“Fucking bitch,” James roared as he grabbed my hair, slamming me against the nearest metal counter, face down. “Do you remember who I am?” He leaned over me, his mouth next to my ear as he spat his words. “Do you remember that no one says no to me? Not ever. Not in the courtroom and not in the bedroom. If I want you, Fern, I’m going to fucking have you.”
Tears rolled down my face and I opened my mouth to scream, but before I could make a sound, he wrapped his palm over it, blocking my nose as well, so I could barely drag in any air.
“Open,” he commanded as he forced his knee between my thighs. I fought him, squeezing my legs together like they were trapped in a vise. Gripping my cheeks in the hand that was silencing me, he lifted my head, slamming it down against the cold metal of the counter. Stars danced around the edges of my vision and my body slumped, making it easier for him to force my legs apart.
“Shit, you got feisty. I’m going to enjoy this Fe and just so you know, I’m going to make sure it hurts and I’m going to fuck all your little holes.”
My screams were muffled by his hand and as I struggled against his hold, he began to tug at my leggings and underwear. Desperate to stop him, I bit him, but it just seemed to spur him on as he pushed harder against my now exposed ass, letting out a groan that made me feel sick.
Sobs racked my body as my muffled begging went unheard.
“Tell me you want me, Fern. Give up the fight. Your little boyfriend never needs to know. Come on. Tell me. Say it.” He released his hold on my mouth and I sucked in a lung full of air, panting at how starved for oxygen I felt.
“I don’t want you, you sick fucker. You’re trying to rape me. Get your fucking hands off me!” I screamed.
Suddenly, the pressure from James’ body was gone.
“You heard the lady. Get your fucking hands off her.” I pushed up from the counter in time to see Charlie slam his fist into James’ face, sending him careering backward. Losing his footing, James hit the floor, where Charlie bent over him, punching him twice more, making his nose explode.
Standing, Charlie’s eyes scanned me, his face looking more and more murderous as he took me in. My breasts were exposed; my bra and vest stretched from the struggle. I knew my eye was swollen shut because I could no longer see out of it and my leggings and underwear were around my ankles. “Are you okay?” he whispered. I nodded, unsure what to say, wincing as I moved to cover myself.
“She’s a fucking whore. She loves it hard and dirty. She wanted this. She asked for this,” James screamed at Charlie. Charlie pulled back his fist to hit him again, but knowing Charlie’s record and James’ reputation, I grabbed him, shaking my head. Instead, I walked around Charlie, stepping close to James. Lifting my foot slowly, I brought it down hard on James’ dick, making him grab himself, crying out and rolling about on the floor in agony.
“I didn’t want any of this, you fucking piece of scum. Come near me again and I will cut that tiny, useless microdick off and feed it to you.”
Charlie wrapped his hand in mine, silently reassuring me I was safe while he led me from the kitchen.
“I will fucking end you, Fern. Both of you. Do you hear me? I will fucking end you,” James screamed as we moved back to our bedroom in silence. Once inside, Charlie shut the door and locked it while I sank to the floor in the farthest corner, pulled my knees up to my chest, and fell apart.
Chapter 10
Charlie
I wasn’t sure how long Fern had been gone, but my stomach rumbling made me realize that I needed more than the sweets Neo had sent. I followed her down to the kitchen, but at the bottom of the stairs, I froze. I could hear someone shouting along with what sounded like a muffled cry, and then I heard Fern yelling something about being raped.
What the fuck?
Suddenly, it all made sense; Neo’s paranoia about her being here, her desire to fit in and conform to her parent’s expectations, how she seemed to lose all her fire when she was around her family.She wasn’t safe here.And fuck, she wasn’t safe now.
I ran toward where I remembered the kitchen was, sliding to a stop when I saw Fern pinned to the counter, her brother-in-law pressed against her naked ass. He was sweating, his eyes blown as he pawed at her flesh, spewing insults and threats. Without a thought, I grabbed him off her, punching him in the face.
When Fern stood and I saw the state she was in, I had the urge to kill the fucker. Exposed, half naked, her left eye swollen closed, tears spilling down her blotchy, bruised cheeks, dripping off her chin. I wanted to pound my fist into his face until he hurt as much as I guessed she was hurting right now, but she stopped me, screaming insults at him before she let me lead her from the room. It was only when her bedroom was closed and locked that she fell apart.
I let her cry for a few minutes before I sat down in front of her, giving her enough space that I didn’t scare her. “Fern?” I whispered.
Sniffing and wiping the tears from her cheeks with the back of her hand, she looked up at me with her one good eye.
“Are you okay?”
She shook her head.
“What can I do?”
“I want to leave,” she said in between sobs.
“Okay. Let me phone Neo—”
“No,” she cried. Taking a moment, she sucked in a deep breath, as if she was trying to calm herself before she spoke again. “I don’t want him to know. Not yet. I just want to go home, not answer lots of questions from well meaning friends.”