by K. Webster
“Next year, I’m going to have a skating birthday party. And the next year, a trampoline party.” She bounces from inside the basket of the cart. “What’s your next party going to be, Penny?”
As we walk around the store, tossing stuff to make cupcakes into the cart, we go back and forth about birthday party ideas.
“Are you my new mom?” Zella asks once we’re standing in the checkout line.
I freeze, unable to form words. “W-What? No, sweetie, I’m just Penny.”
Her lips pout out. “But my mom died. Why can’t you be my mom?”
Of course she would ask this question when Terrence isn’t around. I don’t know how to answer this.
“I, uh,” I choke out. “You want some candy?”
She shakes her head. “Do you not want to be my mom?”
“Zella, baby, being your mom sounds like the job of a queen. I’m just a knight, remember?” I tease, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “But I love you so much. Maybe one day I’d deserve such a title.”
She acts like she’s going to press more on the subject, so I quickly change it. “We need to go shopping soon and buy new swimsuits. Won’t be long and we can play in the river.”
“Daddy is going to teach me how to swim as soon as it gets warm enough,” she tells me, a smile once again on her face. “Do you know how to swim, Penny?”
“I do. I can help if you want. Do you know how to hold your nose?”
She scrunches her nose. “Like this?” Her finger and thumb pinch her nose and then she says, “Do I sound like an alien?”
“A silly alien,” I agree.
We check out and then we’re on our way. Zella chatters the whole way back to the Jeep. Since it’s warm now, I took the doors off, much to Zella’s delight. She loves riding in my Jeep with me as the wind blasts around us.
I toss the grocery bags into the back and then help Zella into her seat. “Ready to make cupcakes?”
“Yes!”
I grin at her excitement and jump into the front seat. I barely have the engine turned over when the vehicle dips with added weight. Something cold presses against my neck. My eyes dart to the rearview mirror, locking with the monster from my dreams.
Jack Henderson.
Oh God.
Zella starts to cry from the back seat. I’m frozen in fear. My phone is in my back pocket. I could try and call Terrence, but something tells me that won’t get past Jack.
“Drive,” he growls. “Now or I’ll paint your insides all over your windshield.”
My heart beats loud, echoing in my ears as I put the Jeep in reverse. I grip the steering wheel, panic overwhelming me. Every hair on my arm stands on end and I tremble with fear.
“Turn left out of the parking lot,” he orders.
I should refuse him, but in his manic state, I think it would be a terrible idea. No, I need to figure out what to do. Jack may be bigger and stronger than me, but I’m smarter. I have more to lose. Zella is my family now and I refuse to let anything happen to her.
“Go another couple of miles. There’s a hotel there.” His voice is low and calm, which kind of freaks me out. “Did you miss Daddy, Zella?”
She cries harder. It’s like a sucker punch to the gut. The urge to protect her is stronger than anything I’ve ever felt. I may not be her mother, but I would die keeping this motherfucker away from her. That’s the damn truth.
The hotel is run-down and scuzzy, nestled in a copse of trees not far off the main road. It gives me hope that if they realize we’ve been gone too long, they won’t have far to look. I just need to stall. Figure out a way to escape with my girl.
“Right there. The one on the end,” he orders. “Turn off the Jeep and don’t think about moving.”
I swallow down my fear and nod as I obey him. Once the vehicle is turned off, I wait for his next instruction. I’m about to grab the keys out of the ignition to Mace him when he cuts me off, anticipating my move.
“Leave them there. Now you’re going to get out and unbuckle Zella. Then, carry her into that room. Don’t think about running or I’ll put a bullet in your back.”
“Okay,” I squeak out, unable to find my voice.
I unbuckle and slide out of the Jeep, quickly yanking Zella into my arms. She clings to me, her entire body trembling as she sobs. With fear consuming my every cell, I make my way into the hotel room. It reeks of cigarettes and booze. It makes me wonder how long he’s been staying here. Maybe this entire time. It sickens me to know he’s been lurking, just waiting on the perfect time to pounce.
Another shiver of fear wracks through me.
Focus, Penny. Get your shit together. Now’s not the time to be weak.
Steeling my spine, I turn around to face Jack as he closes the door behind him. He’s a wreck. His clothes are dirty, his hair is greasy, and he seems to have lost some weight. The unhinged glint in his eyes terrifies me, but I refuse to show it.
I lift my chin. “You won’t get away with this.”
He cracks his neck, pinning me with a hard glare. “I already have.”
“You killed them,” I bite out at him. “You’re a monster.”
“And I will kill you too, bitch. You started all this shit for me. Had I known you were that motherfucker’s girlfriend, I would have dealt with you a long time ago.” He sneers at me. “I’ll admit. You’re a real good liar. Had me fooled for weeks and weeks.”
“You’re a useless drunk,” I spit out. “It was easy.”
Not wise to provoke him, but his kind feeds on fear. I refuse to give him something to snack on.
“Shut the fuck up,” he growls.
“Why? Does it hurt to know what a loser you are? You couldn’t get your dick up for your wife so you had to stick it into your stepdaughter instead? You’re a sicko. A pervert. Disgusting freak,” I snarl, hating I have to say this crap in front of Zella, but she’s sobbing so loudly she probably can’t hear anyway. “And then you couldn’t even get it up for me. Your rapist dick doesn’t work. A man is driven by his dick. What drives you when yours is pathetic and soft?”
He pounces, shoving his gun hard against my ear, making me cry out. “Shut the fuck up, bitch. Just shut the fuck up.” Then, he softens his voice. “Zella, sweetheart, go sit in the bathtub and wait for Daddy to finish his talk. We’ll go see the beach when we leave.”
I’ll be damned if I let him take her.
She shrieks when he wrenches her from my arms. I fight him, but he manages to shove her into the bathroom and shut the door before I can stop him. My hand flies out, clawing at his face, hoping I can take out an eyeball or two. He shoves me hard to the bed. I bounce and then scramble away, reaching for anything to fight back at him with.
“Stay there or I’ll put a bullet through her head,” he warns. “You’re pissing me the fuck off.”
I freeze at his words. “Don’t you dare touch her!”
“I’d rather touch you,” he sneers, grabbing up a bundle of rope. “Give me your hands. So help me if you try to run, I’ll blow your head off.”
Glowering at him, I offer both my wrists. As soon as he’s near, I kick him hard in the face. He stumbles back, groaning as blood gushes from his nose. I fly to the bathroom to get Zella, but before I make it, he tackles me hard. I bite my tongue, blood flooding my mouth instantly. He flips me to my back and straddles me, yanking my hands in front of me to tie them together.
“Don’t embarrass yourself, Jack,” I growl. “We both know your dick is still broken.”
He drags me to my feet and tosses me back onto the bed. “I don’t want your nasty cunt.”
“Yes, you do,” I taunt. “You’re just pissed you can’t get it hard.”
“Shut the fuck up.”
“Or what? You’ll shoot me?” I let out a dark laugh. “No, that’s what a real man would do. You’re a pussy, Jack. You like to weaken a woman and then take advantage of her. You like to hurt kids. No, a bullet through my chest won’t satisfy you. You’d much rather
try to see if that rubbery dick of yours will get hard. Probably smack me around a bit first.”
He backhands me. Sparks of pain shoot across my face.
“You’re right,” he seethes. “Smacking you around does feel good.” He grabs himself through his pants. “Gets my dick nice and hard, too.”
Bile crawls up my throat, chased by terror.
“They’re coming for you,” I warn. “My dad has a tracker on my Jeep. He’ll be here soon.”
His eyes narrow, studying my face for lies. “You’ll be dead and I’ll be long gone with Zella, so what’s it matter?”
My Jeep does have a tracker—something Dad installed after Jack hurt me last time—but that doesn’t mean he’ll automatically know I’m missing. Terrence probably thinks we got held up at the grocery store. By the time he calls my dad, there’s no telling what Jack will have done by then.
I need to stall.
Keep him from leaving with her.
“How many times did you rape Lacey?” I demand.
“It wasn’t rape,” he spits out. “It was love.”
“One-sided, you psychopath. She wrote Terrence letters. Lacey hated you.”
Fury transforms his face. “She loved me, you bitch. Shut your fucking mouth.”
“Love?” I let out a harsh laugh. “You’re delusional. She was terrified of you because you’re a sadistic pervert.”
Smack!
Everything goes black the second his gun cracks against my skull. I can still hear him grunting as he moves me up the bed. I manage to reopen my eyes as he lops my tied hands over one of the bed posts.
I brace myself for another sexual assault, ready to kick him in the face again, but it never comes. He picks up a red plastic gas can and unscrews it.
“I’m not a pervert,” he grinds out. “If I were, I’d ruin everything with Zella by choosing to fuck your manipulative ass.” He splashes out a line of gasoline across the carpet. “No, I just need to get rid of you. I love Zella. We’re going to start our life again someplace far away from here. You should have never got involved.”
I struggle against my bindings. I’m filled with horror as he empties the gasoline can, splashing it on walls and around the bed. I refuse to beg, but the tears have begun to stream down as I realize my predicament.
I’m going to burn alive.
Oh God.
Terrence
“I’m starving,” Cal complains. “You going to put those burgers on before the fire goes out or what?”
I drag my eyes from the road and try Penny’s cell again. She’s been gone forty-five minutes. I know how Zella can be in the grocery store, doubling the time of a twenty-minute trip, but something feels off. I don’t like it.
“She’s not answering.” I shove my phone back into my pocket. “Fuck.”
Hollis hands Hope over to Charlotte before trotting over to me. “You think something’s happened?”
Jordy and Cal frown, worry shining in their eyes. After what happened with Charlotte not too long ago, none of us feel right about this.
“I feel it in my gut,” I hiss out. “I think something’s happened. Fuck!”
“I’ll call Dad,” Hollis says, yanking his phone out and dialing.
I pace the ground, trying to calm my erratic heart. Images of Penny, bloodied and bruised after Jack hurt her once before flood my mind. I knew I shouldn’t have let my guard down. Jack isn’t the type to just disappear. He’s a fucking lunatic.
For the tenth time in a row, I dial Penny’s phone. It rings and rings before going to voicemail. Charlotte and Roux wear matching worried expressions as they hold on to the babies. Sebban is oblivious as he digs for worms nearby.
“I’ll call Dad,” Cal says as he brings the phone to his ear.
I’m trying not to panic. Knowing Zella, she could have convinced Penny to stop for a snow cone or something. But Penny would answer her phone. She told me twenty minutes and now it’s closer to an hour she’s been gone. I want to hop in my vehicle and tear out of here on a hunt, but I don’t want to go on a wild goose chase. As soon as Garrett gives us the information from the tracker app, we can make our move.
A car crunches along the gravel and I nearly cry out with happiness. But it’s not Penny. It’s Tierra in Grandma’s car, coming over to help decorate for tomorrow’s party. Hollis paces nearby.
“What’s wrong?” Tierra asks as she hobbles our way. “Is Zella okay?”
She must see the panic written all over my face.
“She’s missing, Tee. She and Penny both.” My voice is hoarse, strangled with worry.
“What?” she mutters. “Is it Jack?”
I shudder at hearing his name. “I hope to fuck not.”
“Why aren’t you out there looking for her?” she shrieks.
“The tracker app shows her at a hotel a couple miles up the road,” Hollis barks out as he rushes over to me. “Let’s go.”
“Check the grocery store,” I bark at Tierra. “Check the snow cone stand.”
The four of us guys fly to Cal’s truck, jumping in. Cal, peels out on the gravel, hauling ass down the road. We have to stop when we exit the campground because a fire engine speeds by followed by an ambulance.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
“Go,” I grind out. “Follow them.”
Cal’s truck fishtails as he gasses it. I grip the dash, holding on as Cal drives like a bat out of hell. Jordy is quiet, but Hollis is talking loudly to his dad.
“Meet you there,” he says. “I’m going to call the station.”
A few minutes later, I can hear him talking to someone he must know. When he ends the call, he curses.
“They’re headed to the hotel,” Hollis croaks. “Fuck. He has my sister. He fucking has my sister.”
I swallow the lump of fear in my throat. There’s no way in hell I’ll survive if something happens to Penny and Zella. No fucking way in hell. As we drive, I drift back to the early hours of the morning when I had Penny naked and in my arms.
“Tell me about the sounds,” I say, stroking her hair from her face. “Tell me why you need the white noise. Have you been diagnosed with something?”
Her brows furl. “This is quite possibly my least favorite subject, Smash. Wouldn’t you rather talk about your dick?”
A chuckle rumbles from me. “We can talk about my amazing dick later.”
Several minutes pass in silence. I almost fear she won’t speak, but then she does.
“I read up on it,” she says quietly. “It’s a thing. Misophonia.”
“Miso-what?”
“It literally translates to ‘hatred of sounds.’”
“That sounds like you,” I tease. “Is this real or did you make it up?”
She smacks my chest. “It’s real. Turns out, I’m not the only person who suffers from it either.”
Suffers.
I sober up quickly, hating the idea of her suffering at all.
“Is it something that can be treated or healed?” I ask, frowning. “What does your dad say?”
A guilty look passes over her features, tugging her lips into a frown. “Dad has always known something was wrong. Since I was little. He wanted to help me, but as you know, I’m stubborn.” We both laugh and then she continues. “I didn’t want to be treated like a freak, so I tried to find ways to distract myself from the maddening sounds.”
“The white noise?”
She nods. “Maybe I should go to med school. I wasn’t far off from how they treat it.”
“You’re better now,” I murmur, kissing her supple lips.
“Knowing is half the battle. I read up on it when…” She trails off, tears welling in her eyes. “When we broke up. Everything was worse. Total chaos inside my head. I wanted to die.”
Guilt guts me, making me sick to my stomach. “But you’re tougher than that. You figured out a way to cope.”
“Once I realized this was an actual disorder, I devoured information on it. There are lots of therapies and m
edications to help. I started with trying to stick to a sleep schedule and using my headphones to block out trigger sounds. Since I didn’t want to involve Dad because he’d go over the top, I researched the cognitive behavioral therapies that worked on people. It’s been a lot of trial and error, but I’m learning how to ignore certain sounds that bother me and distract myself. It’s a work in progress.” She smiles at me. “With you, it’s easier.”
But I left her alone for months to cope on her own.
“I’m sorry, baby,” I murmur. “You won’t have to deal with it alone ever again. I fucking promise.”
“I know,” she says fiercely. “Now, can we change the subject to your dick?”
I flash her a cocky grin. “Anything for you, beautiful.”
My lips crash to hers for a searing kiss. Zella is still asleep, so we steal this moment for ourselves. Penny rolls me onto my back and then kisses her way down my stomach. My dick practically weeps at the beautiful sight. Penny with her blond hair loose and wild as she teases her way down to my cock.
“I’ve never sucked dick before,” she reminds me. “I might suck.”
“You already have step one down,” I tease.
Her tongue flicks out and she runs it over my tip. “Kinda gross, Smash.”
“Good thing you’re a nasty girl,” I croon, running my fingers through her silky hair.
She smirks before wrapping her hand around my girth. I let out a strangled groan when her plump pink lips slide down around the head of my cock. Her curious tongue teases the underside of my dick. Penny might be inexperienced, but everything she does in life far exceeds those around her. She’s a star in every aspect of her life.
“I love you,” I blurt out. “Fuck, Penny, you own me.”
Deviance shines in her blue eyes as she continues to eat my dick like it’s her damn job. I want to come down her tight little throat, but I also want her riding my dick. There will never be enough ways to have this girl. Each time feels like a gift.
“Get on my dick, baby, so I can come inside you. You know I love watching my cum drip out of you later.”
She playfully bites my dick and then sits up. Her tits jiggle as she shimmies up to straddle me. I hold my breath as she guides my dick inside her heat. We both groan in pleasure when she sits all the way down, burying my dick inside her to the hilt.