the top of her head.
“I made it out, though, mostly because of Austen and Peepaw. But we escaped, and I don’t even think much about it anymore. Therapy helped a lot, and I think because I was so quiet and didn’t put up much of a fight, no one really paid me any mind. Not when Austen and Louisa were causing a fuss at every turn, trying so desperately to protect us.”
My heart is in my throat. I can’t believe this woman in my arms is my wife. She is a fighter, and she’s all mine. I should want to put space between us, yet I hold her closer, not only to comfort her, but because I fucking want her in my arms so she knows I’m here.
“Are they the reason for you needing the toilet enclosed?” I ask, my stomach in knots.
She nods slowly. “One of the guys would sneak into the communal bathroom and find ways to watch me. One time…” She pauses, and I squeeze her tighter to me. I close my eyes as I nuzzle my face in her neck, kissing her softly. She exhales before whispering, “He had jumped into the stall with me once, and he pulled out his cock to get himself off. I was in the middle of taking a shit, and he exploded all over me.” Rage burns inside me. “It messed me up so badly that I wouldn’t go to the bathroom for days at a time. I almost died of dehydration once because I wouldn’t eat or drink.”
“What the fuck,” I mutter against her hair. “That’s fucking sick.”
She shrugs. “I tried to turn him in, but the leader didn’t care. He had the right to see if I was worth his time. We were nothing to them. Not women, not even people, really. Just something to own.”
I don’t even understand the anger that burns within me. I want to rip their heads from their bodies and play hockey with the bloody skulls. “I’ll call my friend and see if he can come earlier to fix the bathroom.” I don’t say it out loud, but I won’t tease her anymore about it either. I wouldn’t have done it thus far if I had known.
“You don’t have to.”
“I want to.”
“Thank you,” she whispers against my skin. “I know you wouldn’t hurt me or do anything like that. It just brings back bad memories.”
“I know, and I don’t want that.” I kiss her jaw. “Tell me who they are. I’ll find them all.”
She shrugs. “They don’t matter.”
“They do. I want to kill them for hurting you.”
“Coleson, stop. They don’t matter. I’m good. I promise.”
“Still, if I ever come across the assfucks, I will beat their asses.” Her breathy giggle has me going tight everywhere. “I won’t let anyone hurt you ever again,” I whisper against her hair. “I promise.”