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She shook her head slowly, suspicion and horror beating at her.
My poor little girl, he whispered, confirming her worst fears. And
you were such a good girl at one time. You know I m going to have to
punish you now. You were supposed to be mine.
Her eyes widened as his finger tightened on the trigger.
How was I yours? She was desperate now, knowing there was no
way to run from that bullet or from him. You raped me.
A frown edged at his brows as she fought to remember everything she
had heard Rowdy and the others talking about concerning the other rape
victims. What had they said? He made them beg for it, made them swear
to love him.
I didn t ask you to touch me. She forced the words past her numb
lips. You know I didn t.
His hand trembled.
You loved me. She saw the madness light his eyes.
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NAUTI BUOY
Did I say I loved you? She had to buy herself some time. Rowdy
would be awake soon, he would know something was wrong. Oh God,
where was he?
He blinked at her question before a pout curled his lips. That stupid
neighbor broke in&
I never said I loved you, John. She fought to stay in control. I
didn t want you to touch me. I was never yours.
He blinked back at her. No. You were mine. His voice was almost
childlike. You were a good girl until they touched you. You wanted to be
mine, because I knew you were a good girl.
God, he was insane.
I have always belonged to Rowdy. She kept her voice calm, fought to
still the hysteria rising inside her. You knew I was Rowdy s. Everyone
knew. His cousins made sure of it.
Anger leapt to his features.
They re depraved, he yelled back at her, his features contorting with
fury. They touched my mother. They made my father know what they
were doing to her and he told me about it. How they made her a bad girl.
She wasn t supposed to be a bad girl. She was my mother.
Your father misunderstood. She was shaking, horrified. They were
just boys.
He didn t misunderstand. John shook his head furiously. He would
sneak and watch them and then he would punish me. He would come
home and make me lie down while he punished me with what they were
doing to her. He had to teach me not to be bad. Now I have to teach you,
Kelly.
Oh God. She felt her stomach pitch with the horrifying knowledge of
what he was talking about. How could a father do such a thing? Drive
his own son into insanity in such a way.
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Lora Leigh
John, you have to listen to me. Her fists clenched in her shirt. Just
a few more minutes. Surely Rowdy would be here in a few more minutes.
You have to leave. If you shoot me, Rowdy will hear&
He smiled then. A confident, mad smile that sent terror racing
through her mind.
I took care of Rowdy already, Kelly. He won t wake up until I m gone.
I m going to take care of you, then I ll punish him, just like Daddy
punished me. He ll learn not to touch what belongs to me.
She was going to throw up. The insanity that spewed from him was
the most sickening thing she had ever known. Worse even than the
attack she had suffered at his hands.
Why? Her voice trembled despite the effort she used to hold it
steady. He didn t take what was yours. Why should you punish him?
There had to be a way to get around him, some way to get to Rowdy.
She could lock the bedroom door. There was a gun in the dresser, she
had seen Rowdy put it in there. A big black pistol that she knew she
could use.
You are mine! he snarled, his voice rising in fury. I took you, I
marked you. You wear my mark.
I didn t ask for your mark, she yelled back, fury rising inside her. I
didn t want you, John. Love is given freely. You can t force it.
He shook his head as his eyes glistened with tears, his lips wobbling
with some demonic emotion.
You didn t give me time, he pouted. You would have told me you
loved me.
I knew I didn t love you. She edged back as his head turned from
her. If she could get to the kitchen and he chased her, then she could
use the hall exit to get back to the stairs. All she needed was a head
start. I ve always loved Rowdy, John. Always.
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NAUTI BUOY
No! Mine! he screamed back at her. I ll show you you re mine then
I ll kill you.
He rushed for her. Fury lit his expression as rage transformed his
face and he rushed her. Kelly turned, sliding on the slick floor as she
heard an enraged howl of fury echo through the house a second before
the sound of two bodies impacting pulled her up short.
Gripping the doorframe, she turned back, shock filling her as she
watched Rowdy struggling with the smaller man. Rowdy was bigger, but
the blood at his temple showed the earlier blow which was now slowing
his reflexes.
The gun John had carried slid across the room as he fought to get to
it. Kelly rushed for it, crying out in rage as a hand snagged her ankle,
bringing her to her knees.
Her head turned as she saw the knife in John s hand and Rowdy s
reached to grab at his wrist as the other man aimed at her leg. She
kicked out, breaking loose before scrambling for the weapon.
Her fingers latched onto the handgrip as she flipped over, bringing it
up with both hands as she fought to get a clear shot.
The two men were snarling now, wrestling for the knife as she heard
the sound of sirens in the distance. The gun shook in her hand as she
blinked back her tears, terrified that the deputy would manage to
actually find a way to wound Rowdy with that knife. There was no way to
shoot yet. No way to be certain if she did, that she would miss Rowdy.
There had to be something she could do. But if she did the wrong
thing, it could mean Rowdy s life. She prayed, sobbing in terror as she
watched the two men grappled until the knife was between them a
second before Rowdy jerked the other man closer to him.
They both froze.
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Lora Leigh
A whimper left Kelly s throat as the front door crashed inward, and as
though in slow motion, she watched Deputy John Barnes slide slowly
from Rowdy s grip to collapse on the floor.
His head turned toward her, his hazel eyes filled with shock and
surprise.
My good girl& he whispered before his gaze dimmed and his body
went limp.
Kelly stared back at him, the sounds of police filling the room
receding to the background as adrenaline began to crash inside her. She
lifted her head as the gun dropped in her lap, watching as Rowdy began
to move toward her, only to have the sheriff block him as the room
continued to fill up. She could hear her mother, or was it merely wishful
thinking? Rowdy was yelling and Sheriff Mayes was barking orders.
She knew she should get up, knew she should do something. But all
she could do was turn her gaze back to the dead deputy as she heard his
final words ringing in her ears. My good girl&
She wasn t his good girl. A sob tore from her throat as she pushed to
her feet, fighting past the shock winding its way through her. He was
dead. He was dead, and Rowdy was surrounded by the police.
Let him go! she screamed out hoarsely, fighting past Sheriff Mayes
as she struggled to get to Rowdy. She kicked at someone, her fist landed
against another, but they parted, staring back at her in shock as she
flung herself in Rowdy s arms.
Thank God! Baby. Rowdy s arms closed around her as his voice
whispered in her ear. Sweet Lord, Kelly. Don t ever terrify me like that
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