“Where’s Big Mike?” Gavin asks.
“He went to the hospital with Drake. I’ve got to find Darcie. Just do last call early and get everyone out. I will call you tomorrow, okay?”
“Sure thing, Reggie. Let me know if I can help.” Gavin exits my office as I stuff my keys and cell phone in the front pocket of my jeans.
Jeremy and Jake are already in the Challenger, ready to find Darcie. A look of worry resides on their face as I approach the window. “Let’s split up. Search everywhere you can think of. Go up to Old Miller’s Road and check the woods. I will check the alley’s and drive by home. If you find him, don’t kill him. He’s all mine,” I command as I open the door to my Camaro and fire it to life.
Darcie
The feel of cool leather is chilling against my skin when my eyes roll awake. The smell of sweat and cologne fills the air as I try to flutter my lids open. Disoriented, my eyes try to focus on anything familiar, but all I see is a tunnel of blackness. There is no light and my arms are weighted. I can feel myself slipping back to that house. The smell of urine, the crack from the belt as it connects with my skin, and the warmth of my blood are consuming my senses. The rational part of my brain knows I’m not there, I left with Grady, but I’m finding it impossible to break away from the darkness of that room.
I squeeze my eyes shut and try to clear my memories. I have to find my way out of this black hole, the devil of my past is trying to sink its teeth in me while I’m already drowning in my present. I calm myself to remember the aqua color of his irises; it helps me find my peace. The color is that of salvation and love and I will get out of this. I start climbing the deep well of my mind, frantically moving toward the ocean blue pools of Reggie’s eyes.
My eyes snap open.
Cold, steel gray irises replace the blue and I’m thrust back into my reality. The frigid Michigan air is bitter as I’m stretched across the front seat of a Hemi Cuda. Grady is lying over me. His weight is bearing down, making it impossible to move. My hands are tied to the door handle with nylon rope, pinning them above my head. I can feel the hardness of his dick through my jeans as his gyrating hips try to wedge their way closer to my core. I squeeze my legs hard in protest, doing my best to keep my thighs tight.
I try to let out a scream, but the handkerchief stuffed in my mouth causes my attempt for noise to gag back into my throat. I can feel the bile rolling up from my stomach and into my esophagus, but I swallow it down for fear of choking on my own vomit. My legs are extremely fatigued. They finally give way and Grady slides between my thighs. His eyes are hooded and his body is hard. The blackness is starting to take me away again. Flashes of my stepfather’s face start to superimpose over Grady’s. If I let Robert in, then I will be gone. Grady will win. I have to keep my sanity long enough to get out of this mess.
Grady pushes down on my body with more force. A stainless steel blade reflects against the moonlight as Grady’s hand pulls a knife from his jean’s pocket. My breathing is heavy as my chest heaves and my heart begins to hammer rapidly. He slips his hand under my shirt and the cold steel of the knife brushes against my skin.
Then I hear the rip of my t-shirt.
Grady’s pierced the knife through the cotton and is slicing it away from my skin, exposing my pale, scarred stomach. My body thrusts up from the seat as Grady violently tears the thin fabric from my skin, discarding it on the backseat. Next, he moves the blade between my small breasts and jerks his hand upward, slashing my bra in the middle and then sawing the straps until it is free from my body. With each movement of the blade, the knife leaves a trail of little cuts on my stomach and chest, the sting causes my eyes to prick with tears.
I am lying underneath Grady. All his weight is on me as he leans into my ear. “I told you, baby girl. You’re going to give yourself to me. It’s the least I deserve after you humiliated me tonight.” His breath is hot against my cheek as he kisses his way down my chin, neck and throat. I thrash against his lips on my skin, but he keeps making his way south. Licking and nipping his way to my breasts and nipples. I feel disgusting as he slathers my chest in moist kisses.
I’m fighting.
“I want you naked underneath me because, soon, it’ll be time for my favorite part. Tasting how much you want me.” His eyes are villainous and cold. Mine grow wide, knowing I will only have moments to save myself before he rapes me.
Then, I feel the familiar drowning of darkness approach and it’s unclear which will come to me first. Either way, I’ll be dead. Inside and out.
Grady takes a moment to study my body. The raised scars catch the faint light from the moon and he just stares down at them. Curious of their origin.
Twisting my wrists, I can feel the nylon rope start to loosen its grasp. While he’s distracted, staring at my scars, I take the opportunity to glance at the weakening hold of the rope and discover I can slip my right hand through the loop. I need to be patient. Wait for the right time to react then I will have one hand free to fight.
Suddenly, I remember Grady is famous for having tequila stashed under the passenger seat. I recall, before we went into the bar earlier this evening, he took a couple of shots from the glass bottle.
Grady moves off me. “Don’t fucking move, baby girl, or I’ll stab you.”
I search down into the depths of my soul and find my fight. I am that fourteen-year-old girl, left with two choices, live or die.
I will choose to live every single damn time. Why? Because fuck him, that’s why.
I need to distract him, I need to talk. What I really need to do is piss him off. He’s never been able to think straight when he’s blind with rage.
I start mumbling gibberish, coaxing him with my eyes to remove the gag long enough to talk to him.
“What!” he snaps, however he doesn’t remove the handkerchief.
I continue to mumble and release muffled phrases.
“Jesus!” Grady yells as he yanks the gag from my mouth.
“I don’t really care what you do to me, Grady. Take a good look”—I motion down with my eyes to the scars on my chest and stomach—“Anything you do to me, won’t compare to what I’ve already been through. So you can go fuck yourself.”
Grady lifts his hand and connects it with the side of my face. My cheek is burning from the slap, but I keep my deadly gaze fastened onto his. “Just so you know, you’re dead. You do realize, once Reggie gets a hold of you, he will kill you?” My adrenaline is erupting as I continue to threaten him. “Jake was right, you are a stupid fucking tool. I’ll be glad to see you suffer.” Furious, he slaps me even harder across my face.
“Fuck you! Your precious Reggie…he can’t do shit to me. Say one more thing and I will ram this blade in your throat.” Grady undoes the button on my jeans and yanks them over my hips, down past my thighs and off my legs.
He brings the knife back up to the edge of my black panties and starts to slide it underneath the lace fabric. “God, Darcie, if it weren’t for all those scars, you’d be perfect.”
“Go fuck yourself!” I scream.
Grady leans down and starts to kiss the skin surrounding the hem of my underwear. Teasing his knife in and out from under the fabric, he trails his mouth over my stomach, thighs and hips. “Fuck me, Darcie? No. Fuck you,” Grady snarls then bites down hard on the skin just inside from my hip bone. I release an agonizing scream, but he continues to take torturous bites of my skin. Blood is drawn and starting to pucker from the indented teeth marks on my flesh.
At any moment, he will cut away my panties and I will have no clothing left. No barrier between him and me. I swallow down the pain and try to clear my head.
My body isn’t his to take, it’s mine to give. There is only one person I will give myself to and it’s not Grady-fucking-McGuire.
The faint roar of an engine looms in the distance. It’s hard to make out over Grady’s heavy breathing and my whimpering, but I know it’s there. I pray headlights will come into view.
Driv
e faster.
Please.
Lights! I see the lights!
It’s now or never. It’s my time to fight, to survive.
Act now, Darcie!
As soon as his head resumes biting my inner thighs, I yank my wrist from the loosened rope and I feel around on the carpeted floor for my weapon. Sweeping my hand back and forth, my fingers locate a glass liquor bottle. I clasp the neck and squeeze it as tight as possible.
Grady lifts his head from my core and I pounce.
With unimaginable force, I crack the glass tequila bottle over his head and the golden fluid rains down over my naked skin. The blood from Grady’s head instantly drips, running onto my stomach as well. My pale skin is now painted in dark crimson and amber.
He reaches back to plunge the knife into my side when I slam my fist into the gash on the side of his head. Grady releases a painful growl and I work to get my legs free from his weight. I pull them up and start kicking him wildly, releasing all of my fight into his body. I kick him hard until I become breathless.
Grady is hunched over the steering wheel when I take the opportunity to get myself free. I rip my other hand from the restraints of the nylon. Turning on my belly, I scramble to get the door ajar. I fumble with the door handle and it flies open. The snow is cold against my shaking hands and I start dragging my damaged body from the car, pulling myself with every bit of adrenaline left in my veins. The headlights are getting closer and I recognize them instantly.
I’m saved.
As soon as I release a breath for my liberation, Grady’s knife slices into my back. My skin is torn and warm blood runs down my back, buttocks and legs. I release a scream of pain and collapse in the snow. Freezing and shivering, I start to fade back into my dark well. My eyes flutter shut as the Challenger speeds into view. It’s impossible to keep them open, yet somehow, I force myself to not slip back inside the darkness. My gaze connects with Jeremy as he rushes to my side. I can hear Jake’s voice, fueled with rage, as he begins to wail his fist against the glass of Grady’s window, causing it to shatter.
“I’m going to kill you, fucker!” Jake is screaming, attempting to get his hands on Grady, however he starts the roaring motor of his Hemi Cuda and peels away from the wooded inlet, practically dragging Jake with him.
Seconds later, the scratchy wool blanket from Jeremy’s trunk is wrapped around my nearly naked body. It smells like grease and dirt. It’s the comforting smell of the garage behind our house, the smell of Jeremy. “It’s okay, Darcie,” he repeats over and over.
Jake guides me onto my feet and they both hold me tightly under their arms. I slide to the middle of the Challenger with my brothers on each side. Jake’s arms envelope around me, holding tightly. He pulls out his cell phone and begins screaming at someone on the other end.
All the energy is evaporating from my body. I close my eyes and whimper from the pain inflicted both inside and out at the same time that the words pouring from Jakes mouth begin to fade and I start to retreat back into the blackness of my nightmare.
Chapter 26
Reggie
I tear out of the parking lot, spitting gravel from the tires of my Camaro. Rage is coursing its way through my veins as I make my way through the abandoned city streets. The alleys are all vacant this time of night, but I keep up with the searching; slowing and stopping when I approach a new dark drive. I’ve passed our house three times, looking for any signs she’s been there. Darcie is tough. She will fight this if she can stay out of her head long enough to save herself. I fear the minute Grady tries anything, though, she will shut down and then nothing will stop him from hurting her.
I glance at my watch and see the hour roll over to one am. Big Mike called me fifteen minutes ago and told me Drake was okay and they were going to keep him overnight for observation, but he should be released from the hospital tomorrow afternoon. Relief washes over me momentarily, though it doesn’t last long because Darcie is still missing. My cell phone is planted in my hand and I refuse to let go of it. The minute Jake or Jeremy call, I need to know what they’ve found.
I knew I should have killed that bastard earlier in the bar, but the boys are right, when it comes to Darcie, she can stop me from anything. An agonizing emptiness starts to fill my heart as the minutes pass by. I’ve been driving for an hour and have not heard a single word or found evidence of her whereabouts. I start to think about the times I spent with Darcie over the last three years. She’s been such a significant part of my life and I can’t imagine what it would be like without her in it. One random day, a turn of fate led me to Darcie and I don’t want that same fate to take her away. I’m pissed I’ve acted like a jerk to her over the last month. All because I love her, I tried to push her way, but the only thing I’ve done is handed her over to a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
I turn down the heater and shut the music off. I can’t concentrate on anything except Darcie. All this other crap is too distracting. I round the corner and make my way down Washington Street. The house where Darcie was held captive still stands. It’s rundown and falling apart, but Robert refuses to tear it down. It’s insulting that the place of Darcie’s hell is located only three blocks from our house. I’ve been tempted on numerous occasions to burn it to the ground, but I always relent because I don’t want to give Robert another thing to pile against me.
The vibration of my phone snaps my attention to my hand and Jake’s number flashes across the screen. I hit the answer button and shout, “Did you find her?”
His breathing is heavy and labored. “Yeah”
“Well? Is she okay?” I scream into the phone.
“I don’t know. She’s pretty out of it, but we got to her in time.”
“What do you mean, you got to her in time?” My mind knows what he’s referring to, but I wait to hear it from his mouth.
Jake’s voice lowers to a whisper, “He tried to rape her, Reg. She’s cut up from his knife and bleeding all over.”
“Goddammit!” I scream into the phone. “Where are you?”
“Two blocks from our house.”
“I will meet you there.” I slam the phone against the dash board and shatter it to pieces.
My adrenaline picks up as I round the corner and park behind the Challenger. Jeremy is on the passenger side with Jake and their trying to lift Darcie from the front seat. She’s completely disconnected; a dead weight in the front seat. I am scared. I move as quickly as I can to get a glimpse of her. My breath hitches. She’s got a bright purple bruise forming on her cheek and blood is running down her legs, seeping through the blanket. The last time she looked this awful was when I pulled her from that house.
I hoist her into my arms and hurry to the stairs. Taking them two at a time, I get to the back door quickly. Jeremy opens the lock and I rush her back to my bedroom, carefully laying her on my bed. Her body is cold as ice, but she’s breathing and her heart is beating.
Rubbing the pad of my fingers against her arms, I attempt to bring her out of her trance. She’s lost in her mind again. I begin to speak softly to her, reassuring her I am here and she’s okay, but there’s no response. She remains detached.
Jeremy comes into my room, looking as scared as I’ve ever seen him. Darcie has always snapped out of her trance shortly after I start talking to her, but this time, she’s completely gone; mumbling nonsense and shuddering on my bed.
Unsure what else to do, I lift her onto my lap, yank the comforter over her, and begin to rock her back and forth. Instinctively, she plants her face in my chest and I can feel her breaths slow, but she’s still consumed in her blackness. I start whispering in her ear. “Darcie, it’s me. You’re okay. Please come back to me. Please,” I beg over and over into her ear.
Minutes turn into hours and the sun rises above the horizon. Jake and Jeremy are passed out on my bedroom floor, waiting, like me, for any sign of hope. I lean against my headboard, holding her tightly in my arms while I talk to her. As the morning light fills my room, I watch th
e darkness of night fade as the sunrise continues. Please find your way out, Darcie, I chant over and over in my head. Come into the light, come to me.
Suddenly, Darcie’s body goes stiff and jolts from my grasp, landing on the floor next to the bed. Her eyes are lost in panic as she takes in her surroundings. The boys jump, startled from their slumber, and stare at her.
She says nothing.
I extend my hand, inviting her to sit with me, but she just remains there, confused. Darcie attempts to stand, but collapses to the carpet and cries. Her body trembles from sobbing and I fly to her side, gathering her back up in my arms. Tears are soaking my shirt, but she clenches tightly to me, refusing to let go. We stay that way until her wails transform into whimpers and her breathing restores to normal.
Darcie sits up in my lap and looks into my eyes. The makeup has melted down her face, causing black streaks down her cheeks. Her face is flush from crying and she’s shaking.
Finally, after hours, she speaks to me, “Reggie?” Darcie releases a deep breath.
“I’m here,” I reply at the relief of hearing her hoarse voice.
She twists uncomfortably in my arms. “My body hurts. It feels like it’s burning.”
I stroke her head and brush her hair over her shoulder. “Do you remember anything that happened?”
She lets out another big sigh, “The last thing I remember is falling into the snow right after Grady…” Her words trail off as a well of tears begin to prick her green eyes.
I run my hands through her hair, continuing to comfort her. She is still wrapped in Jeremy’s old, wool blanket and my comforter, wearing only her panties. Dried blood covers her body and the stench of tequila is wafting off her skin. “Let’s get you cleaned up. I need to look at your back to make sure you don’t need stitches.”
She lets out a breath and whispers, “Okay.”
I stand with her still secured in my arms, carrying her into the hall bathroom. I sit her on the edge of the bath and start the faucet. The warm water pours out as I plug the drain and allow the water to fill the tub. She sits with her feet in the water, looking down, lost in thought. I fear she’s going to black out again, so I keep talking to her, reassuring her that I’m not going anywhere.
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