“Just take the supplies and go, Mark. There’s no reason for this to get messy.”
Mark removed his belt, gripping Scarlett’s wrists behind her back and using the worn out leather to tie them together.
“I like messy.”
“What are you doing?” Scarlett asked, trying to hide her panic.
“I thought you’d have been smart enough to work out that I’m kidnaping you. I’ll be totally honest; we’re not doing great back in The City.” He started, “There’s evidently a good reason that you’re still alive, and I want to know what that is. You’re coming with us and you’re gonna tell us where your people are. If you’re really nice, I might let you stay too.”
“I’m not telling you anything,” Scarlett said stubbornly.
All she could think about was her daughter and what Mark and his corrupt men would do to her. Scarlett wasn’t going to give him the information he wanted; he was just going to have to kill her.
Mark practically dragged her outside by the elbow where Travis and Riley were waiting.
“What the hell are you doin’?” Travis spat.
“She’s coming with us, Travis. If you’d have done as I asked all those months ago, this wouldn’t be happening. If you follow us, we'll kill her.” Mark forced Scarlett into the back of his truck as she desperately sought out Travis’ eyes.
“Travis, do not come for me! Just get Hope somewhere safe, please!” she shouted, tears beginning to roll down her cheeks, “Please, Travis. Keep her safe!”
When Mark turned his back, Travis flew at him. He grabbed him by the collar and dragged him backward. Mark stumbled, but quickly corrected himself, turning and shoving Travis away, and Riley took hold of Travis’ shirt, pulling him back. Mark smirked as he clambered in the vehicle in next to Scarlett, while his men climbed in the front.
Travis and Riley watched helplessly as the men drove off.
“He didn’t take our weapons,” Riley said, rushing back inside to retrieve them. When he returned, Travis took his crossbow and slung it over his shoulder.
“I’m goin’ after her,” he announced, “Christ knows what they’ll do to her in that place.”
“No, Travis, you heard what she said! We’ve got to get back and protect Hope.”
“What, you expect me to just leave her? So they can hurt her – maybe even kill her! Or at least maker her wish she was dead. I’ve lived there, Riley, I know what they do to people.”
Travis looked at the ground and rage bubbled up inside him. He’d seen what those men had done to women, and the thought of Scarlett meeting the same doom turned his stomach.
“I expect you to guard your daughter, and so does Scarlett. If they do the things you’re thinking of, chances are they’ll get information from her, and they will come for the rest of us. It’s obvious they want what we have.” Riley asserted.
“No, he wants what I have. How can you be so relaxed when a madman has taken someone who’s supposedly special to you?”
“She is special to me!” Riley insisted, squaring up to Travis. “She’s special to everyone, but we can’t risk everything we have for one person, and you have a daughter to protect.” Travis had no response and began angrily pacing. “Let’s say you do go after her. You show up there unprepared and blinded by rage. I don’t want to be the one who has to explain to Hope why both her parents aren’t coming back.”
“That little girl needs her Mama.” Travis insisted.
“Fine.” Riley began, defeated. “But you come back with me and arm yourself properly first.”
With that, he made his way to the truck and Travis reluctantly followed.
Mark pulled Scarlett out of the truck and marched her through the gate, straight into the small store where they first came face to face. He silently retrieved some rope and an old wooden chair before pushing Scarlett onto it and tying her wrists to the back. Scarlett refused eye contact as Mark forcefully lifted her chin.
“As I recall, the last time you were here you left me with a broken nose and swollen testicles. I have to admit, after Travis ignored my orders in favour of a nice pair of tits, I didn’t think I’d get the opportunity for reprisal,” he released her chin and crouched down in front of her, “But life has a way of occasionally throwing you a bone… and here you are. Now, where have you been hiding away?”
“I already told you, you’re not getting shit from me.”
Mark looked at the ground, frustrated, before looking back at Scarlett with a one-sided smile.
“I can see you’re not an easy girl to get through to, so I’m going to skip a couple of steps here.” Mark stood and pulled what appeared to be a filleting knife out of his belt, “Who’s Hope?”
Scarlett looked at her lap. If he found out she and Travis had a daughter, he’d send his men to find her.
Again, he held Scarlett’s chin and this time she looked into his eyes.
“She’s none of your business. You’ve got me. Let me go or kill me, I don’t care. But you’re getting nowhere near my people.”
Mark quickly swung his hand into her face with an almighty slap. Scarlett didn’t react other than releasing a short involuntary yelp before looking straight back at him again. At least if he was distracted with her, Travis would have time to get back to the cottage and be with Hope. Scarlett had resigned herself to the fact that she was probably going to die in the small corner shop, so it was important that Travis made it.
Mark lifted Scarlett’s shirt and vest, exposing her stomach.
“Who is she?”
“Fuck you,” Scarlett snapped.
Mark held the knife to Scarlett’s side, just under her ribs and slowly slid it through her skin. Scarlett’s head dropped back as she shrieked in pain.
“Well?” Mark demanded,” She obviously means a lot to you,” Scarlett just sat there, breathing erratically, and Mark put two and two together as he noticed a few faded stretch marks on her abdomen, “This is perfect. When was she born?” Scarlett suddenly heaved her gaze back to him, knowing he’d worked it out, “Is she pretty, your daughter?”
“Do what you want with me, but please, please don’t touch my little girl.” Scarlett begged.
Her pleading was pointless.
“How stupid does someone have to be to get knocked up in a world like this?”
Riley sped down the country roads back towards the cottage while Travis sat in silence with unpleasant thoughts running through his head.
They pulled up to their home and Travis hurriedly climbed out of the car and went straight inside.
River was in the lounge setting up the wood fire and Hope was nowhere to be seen.
“Where’s my daughter?” Travis demanded.
“Relax, Travis. She’s fine. She’s upstairs in her crib, sleeping.”
Riley entered and received a concerned look from River.
“Where's Scarlett?” she asked.
“Long story. She's been taken. You remember the day we brought Travis back with us? The day Jimmy died?” River nodded, “Well, turns out the guy that runs The City holds grudges. He’s taken Scarlett.”
Travis rushed out of the room to see to his daughter, slamming the door behind him.
“What does he want?”
“This place probably. Either that or he’s looking to satisfy some sort of sadistic need to hurt her for what she did... Or both. Scarlett just told Travis to protect Hope.”
In his room, Travis approached the cot to see Hope sleeping soundly. He leant down and gently kissed her head.
“I’m gonna get your Mama back. You’ll be safe – Riley and Jack are gonna stay with you and they ain’t gonna leave your side. I love you, sweetheart. But we need your Mama.”
Travis returned to the lounge loaded with weaponry; a shotgun strapped to his back; Scarlett’s weapon belt containing her axes, plus two pistols and his hunting knife, an automatic rifle, and a small bag over his shoulder containing a plethora of ammunition.
“Wow.” River e
xclaimed, staring.
“I’m gonna bring Scarlett back. Don’t leave my daughter alone. If anythin’ happens to her, I will gut the person or people responsible. Understand?”
“Uh, sure.” Riley answered.
Travis left without another word, this time helping himself to Jack’s motorcycle.
“Well... I think I’m starting to see the attraction...” River said distractedly.
Riley glanced at his girlfriend and smiled.
“Me too,” he sighed.
On his arrival, Travis skidded to a halt directly in front of the gate. The guard took aim with an automatic rifle, but before he could speak, Travis had drawn one of Scarlett's axes and thrown it at him. The weapon struck the guard's forehead, lodging in his skull. Travis coolly retrieved the axe from the body as it slumped to the ground.
Scarlett’s eyes were swollen, her lip split and her mouth was filled with blood. She screeched as Mark brutally sliced into her arm with his blade. Her voice was croaky from the screaming and she felt fragile. She just wished he’d kill her already.
“You ready to talk yet, my girl? If you just tell me, I’ll let you and your daughter go. Where are they?” he hissed.
Scarlett responded by spitting the blood from her mouth into his face. Mark ran his arm over it, not cleaning, but smearing.
He snarled at her before using his bloodied knife to cut the rope that restrained her wrists. He held her arm tightly over her fresh wound, causing her to cry out as he forced her to her feet.
Scarlett felt too weak to fight back as Mark pushed her forward into the store counter. He forced her head onto the cold surface with a bang and Scarlett became dazed and nauseous.
He re-tied her wrists behind her back and used his foot to push her legs apart.
“Well, here we are again,” he spat, “Only this time you’re not going anywhere,” he leant forward and whispered into her ear, “Just tell me something, Miss McKenzie; what’s so special about Travis? Why would you let an inbred, white-trash prick like that into your pants, but not me? Huh? Is it the size of his blade? Is my hair too short?”
“He wants to protect people, not hurt them.”
“He can’t protect you anymore, Scarlett. He’ll be trying to hide your little girl, I’m sure. He’s wasting his time though. Once I set my mind on something, I always get my way.”
Scarlett’s skin began to crawl as Mark rubbed his crotch against her, forcing her further into the counter which was already digging into her hips.
“Just kill me already,” she said weakly.
Mark laughed as he ran his hand down her back, over her behind and underneath, pushing hard against her privates.
“I’m not gonna kill you, Scarlett. But I always get first refusal on new goods. Then after my men find your daughter, they can have you as a little treat.”
And there she was again; that scared little girl that Scarlett had forgotten ever existed. She whimpered and yelped as Mark’s other hand reached for her breasts and she could feel his breath on her neck. He quickly spun her around to face him, the counter edge now painfully pressed against the bottom of her spine.
“Please stop,” she whispered, “I’m begging you. Please, just let me go.”
Mark continued to touch her body before leaning in and pushing his lips against hers. Scarlett tried to pull away, so he took hold of her hair, wrapping it around his hand tightly and forcing her toward himself. Scarlett whimpered as Mark powerfully thrust his tongue past her lips, pulling harder on her hair when she refused to open her mouth to him.
Scarlett could taste him and began to feel sick. On impulse, thinking it was the only way to make him stop, Scarlett allowed his tongue through her jaws and immediately bit down hard. The taste of blood filled her mouth, but Scarlett did not release Mark. She opened her eyes to see the pain on his face as he pulled away, desperately trying to free his tongue, but only succeeding in tearing it. As Mark pulled, so did Scarlett. She bit down harder and he was eventually freed, minus half of his tongue.
Scarlett spat it onto the ground, blood dripping from her lips, and Mark came toward her again. He grabbed her angrily and turned her around again, driving her head down onto the table with such force that Scarlett’s vision was momentarily blurred. Scarlett screamed with every ounce of energy she had left in the hope that someone would hear and take pity on her.
Mark removed his belt and fastened it tightly around Scarlett’s mouth to stop her. She could feel warm blood pouring from what was left of his tongue onto her back and squeezed her eyes shut, continuing to whimper, trying to keep her thoughts on her daughter.
Mark yanked her jeans down just past her backside. She heard the threatening sound of his zipper and prepared herself for what was about to happen.
But nothing did happen.
Travis seized Mark and dragged him away, throwing him to the ground. Scarlett felt strong hands on her as Travis gently pulled her jeans up and helped her stand upright, before removing the belt from around her mouth.
In that time, Mark got to his feet. Travis turned and received an immediate blow to the face. A messy fight ensued, each of them grabbing anything they could to beat each other with. All Scarlett could do was watch, desperately trying to wriggle her hands free to help Travis. The men appeared to be matched in size, strength and brutality, but Travis had an advantage – Mark had tortured and attempted to rape the mother of his child, and the wrath that filled him in that moment was almost as powerful as the love he felt for her.
In his rage, and knowing that he could not defeat Travis, Mark made a last attempt to hurt her.
Travis grasped for his hunting knife and Scarlett closed her eyes tight when Mark flew at her. She heard a gurgle and felt a warm spray of blood hit her chest before a thud after Travis slowly drew his knife along Mark’s throat. He quickly turned his attention back to her, cutting her wrists free.
“Oh God, are you okay?” he held her shoulders and helped to keep her upright.
Scarlett began sobbing as relief washed over her and Travis took her in his arms. All she could do was weep into his neck.
“Did he…?”
“No.” Scarlett said faintly.
Travis observed her for a moment, amazed that he’d made it in time. His eyes started to sting as emotion overcame him and he drew her close, holding her.
“Jesus Christ, I thought you were dead,” he pulled away to look at her again and she stared at him through black and swollen eyes, blood trickling down her forehead, “I’m sorry, Scarlett, I’m so sorry. I’ll die before I let you go again.”
It took a moment for Travis to notice the small stab wound in Scarlett’s side below her ribs. He gently removed her shirt and tied it around her waist, stemming the bleed as much as possible. “Come on. Let’s get you outta here. It’s gonna be okay.”
“Hope,” Scarlett whispered, “Where is she?”
“Hey, she’s fine. She’s with Riley and the others. It’s all gonna be okay. You hear me?”
Scarlett looked into his eyes and believed every word.
“I hear you,” she confirmed.
Travis headed for the door and opened it enough that he could see out. He returned to Scarlett and bundled her up into his arms and she put hers around his neck, burrowing into his chest.
Travis carried her toward the gate, just as it began to open. Jumping out of sight, he put Scarlett down, gave her his shotgun and helped to fasten her weapon belt around her bruised hips, complete with her axes and two pistols, keeping the assault rifle for himself.
“Stay here, Scar,” Travis instructed.
Scarlett ignored him, loaded a round into the chamber and they both emerged, faced with the rest of Mark’s men.
Scarlett and Travis stood side by side and opened fire, taking the men completely by surprise. When Scarlett had exhausted the rounds in the shotgun, she dropped it to the floor and drew the pistols before continuing to fire surprisingly accurately considering that she couldn’t see proper
ly for the blood that was still oozing past her eyes.
When they’d put all of the men down, Travis once again scooped her up and resumed his walk to Jack’s motorcycle.
Placing Scarlett gently on the back, he climbed on himself and began his drive back to the cottage. Scarlett clung tightly to Travis as he drove, grateful that he hadn’t listened to her after all.
As they drove up to the gates, Chino let them in, gawping at Scarlett before closing the gate behind them.
“Hey man, is she okay?” Chino enquired, rushing over to them as Travis helped Scarlett off the bike.
“No, she ain’t. I need you to find Henry. She’s got a nasty stab wound that’ll need stitches. And find some antibiotics.”
“What the hell happened?”
“Just do it, Chino!” Travis demanded.
Chino scurried away to carry out his orders as Travis put Scarlett’s arm around his neck and aided her hobbling into the cottage.
Inside, Riley dashed down the stairs and his jaw dropped as he laid eyes on Scarlett.
“Oh, Scarlett,” he said sympathetically, “What did they do to you?”
“Hope… Is Hope okay?” Scarlett asked feebly.
“Yeah, she’s fine. She’s playing with River in your room.”
“She can’t see me like this,” Scarlett asserted, “I just need to wash the blood off, then I’ll take over.”
“No, Scarlett. You need stitches and a bath.” Travis contended.
“It’s fine Scar. It’s almost her bedtime. I’m sure River and I can manage. We’ll give her a bottle and sit with her.” Riley said gently.
Travis led Scarlett to Riley and River’s room as Riley followed behind with an old rag, mopping Scarlett’s blood up from the wood floor.
Mouse ran back and forth carrying pans of boiling water to fill the bathtub, while Henry disinfected and stitched Scarlett’s stab wounds, closing the door behind him once he was finished.
Travis took a damp cloth and thoughtfully cleaned the wound above her eye and on her lips while Scarlett did her best not to flinch away from him. He slowly helped her to undress, wary that he didn’t know if she had any other injuries.
Roamers (Book 1) Page 20