“That’s where I was bitten by the dogs.”
“How did it happen?” he asked a few seconds later. It was like he needed to recover from the information she gave him. She took a deep breath as she felt the palm of his hand glide along her waist toward her belly. He bent down behind her.
“I don’t like to talk about it,” she whispered then could have sworn she felt his breath against her skin on her lower back. He gripped her hip bone wi
th his right hand, and then she felt his lips against her skin.
She closed her eyes and absorbed his touch.
“Tell me please. Make me understand.”
He kissed her skin again then made a pathway across her back to her side, turning her until she was facing him.
He stared up toward her face and she swallowed hard.
“Please, Mason.” She was unsure what she was pleading for. His face was level with her breasts, now that he was kneeling down in front of her.
He leaned forward and kissed her belly.
“God, Sally, you’re gorgeous and so petite and feminine. I want to protect you and keep you safe, right here in my arms.” He wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her to him. His face was against her chest as she hugged him back and held his head against the cleavage of her breasts. She took that moment to run her fingers through his hair and then down over his strong, wide shoulders.
“Please tell me how the dogs hurt you.”
She took a deep breath, trying to find the strength and energy to tell him, when he stood up, lifting her into his arms and carrying her to the bed. He gently placed her down on it then joined her, wrapping an arm around her waist before clutching her against him. She laid her hand flat against his chest and absorbed his strength and masculinity.
“Alexa and I were in a bad place nearly a year ago. Our uncles held us prisoner, abused us, and basically wanted to sell us to the highest bidder for our bodies.”
She felt him clutch her tighter.
“A lot happened in that time.” She saw Steven enter the room. He joined them immediately on the bed. He snuggled up against her back and leaned against the headboard.
She felt Steven move her hair away from her shoulder. Then his lips touched her skin softly.
“They wanted to sell us to men they made business deals with. If not for that idea of theirs, to keep us pure, then any of the men who guarded us would have taken their abuse of us a lot farther.”
“Damn, baby, that’s terrible,” Steven whispered.
“They were your own uncles?” Mason asked.
She nodded her head.
“One night, after they did one of their sick human hunts, they came for us.”
“What do you mean ‘human hunts’?” Steven asked as he caressed her shoulder and arm.
“Exactly like you think it means. They hunted men that they wanted to kill for whatever reason. They beat them then set them loose in the woods to be hunted by other business associates as a game. It ensured that no one would double-cross our uncles.”
“How horrible.”
“That night they had made sure that Alexa and I were separated. They wanted us to feel scared and helpless. Alexa and I believed that they knew we were getting tired of being treated this way. One of the men mentioned that our uncles found these men that wanted to buy us for big money. We were either going to escape or die trying. We weren’t going to let them rape us and make us their prisoners next. Anyway, the guards came and forced us out into the woods. They told us we had a few minutes’ head start to run, and that if we made the fence line, then we were free to leave. I had no idea where Alexa was and she didn’t know where I was. We tried to get to one another and in doing so, fell right into their sick traps. They were shooting their guns and they even sent the dogs after us. I heard the men saying that Alexa was closer to the fence line. I yelled so that the dogs would follow me and so that Alexa would have the chance to escape, but it was all a trap. The dogs hunted me down.” She let the tears roll down her cheeks as Mason and Steven comforted her and caressed her.
“It was so scary. There were at least twenty dogs, and they were all barking and nipping at me. I had cuts everywhere, and as the guards gathered around laughing and taunting them, one of the biggest ones jumped on me and knocked me to the ground. I thought I was going to get eaten alive. The sounds of their growls, the way their sharp teeth bit into my flesh. Oh God, it was so terrible.” She cried harder and Mason pulled her body on top of his and hugged her.
“It’s okay, Sally, they can’t hurt you now. I understand your fears. Our dogs wouldn’t do that. They’ve been trained to attack on our commands and to protect us as well. Those men and your uncles were monsters, with no respect for human life.”
She dried her eyes then leaned up to look at him and then at Steven.
“I just get so scared around dogs. But I pet Toby, so that’s good, right?” she asked and Mason smiled. He actually smiled at her. She felt her entire body hum with excitement. Then he cupped her face between his hands and pulled her mouth down onto his.