Savage Cinderella

by PJ Sharon

  There was a calm about him that attracted her like a bee to a flower. His familiar scent and gentle touch never ceased to give her comfort. Whenever sadness threatened to ooze up from down deep, Justin’s smile warmed her in places she hadn’t known existed. Her heart grew bigger, her stomach fluttered, and her body heated to combustible temperatures. He drew her out of the protective shell she’d clung to. She thought back to a conversation they’d shared a few days before.

  She ran her finger along the small white line that split his dark brow. “How did you get that scar?”

  Justin’s expression went blank and then his face darkened. “I was twelve. I was trying to pull my father off of my mother and he shoved me. I fell and hit the edge of the counter. It was worth the eight stitches to stop him.”

  Brinn frowned and touched the faded crease along his right cheekbone. “What about this one?”

  “That was a fist.” He smiled ruefully. “I was sixteen, then. I tried fighting him like a man. He knocked me on my ass.”

  “I’m sorry, Justin.”

  He took her hand in his and met her solemn gaze. “Don’t be. I survived, and it’s made me who I am today.”

  “I wish I could feel the same way about what happened to me.”

  “You will. Give it time.” He kissed her cheek tenderly and for that moment, she believed there could be a life beyond her past.

  Her feelings for Justin grew stronger each day. Being close to him made her want to open up to him and feel his strong arms around her. Though desire brought a confusing mix of fear and shame with it, she couldn’t deny the overpowering pull to spend more time with him. Justin had stopped his daily visits since Charlene had added to his workload with new assignments. After a day or two apart, Brinn missed him terribly. He said he wanted to give her time to adjust to being home with her family, but each time they parted, she was left with a hollow ache in her heart.

  She looked at the clock again. Justin was bringing Cody to have lunch with them. The two had become friends when Cody and Justin’s brother Steve served together in the Marines. Cody had been in Afghanistan with Steve, and was home on a medical leave for a while. Justin didn't confide the details, but Brinn had the feeling that Cody had been through a bad time too. He had come for dinner with Justin on a few occasions, and other than the smoky smell of him, Brinn had come to like the young man and his sarcastic wit. He made Brinn laugh, and was therefore, a welcomed addition to the family.

  Remembering that her mother had mentioned her old things up in the room above the garage, Brinn stared at the electronic keypad next to the kitchen door. Justin would be here any time. She was safe here, she reminded herself. The man wouldn’t dare try to get to her with the house guarded so closely. And her therapist told her that being around her old things might help her deal with her memories. Brinn let out a slow breath. Seeing her childhood things might give her comfort or they might stir more memories. Either way, the past was waiting for her at the top of those stairs.

  She disabled the alarm and made her way up the steep staircase along the side of the house, feeling good about facing down her fear. She wouldn’t let him keep her locked away again.

  Brinn soon found herself sitting amongst the boxes. She shuffled through them and smiled nostalgically at various items. When she opened a box of stuffed animals, it only took a moment to locate her favorite teddy bear. She hugged the worn animal, reminded of sleeping with it as a child. She thought of Kitty and wondered how she and the cubs were doing without her. They must be getting big by now. A sad sense of longing filled her heart.

  There were few objects of value left behind at the cabin, but Brinn thought about her drawings as she opened a box with layers of old pictures, some drawn with crayons, others with watercolor paints. A memory of her mother hanging her art work on the refrigerator with pretty magnets flashed in her mind. She smiled, closed the box and set it aside.

  She opened another box, pulled out clothes, and smelled each article. Vivid recollections of childhood experiences popped into her head. The playground at school, her parents taking her for ice cream after dance lessons, going to the park on a Saturday afternoon...

  Brinn froze, clutching a pink sweater in her hands. Images flashed sharp in her mind. A thin man with dark eyes was looking for a puppy. Before she knew what happened, she was in the backseat of a big car, riding far away from her mother, too frightened to do anything but cry.

  She pressed the tiny sweater to her chest, the burn of tears hot on her cheeks. Memories flowed with the tears. Her stomach seized as her mind twisted with images. Images that were so horrible, no one could ever know about them and see her the same way. She felt his hands on her, inside her. He was inside her. She screamed, shaking off the crawling sensation that covered her flesh. Shame and grief poured from her soul in wracking sobs until—taking a deep breath—her lungs froze.

  The smell of cigarette smoke reached her nose.

  I’ll find you. I promise. His voice crept into her mind.

  She recoiled at the assault and skittered to the corner of the room, her nose upturned to the open window. Gaining control of her emotions, she cleared her eyes and sniffed again. Yes, definitely smoke. Brinn pushed back her fear and thought past the memories of her captor. It must be Cody. Relief seeped into her rigid body. Justin and Cody must be here.

  Still shaking, she made her way to the window. Looking out over the empty driveway, her nerves pricked and a sense of dread spread through her body. The smell grew stronger and Brinn peered around the room for something to use as a weapon. There was nothing in the room except her childhood belongings, none of which could be used for protection. Why had she let her mother convince her to leave her knife in the nightstand? She clenched her teeth and closed her eyes. Her cell phone was right beside the knife.

  Her thoughts scattered when she heard the creak of footsteps on the stairs. The prickling sensation in her forehead instinctively spurred her to action. She ran to the door and locked it, just as the doorknob began to turn. She backed away from the only exit. Her voice choked in her throat. She knew who was there without asking. She could smell him—the sick, harsh scent of old tobacco. Memories of yellow-stained thick fingers, foul breath, and sallow skin, raced through her mind. She couldn't scream or cry out; she could barely breathe.

  The doorknob turned harder and began to shake and rattle. Trapped, Brinn looked for escape. She ran to the open window. She looked down at the steep slope of the roof and the far fall to the ground below. With only a moment’s hesitation, she crawled through the window, latched onto the top edge of the dormer, and hoisted herself up. Her bare feet slipped on the mossy shingles. She sucked in a breath and recovered her footing.

  As she quickly made her way along the peak of the garage and scrambled across to the high point of the roof, she heard the sound of a car pulling up the driveway. She crouched behind the large chimney and hid from view, then darted a peek around the corner. She found a deep breath of relief at the sight of Justin's shiny blue car.

  Justin and Cody stepped out, and when she rose from behind the chimney, Justin called out, "What are you doing up there? Come down before you fall."

  Her voice shook as she called out in a hoarse whisper. “He’s here.”

  Justin’s eyes widened and he and Cody ran to the garage stairs.

  Brinn sank down onto the roof, curled her knees into her chest and buried her face, afraid to move, afraid to cry, afraid he would hear her. But she knew he was gone. She felt it. She felt him as if he lived inside her. He had found her and he would come back. He would take her and she would be punished.

  She didn’t know how much time had passed, but when she raised her head again, Justin was standing on a ladder, propped against the house, his arms outstretched. "Come on, Brinn. It's okay. You're safe, now. What happened?"

  "He was here, Justin. He knows where I live. He found me. I knew he would." The words sounded hollow in her ears and it took some time before she could move
to climb down the ladder.

  Once inside, the police were called and Brinn's parents came home. Her father was furious and made assurances that she would not be left alone again. He would hire someone to guard her around the clock if need be, but she was not to worry, she would be safe here. She wanted to believe him, but she knew better. There was no safe place as long as that man was alive and free.

  Brinn’s father sat in front of her, his face solemn and strained. “Both guards were drugged. The security cameras were disabled. The patrol officers reported no unusual activity in the neighborhood. Whoever did this is efficient, smart, and determined. He took a huge risk, which means he’s desperate. Brinn, I’m not trying to scare you, and I know I’ve said this before, but you need to tell us everything you know about this man. Every detail is important. We want to catch him so he can never hurt you again. If you help us find him, I promise I will make sure he pays for what he’s done."

  Brinn eyed her parents and then looked at Justin, but kept silent, weighing her father's words.

  Justin brushed the hair back from her face. "You didn't do anything wrong. He’s an evil bastard and he has to be stopped. You've already proven that you’re stronger than he is."

  Brinn pulled away and set her jaw firmly. "You don't understand. None of you knows what he is capable of.” Bitterness flowed from her trembling lips. "I couldn't fight back. He had total control over me. He drugged me to make me sleep. He decided when I ate or drank. He told me that every breath I took belonged to him. He could do anything he wanted and I couldn't stop him. How do you think I can stop him now?" Brinn shook with repressed rage.

  Cody, silent and nearly invisible until now, turned from the window. "If you don't want to be prey, then you have to become the hunter." His eyes met Brinn's and his lips curved in a half smile. It wasn't a happy smile, but more like that of a mountain lion stalking a deer, cold and focused. His tone took on the distant monotone of detachment and his youthful face looked ten years older.

  "You lived on your own in the mountains for eight years. You were forced to become a hunter, and I imagine you’re a very good one. If you let him paralyze you with fear, he will keep you prisoner forever. But if you act and turn the hunt on him, you can, and you will, win.”

  “How? How can I win against the Devil?” Brinn leveled her gaze to Cody, tears about to well over again.

  “You have a distinct advantage now; you have us to back you up." He looked around the room at her parents and then at Justin. "If the enemy wants a fight, I say we gather the troops and give him a fight." His eyes narrowed at Brinn, the sharp slope of his nose, squared jaw, and sheer massiveness of his broad frame giving force to his words.

  Justin wrapped a protective arm around her shoulder, "You aren't alone in this, Brinn. Whatever terrible things he did to you, it’s all in the past. You did exactly the right thing; you survived. You have nothing to feel sorry or ashamed about." His eyes warmed with encouragement, a reassuring smile replacing his somber expression. “You will win this fight. And we’ll be with you every step of the way.”

  Chapter 21

  Dark Confessions

  Brinn’s mother didn’t look happy about it, but her father insisted she reveal as much detail as possible about her time in captivity. It was the only way to stop the man. To Brinn’s surprise, Cody helped more than anyone. He didn’t treat her like she was fragile. To him she was a fellow warrior. He related his experience of being captured and tortured by Taliban rebels, narrowly escaping death when a team of Marines, including Justin's brother Steve, finally extricated him and destroyed the compound where he'd been held for over two months. That was six months ago, and he was still on leave recovering from broken ribs, a ruptured spleen and a severe concussion. He didn’t talk about the counseling he was receiving—just that he was going and that it seemed to help.

  Cody gave only the facts necessary for the events to be understood, as if telling the story about someone else. Brinn could now see why he treated her differently. There was no pity in his eyes, just simple comprehension of a shared wound and the need to give it time to heal.

  Justin stayed close and squeezed her fingers gently, “You can do this, Brinn. It’s only words. The words can’t hurt you. You’re safe.”

  Brinn looked into the strained faces of her family. Her mother’s skin was pale. Tears welled in her eyes and spilled down her cheeks. Her father’s features were like granite, his jaw twitching with the effort to curtail his rage as Brinn described the tiny room in the decaying old farm-house.

  “He left me alone for long periods—sometimes even days. There was a window, but it had bars and shutters. He kept me... handcuffed or...chained...to the bed.” Brinn winced as her mother gasped and choked back a sob, covering her mouth with both hands.

  Some details Brinn knew she would never share, not with her family, not with Justin, probably not with anyone. The ugliest moments of her life were behind her and would stay there—hidden in her soul. Yet, some part of the truth had to be told. She knew that now. She had no choice anymore but to face her past. She couldn’t hide or run away forever. Her enemy was closing in. Brinn swallowed back the bile that rose in her throat. She held back the tears as she’d learned to do as a child.

  “He made me call him ‘Pa Roy’.” She couldn’t meet her father’s eyes—ashamed that she hadn’t even been able to refuse her captor’s demand that she forget her father.

  “It’s all right, Brinn. I understand. You didn’t do anything wrong. Whatever you did or didn’t do, you had no choice.” He touched her hand, “I will always be your Dad.” Her father’s eyes glistened but his voice was deep and strong. He encouraged her to continue.

  Brinn took in another breath and went on. “There was a root cellar behind the house.” She hesitated, catching Justin’s pained expression. She looked down at her hands. “I tried to escape a few times. He...he put me in that dark hole and left me there for days with no food or water until I was so weak I couldn’t cry anymore.” She knew her face was pale from the frightful images that loomed in her mind, but she felt the blood surge to her face with shame.

  “Can you remember anything else about the property?” Her father’s question saved her from ruminating further on the ugly indignities that flashed through her mind.

  “There was a barn...a slaughterhouse...” The images she’d banished from her mind surged to the surface, setting her senses on fire. The sound of his footsteps approaching, the long wooden spoon and the thick black belt he’d used to beat her, the smell of smoke, sweat, and blood that clung to him—the vivid orange glow of the end of his burning cigarette.

  I will punish you. I promise.

  She stared, sightless, her arms wrapped tightly across her middle, fists tucked into her ribs as she rocked back and forth.

  Justin touched her shoulder. Brinn jumped. “Are you okay, Brinn?” His brown eyes were liquid with emotion and concern. “You don’t have to do this now if you don’t want to.”

  The compassion and pain on his face nearly undid her. There was no denying the sorrow that lay beneath. She’d lost her innocence to a monster and it was something she could never get back. There was nothing she could do to change what had happened and there was no way she could soften the blow of the truth.

  “I have to, Justin. If I don’t tell someone what he did, it’s like I’m letting him keep me locked away in that dark hole or chained to that bed.” A slow burn of resolve seeped into her chest. “I can’t let him take any more of me. I want my life back.”

  A flicker of a smile lifted the corner of Justin’s mouth, despite the concern in his voice. “I get it...and I admire your courage.” His warm hand and solid strength permeated the blanket of cold around her. She’d been afraid he would never look at her the same after he knew what she’d been through. Relief swept through her when he met her glances with eyes full of compassion and admiration.

  “I’m...scared, Justin.”

  “I know, me too.” He held h
er hand gently between his. “What else can you tell us?”

  Brinn darted a glance between her mother and father. “Once I stopped crying and letting him see my fear, he stopped...touching me. He beat me, but he didn’t...he couldn’t...he just left me alone.” Exhaustion hit her like a wave and her face fell into her hands. “I think he was planning to kill me before I even ran away that last time. He said there were plenty of others like me that he could have any time he wanted.”

  Her mother stood and came to her side. “I understand what you’re saying. In your own way, you stood up to him. That’s the kind of courage it will take to face him again. Can you do that, Sweetie?”

  Brinn slouched numbly on the plush dark couch. Her legs remained tucked under and her palms were scored with red half moons. “I have to, don’t I? It’s the only way to end this.”

  “That’s enough for now, John.” Her mother slid onto the cushion beside her and wrapped an arm around Brinn’s shoulders. She looked hard at her husband.

  He nodded, let out a breath, and sat back in the chair.

  A delicate hand stroked Brinn’s cheek, brushing her hair away from her face. “I know how difficult this has been for you. I’m so proud of you.” Her mother smiled through dried tears and a reddened nose. And then the smile faded, her expression growing somber again. “Everything that man said to you was a lie—do you hear me? Nothing that happened was your fault. There wasn’t anything you could have done differently; you need to believe that.” Her mother pushed aside the curtain of dark hair that shielded Brinn’s face. “Most importantly, nothing you have said changes how we all feel about you.”

  A deep ache wrapped around Brinn’s heart and squeezed until tears flooded her eyes and her voice cracked with emotion. “Thank you, Mama. You have no idea how much that means.”