"You'remybride," he tells me. "Whether you're in the mood or not, you were promised to me, and I intend to take what's mine."
Fear clogs my throat, but this reaction is what I'm here for. If he can't control me on his own—which obviously this little pussycan't— he's going to have to take me down to where they keep the rest of the women like me.
Silas takes a step toward me, and against my will, my eyes start to water. I know that I'll survive whatever punishment he has in store for me, but survivalafter that kind of pain isn't something I would wish on anyone else. I'm alone in a way I've never been before, withmiles of darkness between me and the nearest person who might help.
And yet, I feel a peace I've never felt before.
Eamon has to be here somewhere. Maybe it's wishful thinking; it wouldn't be the first time I prayed for someone to save me from this goddamned family. But I can feel it, deep in my stomach. He's here somewhere. Waiting for the right moment. He knows me inside and out, just as I know him. And he knows I wouldn't put us both in this position unless it meant countless others could be freed from the horror of this place.
With another heavy step, Silas' hands deceptively cradle my jaw, the sensation of his clammy skin on mine making me sick. As he leans in for a kiss, instinct pulls me back, grimacing from his proximity.
The kind mask he's worn up until this point threatens to slip, "Wife," he spits the word, the toxicity of it poisoning us both. "We've made vows. I think it's time you lived up to your side of the bargain."
Revulsion, visceral and instinctual, pulls me away from his grip as he tries to keep his hands firmly planted on me. My hatred of his touch doesn't give him any pause. Quite the opposite, as his fingers dig painfully into my skin as he drags me against him.
A reflection of red out in the snow brings me the first touch of peace I've felt in weeks. I watch those eyes, praying for an inkling of recognition, but they never move. Never so much as blink as I watch them in the night. Defeat heavies my bones as I realizewhatever red lights I see out there couldn'tpossiblybe what I want them to be.
Maybe they're an owl, or a fucking rat for all I know. But if they were the person I need them to be,surelyhe would have made himself known by now. I close my eyes and send out a signal, knowing it's probably futile, and I'm trying to communicate with a woodland creature. But if I don't do this beforeI disappearinto the abyss Silas is trying to drag me towards, I'll never forgive myself. Nothing matters except me, right now, fighting tooth and nail to give the women I know we'll find soon an escape from this pain.
With all of his strength, Silas knocks us into a table with a globe attached to it, jostling us both. No matter how wildly I fight against him, he still retains strength as he pulls me closer to the bookshelf against the wall.My gaze searches the back windows that open up to the vast forest behind us again, hoping tomaybecatch one last glimpse of those red lights to pretend it's the man I've been waiting to come save me for thelastmonth.
For the last decade, if I'm being honest with myself.
But the lights are gone.
If Eamon ever planned on coming to find me after I left him alone in that hotel room, he's too late now.
A clanking and hollow ring fills the cabin, freezing Silas and I both in our steps.
Ding Dong
Eamon
After ringing the doorbell for the third time, that red-eyed fuck finally answers the door, looking me up and down.
"Park Services, sir," I tell him, hoping he won't recognize me from our last encounter. He might be way more sober now than he was, but he's still a fucking cokehead, white powder smearing his dark suit.
He looks into the night behind me, suspicious. As he should be.
"What do you want?" he asks.
"We've had several reports of bear attacks in the area," I'm lying out of my ass, not even sure if there are fucking bears around here. "Due to the lack of landline communication, I was charged with coming up here to warn you. Keep your doors shut, lock up all your trash, keep bear spray on you at all times."
Isla appears behind Silas, the relief on her face palpable as she spots me.
For a second, I'm struck by how beautiful she is.Thecreamy, long-sleeve monstrosityof a gowndoesn't take away from even a sliver of her beauty.The intricate updo and Barbie doll makeupgive her an air of innocence, one that she and I both know is a falsity, but I know she had to put on this mask to get this far.
Play along; reinforcements are coming,I tell her, realizing it's the first time I've spoken into her mind with her permission.
Without missing a beat, shepipes up, "We don't have bear spray." Silas glares at her, and for a second, she makes herself smaller before remembering who she is and who just arrived to help her.
"We don't need any," Silas turns back to me, a sickening smirk on his faceas if he's sharing a secret with me."We're honeymooning, so we don't plan on being outside much at all."
Fury threatens to make itself known, this asshole's insinuation that he's going to be laying one more hand on my girl making rational thought difficult.
Relax.Isla's soothing voice connects to my mind.Ifyou blow this now, we won't get another chance to get to them.
Them.
