I swallow when the light is turned on. It illuminates both of their faces, and when I focus on Jonah, I can see it in his eyes—the same evil that resides in my dad’s.
“Well hey there.” Jonah grins before walking over and crouching down in front of me. “Did you have a nice trip?” I sneer at him, not willing to grace him with a reply. “It’s such a shame Luke left you for days at a time, huh?” He tuts. “No matter though because I made sure you were safe.” I flinch when he runs his fingertip over the dried cut on my eye. “You look so peaceful when you sleep.”
“You… what?” I croak out, my voice not used to working the last few days.
“What was it he said to you?” He taps his chin, looking up at the ceiling. “Always be aware of your surroundings?” He shakes his head. “Not too good at that, are you?”
My eyes widen as I fully comprehend what he’s saying. He was there all along—watching and waiting. I never stood a chance at a new life. It wasn’t just my dad; it was Jonah too.
“Ding, ding, ding!” Jonah twists around to face my dad where he’s standing next to his tools. “Looks like it finally clicked.”
“I did say she wasn’t too bright.” Dad shrugs before picking up a pair of pliers with dried blood all over them. “Are you sure you’re ready to learn, Jonah?”
Jonah leans forward and I try to scramble away from him as he reaches his arm around me. The clanking of the chains hitting the floor vibrates around me, and even though I can now move my legs, it doesn’t mean I’m free. Far from it.
He pulls back and stands up, looking down at me before placing his hand on top of my head and stroking once, twice, three times. He grips onto my hair and pulls me up, causing my scalp to burn from the force.
I scream and thrash around, but none of it helps. He doesn’t stop until I’m moving toward where my dad is standing. “You have one last chance to do as I say, if not, our plan goes ahead.”
“Go to hell,” I growl out, not willing to stop fighting. It doesn’t matter what they do or say because I’ll never let myself be pushed aside to make way for a shell of a girl they both seem to want. Why do they want to break me?
“Okay.” Dad places the pliers down and walks away. For a second I think he’s going to give up, but when he turns around at the bottom of the stairs, he says, “Be quick, Jonah. We have church in an hour and I want to tell everyone the good news.”
“Good news?” I ask, wishing I wouldn’t have when he grins.
“You turn eighteen in a couple of days.” I stay silent, not understanding what he’s saying. “You’ll be getting married on your birthday… to Jonah.”
My eyes widen as I shake my head, but it doesn’t move much when Jonah grips me harder. “No!”
The air turns colder in the basement as the tension becomes so thick it’s almost stifling. But I don’t stop putting up a fight, not even when Jonah snaps my head back. My back bows and my shoulders burn from the force, but I don’t give up.
“Teach her to obey you, Jonah.” I focus on my dad as he winks before walking up the stairs and closing the door behind him.
There’s a beat of silence as we both listen to his retreating footsteps before I feel his breath on my face.
“Time to take what’s mine.”
He grips my chest and squeezes my nipple so hard that I cry out. I jerk away from him but it doesn’t work, and then I’m being let go with force. I try to bring my arms out to break my fall, but they’re stuck so my face and knees take the brunt of it. I wince when my chin smacks off the hard, cold floor causing my teeth to sink into my lip and break the skin.
I listen as he moves closer, but it’s not until his hands grasp my hips and pull me backward that I realize he’s on the floor with me now. My heart beats harder in my chest, knowing what he’s going to do. I can’t let it happen again. I won’t survive if—
“Don’t worry though, baby. I won’t fuck your pussy.”
He comes closer and pushes his face into mine. I want to spit in his face and let him know how much I despise him, but before I know it he’s moving behind me. I shuffle a couple of inches away on my knees, putting all of my strength into it, but he doesn’t like that and shows it by slamming his fist into my side. It takes my breath away, making me lose my balance, and my chest crashes against the floor. I recoil as his hand presses into the bottom of my back.
“As I was saying…” His hands worm around my front before undoing my zipper with lighting speed. “I can’t have your delicious pussy until we’re married, but this…” He runs his hand over my ass before slapping it and laughing. “I can take this as much as I want.”
“No, please, Jonah… please don’t. You don’t have to do this—”
He slams his fist into my side a second time, only this time he puts more force behind it. “Shut up!”
“Please—”
“I said shut up!”
I open my mouth, about to beg him to stop again, but when he yanks down my jeans and his skin touches mine, I know there’s nothing I can do. He’s going to take what he wants and nothing will get in his way. My fight leaves me as he grips each of my ass cheeks and pulls them apart.
Mentally I try to prepare for what’s about to come. Maybe I could go to my happy place? I’ll do whatever I can to survive what he’s—