The music inside is really amping up, and she’s impatient to see what’s going on for herself.
“Come on, Mr. Grinch,” he says, jogging away from me with my sister in his arms.
I’d punch him, but she seems to like the new nickname he’s given me. Her head is tipped back, and she is giggling uncontrollably. It soothes my soul. Everything is okay.
Mila is okay. I’m okay. Serenity is … she’s okay.
She has to be.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Serenity
“I’m okay. I’m okay,” I whisper to myself, hugging the second quilt I made to my chest.
The one my grandmother hadn’t finished is now complete and on my mom’s bed. I put it there earlier today. She had to have seen it, but she hasn’t said anything. I don’t know why I thought she would.
I guess it was a last-ditch effort to make a place for me in her heart.
I left my mother and Psycho playing cards in the kitchen a few hours ago. I got tired of hearing her flirt with him, and at some point they’re going to get word as to what’s happened out at the old barn. I know what’s coming, so I’ve pushed the dresser infront of the bedroom door. It’s not very big. I doubt it will keep Psycho out for long.
The door handle jiggles and I jump up, giving the window one last try. It doesn’t budge.
I’m fucking trapped.
I hurry back under the covers before he manages to push the door open far enough to slip through.
“I’m okay. I’m okay,”I silently pray. I lie perfectly still as he begins to unbutton his pants. The second they are around his ankles, I jump to my feet, scampering across the dresser.
“Oh no you don’t,” he says, grabbing my foot as I dive across the threshold.
I begin kicking at him, but he doesn’t let go. We tumble to the floor outside of the room, and I begin to scream for my mother. Suddenly, I’m not my adult self anymore. I’m a desperate little girl.
“Mom! Mom, please help me!” I beg as he drags me down the hall and into my brother’s room.
The light spills out from under her bedroom door, and a shadow passes across it. Maybe this time she’ll save me. The door to her room swings open, and oh how my heart rejoices. She’s going to protect me!
“She tricked us!” she screams, holding out her phone so Psycho can see the message she’s received. “They’re gone. All gone. Silas is dead. My son is dead!”
“Pull yourself together and get back in your fucking room!” Psycho yells, glaring down at me with a level of hate I’ve never seen.
She stares at the two of us, unseeing, lost in her grief over her son.
He pulls his gun out from under his cut and points it at her. “I said get back in your room.”
Slowly, she backs away and closes the door behind her.
“Mom!” I yell half-heartedly as Psycho pulls me the rest of the way into my brother’s space.
He’s panting as he crawls over the top of me, reaching over my head to shove the door closed. “Cry all you want, but stop the fucking screaming. No one’s coming to save you.”
No. This is not happening. I belong to Rage.
I begin to fight him, and once again he seems to enjoy my fear, but he doesn’t much care for my anger.
“It was only a matter of time before Savage got himself and our crew killed. Lucky for me, I wasn’t dumb enough to fall for it,” he spits in my face as he pins me to the ground.
When his fist connects with my cheek, my body takes over for my mind. It goes limp, switching to survival mode. Sobs wrack my chest as he pulls my jeans down my legs.