Sweaty Summer Nights

I look around at the expensive cabins, the perfectly landscaped grass, and the pricey boats drifting lazily in the sparkling blue waves and can’t help but think how many people would look at this place from the outside and imagine just how wonderful it would be to be lucky enough to stay here.

But would they sign up to trade places with me if they knew what my life entailed, I wonder?

“All right,” I sigh. “Let’s go, I guess.”

Malcom grins and stretches out his hand, which I don’t take. This doesn’t seem to upset him, however. How could one man be so oblivious to the fact that he’s so unwanted?

Or does he know but just not care? Maybe he just wants to marry into my family and then spend the rest of our lives cheating on me with whoever he feels like. I could see that being a plan for a guy like him.

I walk ahead of him up the shore past the boats, but he catches up quickly.

“Have you seen the boathouses here?” he asks, pointing to a large one on our right.

“I have not.”

“I was thinking of buying a boat here,” he replies. “Why don’t I show you?”

I really could not care less. The amount I know about boats could fit in two lines of a note on my phone, and unless my parents drag us back here again next summer, I can’t see myself being on one again. But Malcom already has the door open and is beckoning me inside, so I just paste on a smile and go on in.

But as soon as the door closes behind us, I realize that him bringing me in here has nothing to do with the boats.

I feel his hand on the small of my back first and then his other hand on my hip as he turns me around to face him.

“Malcom, stop—”

“I’m your future husband, Katherine,” he replies, his voice low and frightening. “You will obey me.”

He grips the hem of my shorts and pulls.

“Malcom, no!”

I brace myself against his chest and push as hard as I can. Somehow I manage to get away, but only for a moment. I put a few steps between us, but then he’s on me again. He snatches me by the hair and pulls me to him. I cry out in pain as terror flares in my chest.

“Hey! Let her go.”

Malcom freezes. I fall to my knees. When I look up, warmth floods through me when I see Christian standing in the other door, his arms crossed over his chest.

“Get out of here, townie!” Malcom shouts. “This doesn’t concern you.”

Christian takes several steps toward us and stops.

“I’m not going to tell you again. Let her go.”

To my surprise, Malcom does actually let go of me, which gives me a chance to scramble over to Christian. Doing my best not to cry, I throw my arms around his waist and hold on for dear life.

“Ah, I see what’s going on here…” Malcom says slowly, walking toward us. “You think you can steal my girl, eh?”

“She’s not your girl, Einstein. She never was.”

Malcom closes in on us, rage boiling in his eyes. I take shelter behind Christian.

“And I guess you think I’m going to lose her to you then?”

It all happens so fast.

My breath catches in my chest as Malcom swings at Christian.

Christian ducks, weaves to the side, and throws his own counterpunch at Malcom.