Back in the Saddle : (Jessica Brodie #1)

Chapter 9

Confused fear shot through me as I bounced off the wall. My body hit one of the large metal beams so hard my teeth chattered. I slid against rough canvas, dragged away from the door, and safety, by my hair.

Dusty was right in front of me with the reek of alcohol on his breath. He still had my hair, and was now grabbing my throat, squeezing. Panic welled up as my air supply dwindled.

I tried for a big gulp of breath to scream. Sticky hands covered my mouth.

"You thought you was safe with all them big bastards, huh?" he whispered in a harsh voice filled with rage. "Well, you didn't know I'd be waitin' for ya, did ya, darlin'? Huh, did ya?" He shook me.

Black specs appeared in my vision. I couldn't get enough air. We were far now, way down the wall, almost around the corner. There was no one out here. No one to help. With his hand on my throat, I couldn't get enough air to scream loud enough to be heard.

Panic was still in control. I dug in my feet and wiggled, trying to get free from his grasp. His hands slipped off my sweaty arm and I was free for one brief, adrenaline filled moment! I turned to run, a scream welling up immediately. I didn't make it far.

It felt like the side of my face exploded, and then I was landing against canvas, my mind fuzzy from the blow. He pulled me up by my hair, other hand over my mouth. His alcohol-filled panting making me nauseous.

"Not so fast, darlin'." His hand released my face long enough to reach back, then slam his palm against my cheek so hard it felt like my left eye would pop out of the socket.

My head lolled back, consciousness fleeing.

"That's right. You'll like this," I heard.

A knee roughly wormed its way between my thighs. A hand forcefully squeezed a breast.

"No," I breathed, groggy. Confused.

Fingers. Thick, male fingers, probed me. Grabbed the small piece of fabric covering my sex and yanked. Material squealed, tearing, but thankfully still somewhat intact. A tiny hindrance. A few seconds of time.

"Remember that night I taught you to fend me off, Jessica?" It was Lump's voice in the back of my head. "Remember how I taught you? You gotta be strong. You have to be present, Jess. Fight!"

Fight.

Up until this point all I could think of was getting away. Getting help, or getting free. Thoughts couldn't get through my fear-choked brain. Logic was lost to the raging panic that froze me like ice. I couldn't scream, I could barely breathe. Hysteria had me shutting my eyes in mute horror.

Fight.

If I did nothing I would be raped in two minutes.

Survive!

My mind cranked into overdrive. The scared animal in me was pushed into a corner and chained tight. What emerged was a calm woman devoid of the ability to feel. Unable to succumb to fear. A woman enclosed in a bubble of her own devising, ready to fight her way out of this by any means possible.

The horror of his fingers feeling around my vagina, readying the way, and my desire to fall into helpless sobs, were pushed away. In this bubble I found an animal. I found my primal being. I knew in a heartbeat that I was capable of killing this maggot if it came to it. I would kill him, to save me.

I held still and did nothing for a second. I needed to take measurement of what was going on. I needed to think. I needed to find the path out. There was one. I just needed to find it.

He was working at his belt, metal jingles and the whine of leather. I had a fraction of time to do something to save myself. Time slowed down. Lump's moves and advice flickered through my head like a slide show, faster than the speed of light.