Total pages in book: 37
Estimated words: 34025 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 170(@200wpm)___ 136(@250wpm)___ 113(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34025 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 170(@200wpm)___ 136(@250wpm)___ 113(@300wpm)
“Go on, Dad,” said Duke. “Make us.”
Chapter 4
Willow
My throat clenched so tightly I couldn’t breathe. Duke was pointing a gun at my father.
This can’t be happening.
But it was happening. No matter how surreal it felt or how unthinkable the circumstances seemed to my rational mind, these men weren’t just a bunch of assholes. They were monsters and they wanted to hurt us. To hurt me.
Zeb, Ox, and Martin rose to their feet. I clung to my dad’s leg as if I could disappear behind him, as if his physical presence alone could protect me. It didn’t matter that Duke was the only man holding a weapon; the odds were still four against one. They had planned this, and they weren’t going to leave until they got what they came for.
“What do you want?” I asked. Being the only one still seated on the ground made me feel more vulnerable than I already was. Summoning all my strength, I compelled myself to rise on trembling legs. Dad angled his body in front of me.
“We just want to have a little fun, sweetheart,” said Zeb.
I couldn’t believe I had ever found him attractive. He looked like an evil Ken doll.
Dad took a step toward Duke. I wanted to yell at him to stop, but my heart had already lodged itself in my throat like a cork. I stood frozen in place, terrified that I was about to watch my father get shot.
But then Duke took a step back, and the other men surged forward.
Zeb punched my dad in the face. He went down but recovered quickly enough to deliver an avenging blow to Zeb’s middle before the blond man could dodge. But my dad’s upper hand was short lived. While Zeb was doubled over in pain, Ox hooked his beefy arm around my dad’s neck and squeezed. Panic clawed at my insides as I watched my dad grapple for the other man’s arm, his face growing redder. I screamed as I ran toward them, then halted instinctively when the gun swung in my direction.
“Stay back, little Willow,” Duke mocked. “Daddy just needs to realize who’s in charge.”
“Leave him alone,” I shouted, but they ignored me.
Ox knocked my dad to the ground, shoving a knee into his back, while Martin produced a handful of cable ties from the cooler. I watched helplessly as they restrained my dad’s hands at the small of his back, afraid that trying to help him would end with at least one of us getting shot.
What could I do anyway? I was fast but nowhere near strong enough to shove even one of them away from my dad. But it destroyed me to watch my dad being brutalized. He was a decent person who never went out of his way to be cruel to anyone. He didn’t deserve this.
Ox and Martin sat my dad on the ground, propped up against one of the big logs by the fire. His chest heaved with the effort of trying to catch his breath. I could already see the bruise forming on his cheekbone from where Zeb had punched him.
“Now that Dad’s taken care of, we can have some real fun with baby girl,” Duke said. “That means you, little Willow.”
I blinked at him. He’d tucked the gun back into his waistband, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t dangerous.
“W-what do you want me to do?” I stammered.
“Strip.”
My stomach churned. I hugged myself and shook my head.
“Please,” I whispered. “No.”
“Leave her alone, you fucks,” Dad cut in. He tried to stand, but with his hands tied behind his back, it was easy for Martin to shove him down.
I expected Duke to threaten to shoot me, but instead, he walked slowly over to my dad. I trembled as Duke yanked my dad’s head back by his hair and pressed the gun barrel against his temple.
“This is the last time I’ll ask nicely,” Duke growled. “Take off your fucking clothes.”
There was nothing else I could do. I had to strip, or he was surely going to shoot my dad and then tear my clothes off anyway. There was no doubt in my mind that this monster was capable of ending someone’s life. I could tell by the lack of hesitation in his eyes. No second-guessing. No conscience to appeal to. And the rest of them looked just as merciless.
I couldn’t help thinking that they’d done this before.
Slowly, I slid my feet out of my hiking shoes, trying to drag out the process as much as possible. But I didn’t want to piss them off either. Barefoot, I grasped the hem of my T-shirt, pulling it up and over my head. My dad kept his gaze on my feet out of politeness while the others stared at me with a hunger that made my skin crawl. But I kept going, sliding my shorts down my legs. Soon I was left with nothing but my white cotton panties and a sports bra, not the kind of underwear meant to seduce or excite, but that didn’t seem to bother these men. Martin licked his lips while Ox cupped his erection through his pants. It was disgusting.