Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 34426 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 172(@200wpm)___ 138(@250wpm)___ 115(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34426 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 172(@200wpm)___ 138(@250wpm)___ 115(@300wpm)
He’d want her to fight and give Buster hell.
“Get out, Ricky,” Buster said as he hovered before her.
“But, I—”
“Our business is done. Get the fuck out.”
From the corners of her eye, she saw her brother nod. “I’ll be in touch.”
And then he was gone. He’d left her at the mercy of a man who would hurt her without blinking an eye—a man who’d take pleasure in causing her pain. She stared Buster down with a glare of defiance, but inside, she quivered like a frightened child.
Buster lifted a hand and stroked a finger down her cheek. Daisy jerked her head back, sickened by his touch.
“Oh, this is gonna be fun,” he said with a snicker. “I like a bit of fight with my fucking.”
Her stomach lurched.
“Goodbye, Pete.”
“Aw… come on, man. Don’t I at least get to watch?”
“Another time.” Buster didn’t take his eyes off her. This time he ran his finger across her collarbone. “Get the fuck out.”
Daisy clenched her teeth and forced herself to stand still.
Grumbling, Pete struggled to his feet and then used his crutches to hobble toward the back door. He slammed it behind him in a temper tantrum over not being allowed to witness her violation.
Only she and Buster remained. Her fear was a palpable third party in the room, taking up more space than the two of them. She locked out her knees to keep from collapsing. Her hands shook, and her insides churned. Breathing normal became impossible.
Buster reached for the button of her jeans, and she slapped his hand away on instinct.
“Nuh-uh-uh,” he said in a half laugh, half tsk. “You don’t want me to have to tie you up, do you?”
Her eyes widened. Hell no, she didn’t. The outcome might be the same, but being restrained sounded a million times more horrifying.
“N-no.”
“That’s a good girl.”
He reached for the button on her jeans again. Before he touched it, Daisy whispered, “I’m going to kill you. Maybe not today, and maybe not before you hurt me, but I will kill you.”
Buster laughed so loud she jumped. “Then I guess I better make this damn good for myself.” He grabbed her breast through her clothes and squeezed hard.
Daisy squeezed her eyes shut and bit her lip to keep from screaming. The metallic taste of blood flooded her mouth.
He grabbed the button of her jeans, and tears leaked from the corners of her eyes. She was trapped and couldn’t escape this nightmare.
But she could think of Moose. She could be with him in her mind and disappear into the way she felt with him—safe, cared for, and protected.
Buster could never hurt her there.
No one could.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
“SOMEONE’S COMING OUT the front door,” Oscar whispered.
They’d hunkered down in the front yard, with Oscar behind the sedan in the driveway and Moose around the side of the house.
Moose peeked around the corner toward the front door. Sure enough, a man exited and walked toward the car shielding Oscar. Moose’s blood boiled, and he nearly blew his cover, charging the son of a bitch. “That’s Ricky,” he whispered into his communication device.
Had the fucker just left Daisy in there with Buster?
“Am I taking him out?” Oscar asked.
“Fuck yes,” Moose answered. “But don’t kill him.”
“I wouldn’t dare take that privilege away from you.”
Darius snickered in Moose’s ear. “I’m in position. Waiting on your go.”
“Hold steady,” Moose said. “Oscar’s taking out Ricky.”
“Sweet.”
Ricky walked down the driveway toward a shitty brown car. Oscar crouched low and snuck up behind him with the stealth of a hunting panther. Ricky never saw the attack coming. One second, he was walking, and the next, he had Oscar’s arm around his throat, stealing his air.
Moose counted the seconds it took to render Daisy’s brother unconscious.
Fourteen… fifteen… sixteen… seventeen.
Damn, he wished he could be the one to choke out Ricky.
You’ll get your turn with him.
Oscar lowered Ricky to the ground, secured police-grade zip ties around his arms and legs, stuffed a rag in Ricky’s mouth, then dragged him behind a row of shrubs, out of sight of anyone who might drive by.
“Got an unsub coming out the back door. Male, using crutches with a bandaged leg.”
“That’s gotta be Pete,” Moose said. “I shot out his leg last night.”
“Nice work. That’ll fuck him up for a long time. What do you want me to do with him?”
“Get him secured. You can check for bounties and cash in if he has any.”
“Fuck yeah,” Darius said. “Give me three minutes.”
Time passed slowly. Each tick of the clock felt like an eternity. Sweat rolled down his cheek, leaving an itchy trail as Moose kept his gaze fixed on the front door. He forced himself to ignore it and be ready the second Darius came back online.
Every second that passed put Daisy more at risk. Now that her brother and Pete had left the house, chances were high that she was alone with Buster. Was he hurting her? Scaring her? Touching her?