As Will bites over my racing pulse and fondles my breasts, I close my eyes, unable to look at my mother. I know she didn’t call the police. She didn’t know what Will had up his sleeve. We’re alone. There is no one here to save us.
I hear her heels race along the floor, a war cry splitting the air, but when an ear-piercing shrill bounces around the room, she sobs. “Don’t make me use this, Star.”
I can only assume Will has fired a warning shot because, deep down, I can only hope his obsession for my mom saves her. For me, however…I know there is no reprieve coming my way.
He continues fondling me while Stella’s weeping tears me in two. I have no doubt he will use that gun on me because Will doesn’t strike me as a person who needs a willing participant, but it’ll be a cold day in hell before I submit to his filth.
With adrenaline soaring through my veins, I thrash wildly like a caged animal as I try to fight my way to freedom. I flail madly, kicking and screaming, but the aggression only seems to turn Will on further.
He jerks my head farther back, the angle threatening to snap my neck. But I don’t cry or beg for mercy. I won’t give this asshole the satisfaction.
“You know, you really are the spitting image of your mom,” he snarls into my ear, before suckling my lobe. “Maybe I’ll just let her go and have my fun with you. You owe me anyway, you bitch.”
I know he’s talking about me throwing him into the lake.
Will seems to blame everyone for his predicament but himself. It’s easier to point fingers than to take a good, hard look at oneself.
He’s too busy fondling me and grinding himself up against me and releases his grip for a moment, but that’s enough slack for me to stomp on his foot and rear my head backward and connect with his nose.
“Bitch!” he shouts, letting me go.
“How do you like it?” I roar when I see him clutching his bleeding nose.
I’m about to knee him in the balls, but apparently, he’s been playing nice because he strikes out, pistol-whipping me in the temple. I’m taken off guard and stagger to the left, attempting to find something to clutch onto before I pass out.
I’m surrounded by blood, pain, and fear, and I’m certain nothing can ever make any of this better, but when I hear a voice, a voice that seems to be my forever anchor, I allow myself a small reprieve and sob in relief.
He’s here.
“You motherfucker…what did you do?” Cayden rockets through the room, his arm raised as something shiny catches the light. It takes my groggy brain a moment to process what that is, but when I focus, I see he’s gripping a gun.
It happens in seconds. One moment, my eyes are locked with Cayden’s, and the next, the world is tipped on its axis as I’m spun around and trapped in the arms of Will, yet again.
“You bas—” My words die a quick death, though, because Will shoves the barrel of his gun into my temple, robbing me of breath. Cayden skids to a sudden stop, eyes wild, but doesn’t lower his gun.
“What the fuck?” Will snarls, but his tone is laced with utter shock. “You’re supposed to be dead.”
“Yeah, well”—Cayden shrugs, his attention never wavering from me—“you should never trust a con, especially a con who can be easily bought. There is no loyalty to someone like you.”
He inhales through his nose heavily when he scans me from head to toe. I can only imagine what I look like. “Are you all right?” he asks, pained.
I nod in response, not trusting my voice.
“Let her go. This is between you and me.” Cayden tightens his grip on the gun, ensuring it stays trained on his father. The only issue is, is that I’m his shield.
“I don’t think so. Drop the gun.” When Cayden doesn’t waver, Will cocks the trigger, and I have no doubt he’ll pull it. “Don’t do anything stupid. Doll is counting on you.”
Cayden’s jaw clenches. “She is not your doll.”
His anger is palpable, which has me wondering why the nickname irks him so.
“She was once upon a time,” Will says smugly before leaning down and licking my cheek slowly. I’m trembling in rage but also in fear. What does he mean?
I attempt to pull away, but he pins me to his body as he presses his forearm against my stomach. I’m not going anywhere. I focus on Cayden, wondering how in the hell we’re going to get out of this alive.
“D-doll?” I stutter, ignoring the wrath coming from Cayden because I need to know.
“Oh, yes. With all this fiery red hair”—he lowers his nose and takes a whiff—“and porcelain-smooth skin. You’re perfect like a doll.” When he presses his arm firmer across my stomach, I wheeze for air. “But deep down, I always wanted to ruin that perfection. To see you break. Maybe I can finally see my wish come true.”
Cayden roars, storming forward as anger radiates from every pore. But with wide eyes, I shake my head and cry, “Don’t! Ellie!” My safety is the least of my concern, but if Cayden doesn’t submit to his father, I fear Ellie will fall victim to this sick man’s games.
Cayden comes to a screeching halt, his gun wavering. “What?”
“I think he knows where Ellie is,” I reveal, not needing to spell out what that means.
“I don’t believe it.” Cayden shakes his head violently, but I can see the uncertainty beneath the surface.
Will hums happily before rattling off an address. When Cayden pales, it seems any reservations have been put to bed. “That Hazel hasn’t changed a bit. Always so eager to please. It didn’t take much for me to find out everything I needed to know.”
“You piece of shit! Stay away from my daughter.” It doesn’t seem to surprise Cayden that Will is implying he and Hazel are a thing, which has me wondering about Will’s earlier comment.
“He said you got Hazel pregnant on purpose. But that Ellie might even be his.” In the grand scheme of things, I know this is insignificant, but if I’m moments from my death, I want to know the truth.
Cayden blanches, horrified. “And you believe him?”
“I-I don’t know,” I reply honestly. “He knew you were going to see Benny. He said you knew he was here. I’m so confused.”
Saying it aloud, I know what my heart wants to believe, but my head…I have been lied to by everyone.
Cayden frowns, and the sight is filled with pure heartache. “I’m sorry I’ve given you reason not to trust me,” he says, shaking his head slowly. “That’s all on me. I should have been honest from the beginning. But I do love you, Peyton. I always have. That’s the reason I’ve done all of this. To end this once and for all.”
Tears spill down my cheeks because his words are nothing but genuine. I want to tell him that I love him too, but I don’t want that memory to be tainted by this.
Cayden focuses his attention on Will, who is still pressed to my back, holding me prisoner. “And as for Ellie,” he snarls. “She is my daughter. There is no doubt about it. You really are fucking pathetic, you know that?”
Will tenses while I hold my breath. Why is Cayden provoking him?
“Your whole life”—he commences a slow walk toward us—“is filled with nothing but greed, lies, and you’re so miserable, you have to involve everyone else in your unhappiness because you’re lonely. And by doing all this, it makes you feel powerful. But in reality, you’re weak.”