So, even though I felt like utter and complete shit, I forged ahead.
Why couldn’t I just be like those other chicks that were so damn stressed during basic training that I didn’t have a period at all?
Oh, because the universe hated me, that’s why.
“Something I can help you with, Mackenzie?”
Those words, said in an amused tone, had my stomach almost emptying itself right then and there.
Swallowing hard, I tried not to let on how freakin’ scared I was.
“Drill Sergeant Brees.” I tried to smile, but I was sure it came out more as a grimace. “I’m headed to sick hall to get some medication.”
“For what?” he asked, crossing his arms over his chest.
Though his physique was impressive, it wasn’t nearly as impressive as Sin’s.
Absinthe Solomon.
I’d learned his entire name just yesterday when he’d stepped in between me and Drill Sergeant Brees.
Drill Sergeant Brees had all but assaulted him for interrupting us.
Thank God he had.
Now not only did I know his name, but I also hadn’t had to do anything more humiliating than I had.
Thank God.
“Umm,” I hesitated. “I’m having cramps.”
I didn’t see the point of lying.
Maybe the idea of me bleeding would turn him off and make him step away.
If anything, it only made him step closer.
“Cramps?” he asked. “You PMSing, Mackenzie?”
I felt another cramp start, nearly bringing me to my knees.
“Yes, sir.” I didn’t lie.
“Okay.” He gestured. “Let’s go. I’ll walk with you. Keep you out of trouble.”
I’d rather go back to my bed and die.
But when I would’ve turned, he caught my arm in an unyielding grip and didn’t let go.
His grip was so punishing that I didn’t even think to tug it away.
I knew that if I did, the result would only be worse than the original intent.
But, instead of leading me the usual way, he led me the long way, and the ever-darkening dusk started to make me feel very uneasy.
There were now not many people around.
Those that were around weren’t paying us any attention.
Which had to be why, when we slipped past a darkening building, nobody noticed when we both disappeared into the shadows.
“No.” I started to yank my hand away, realizing just how freakin’ stupid I’d been to go so ‘willingly’ this far with him. But before I could so much as get the ‘n’ in ‘no’ out he had his hand over my mouth.
“Say a word or scream, and I’ll kill you,” he growled.
I froze, listening to the sincerity in those words.
He really would kill me.
He’d not even blink an eye at it.
“You know how easy it would be to ‘find’ you?” he asked.
I wanted to scream ‘but people saw us together!’
I didn’t, though.
I stayed still. At least until he had a false sense of security.
He moved his free hand down the length of my body.
“Never seen such a sweet ass before,” he growled. “Twitching and bouncing in my face around every corner.”
I wanted to knee him in the balls.
Then I thought… why the hell not?
I wasn’t getting out of this alive if I couldn’t fend for myself.
And my daddy, the vice president of the Dixie Wardens MC, didn’t raise no bitch.
I grew up with a brother, Johnny, that was a rough and tumble sort. He baptized me the tough way. If I wanted to learn to protect myself, I was going to learn the hard way.
By him doing the beating.
My brother was great. But back then, he was a rowdy little asshole who’d grown up in a motorcycle club just like me.
His father was Sebastian Mackenzie just like me.
He had hundreds of pseudo-uncles that didn’t go easy on him just because he was a child.
I had an uncle that was former-Army. He taught me to creep and do all of my own dirty work. I had another uncle that was former-Army and a sniper. He taught me everything about a rifle and I could shoot better than anyone I knew. This asshole toad was probably not going to go easy on me, either. Even if he was a male and older.
“Can I let your mouth go?” he asked.
I nodded.
The moment his hand was off my mouth, I struck.
My knee went high, straight into those two little peas he called testicles.
When the breath left him in a whoosh of air as he leaned forward, I kneed him in the face with the other knee.
But, just like my father told me, a determined man wasn’t going to go down easily. Taking a knee to the balls and to the face didn’t take Drill Sergeant Brees down like I would’ve hoped.
So I decided that the next best thing was to run.
I ran.
Hard.
Only, he was faster.
Just like my father said.
A man is always going to be faster. Stronger. Able to go longer than a woman. If you ever truly need to get away, you need to strike hard, fast, and think smart.