“I HATE YOU! YOU ARE NOTHING BUT EVIL! A TOOL OF SATAN!”
“You say that like it’s an insult,” I snap, stepping back from Ringo’s chest, and I can tell he’s reluctant to let me leave our little bubble. “I don’t want to be like you and Mum, Maggie, so if that means I worship the devil, then so be it.”
She spews more hate at me, still being held in place, this time with a Doxy on each arm, all of them looking like drowned rats. It’s starting to get icy cold out here, and steam billows from our mouths as we breathe, but this has to happen now, despite the weather.
I turn my attention back to the clearing to see Vender chasing my mother into the treeline, her screams echoing across the clearing to us.
“What do you want to do with Maggie?” Ringo asks quietly, and I peer up at him as he steps back to my side, his eyes trained on the chase despite the rain soaking his clothes.
Even his beard is dripping.
“Let’s keep her alive. See if we can’t find the old version of her in there, somewhere.”
He nods in agreement right as a pained scream floats across the clearing to us.
I should feel bad, right? Bad that my own flesh and blood is being traumatised right now?
Maybe thisisn’tright, but it feels right to me.
It feelsjust.
We wait for a while, and Jols brings Ringo a stool to sit on, which reminds me that he’s injured. I’d kind of forgotten. He hides it so well around his men, but right now, there are only a few here with us, while the rest are tapping into their primal play, just without the addition of sex.
Those who have radios check in every now and then, letting us know what’s happening, but I zone it out. I don’t actually want to know what they do to her. I don’t care. I just want to know that before she died, she was truly terrified.
Forty minutes later we get a radio call that my mum has no fight left in her, so I order them to bring her back, and one by one, the Sadists appear in the treeline, stepping out like they’ve just stepped straight out of Hell.
Shit. Sometimes I really do forget how scary these guys are.
When Vender and JD appear, dragging my mother between them, Maggie starts howling.
Maybe I should send her away for this part, but then again, maybe she needs to see this. Maybe she needs to be reminded of what happens when you pick the wrong side.
The rain has eased to a light sprinkle, but the chill is almost painful now, and I try not to let myself think about how cold I am, otherwise my teeth are likely to start chattering.
When the men get closer, Ringo stands, pretending he’s not in agony, and he comes back to my side.
“Angel, please let me do this part. I don’t want you carrying this weight with you.”
Glancing up at him, I find him already looking down at me, our eyes locking instantly.
“I love you for wanting to protect me, but I need to be the one to do this.”
His eyes dance between mine like he’s trying to read my mind and see if I’m lying.
I’m actually not, which he must see, and his nod comes right before he leans down and presses his lips to my hair.
It’s such an innocent gesture, yet makes me feel cherished, and I’m about ready for this bullshit to be over so we can go inside and get warmed up, and he can cherish me some more.
Everyone needs this over. It’s taken far too many lives. Caused too much damage. It’s time for it to end so we can all move on and start rebuilding.
As the men get near with my mother in tow, I spot scratches over her arms and a few on her cheeks, like the trees and bushes attacked her, but I don’t see any swelling like she’s been beaten.
“Gave her a good scare.” Mex grins at me. “Pants are pissed, just as you requested.”
My gaze darts down to spot the dark wetness staining her khaki pants, trailing down her inner thighs. It almost blends into the rainand mud coating her, but knowing what it is, and why, has me quietly satisfied.
“You guys didn’t rough her up?” I ask, not bothered by that knowledge, just surprised, and it’s Ringo who speaks for them.
