I almost trip as I slow my speed and duck to the ground when a small wooden cabin comes into view. I slip in the mud and curse as my pants are caked with dirt. Thick plumes of smoke billow from the stone chimney, and the person, a woman, glances around, taking in her surroundings before she pats her dirty, stained dress and slips inside. I wonder how far off track I went; it appears I ended up at a vacation park of sorts. Yet it’s the only one I can see; there aren’t any other cabins around. Perhaps they are more scattered, so people are not bothered by nosy neighbors.
Unease creeps up on me, and I will myself to get away from whatever this is. On hands and knees, I crawl away. I get up, spin on my heel, and bump into someone.
My lips part slightly as their gaze meets mine.
“I don’t mind seeing you on all fours.”
Chapter Fifteen
“Marvin,” I breathe. “What are you doing here?”
“Might as well ask you the same, miss.”
“Jasper and I are playing a game,” I quickly say.
“Is that so?”
He lets out a low chuckle, and the hairs in my neck prick up. A knot starts to form in my stomach. I rub my fingers over the filthy fabric of my pants and roll it between my index finger and thumb.
“I should go,” I say, taking a step back.
“You are more than welcome to wait inside untilJasperarrives.”
“No, thank you.” I give him a pursed smile.
It’s strange hearing Marvin refer to Jasper by his name instead of "sir," as if he's closing the distance between us.Something I’m not willing to do. I loathe myself for giving Jasper a challenge, instead of letting him catch me easily. In a strange way, I wanted to prove my worth to him, that he had to work for the reward which is me, my body, my surrender to him.
He’s too fast for me, and before I grasp my situation, his thin, bony fingers are wrapped around my upper arm in a vice grip. It hurts as he digs his fingers into my flesh, bruising it.
“Ouch,” I yelp, as I try to pull myself free from him. “Jasper will be furious when he finds out you’ve hurt me.”
It’s a pathetic attempt to persuade him to release me and we both know it.
He ponders my words for a second.
“Who says he’s going to find out?”
His smile is too wide, almost unnatural, like a toad. His lips curl up, exposing the deep pink gums, which feed the illusion that his teeth are too big for his mouth.
“What?” I say, startled.
Marvin drags me to the cabin, and on cue, I empty my lungs as I scream loudly into the void that is nature. He’s so secure in himself, that Jasper cannot hear me; he doesn’t even bother clamping down on my mouth to drown out my cries.
He kicks open the door and shoves me inside.
“Yell all you want, Jasper never comes here,” he snarls. “This ismydomain.”
I shake my head frantically. “No, no, you’re lying! These woods are his!”
“They are, but these are the outskirts; he rarely comes to this side.”
“Why are you even doing this?” I cry, aiming my words directly at him, not understanding this strange turn of events.
“Because you ruined everything! From the moment you entered his life,” he sneers. “You are supposed to be mutilated and dead, buried deep into the ground, food for the maggots. Yethere you are, doted on byhim.” He spits out the words as if it hurts to even say them.
“Aren’t you his friend? Why aren’t you happy for him?” Confusion is etched on my features, as I frown at the man I’ve come to know as the only one other person Jasper tolerates, near him.
He towers over me. “I should be the one he cares about. Iwasthat person, untilyoushowed up. Prancing around, sitting on his cock.”
