Page 22 of Little Darling

“I’ll take care of you, little darling.”

“Why do you call me that?” I murmured, watching the charred logs slowly die.

“Because that’s what you are to me. My little darling who I’ll keep safe.”

I looked at him then, holding his gaze, refusing to turn away as I felt my anger rise right away with my confusion.

“But there’s no leaving, Dolly. No running. If you try, you know I’ll find you. I've told you as much, but in your heart, you know there’s no escape.”

I felt my face heat. “I know,” I pushed out through my gritted teeth. A shiver ran down my spine. It was a combination of every emotion a human could feel.

“And if you run and I catch you, you’ll regret it, Dolly.”

Lars wasn’t threatening me in the traditional sense. I knew that. I felt it. But his words were a promise in a cold and calculating way. Lars stood then and was right in front of me before I could react.

He reached out, and I was too frozen to do anything but let him touch me. He brushed his hand against my cheek, his fingers warm from where he’d just been holding his tea mug, the contents hot and heating his skin.

I was afraid, obviously, but his touch was surprisingly soft, and the look in his eyes ensnared me. It kept me in place as if he were claiming me with just that gentle press of his palm against my face and the emotions displayed clearly in his eyes.

“Say you’re mine,” he murmured, staring at my lips. “I need to hear you say it like I need my next breath.”

I was panting so hard, and I felt sweat beading my brow from… feelings I didn't want to explore. I pulled strength from the deepest, darkest ones consuming me, and I just reacted. My hand moved on its own, and then my palm connected with his face.

The crack was instant, and although he was huge and muscular, I knew I took him off guard because his head cocked to the side from the impact. I used his surprise to push him back, my palms on his wide, rock-hard chest shoving him away with all my strength.

I used the small gap between us to stand, and I struck him again, then dragged my nails down his arm where his shirt sleeve was pushed up, so I connected with bare skin. His hiss broke through the sound of my rapid breathing, my racing pulse in my ears, and the crackling of the fire.

We stood there for long seconds just staring at each other, and I flicked my gaze down to his forearm to see four red welts forming on his skin from my nails.

Hellfire crackled between us, but all I could feel was the oppressive sense that no matter how much I resisted, I was already too far gone.

And because of that, I was going to fight until this all-consuming feeling inside me finally took over against my will, when fighting was no longer an option.

And God help me when I finally submitted.

17

DOLLY

Istill felt his hand on my wrist from when he tried to stop me as I ran.

I felt the sticky warmth of his blood on my skin.

God, I thought, looking down at my hand. It was covered in blood from the deep scratches I’d given Lars before I left out the front door and dove into the dark, ominous woods.

Everything was black, so inky and thick that branches slapped against my arms and legs, my neck and face. But the sting and burn from those vicious whacks was nothing compared to what Lars would do to me when he caught me.

And he will catch me.

The sound of my breath rushing in and out of my mouth was loud but not loud enough to drown out the sound of Lars rushing after me, his booted feet crunching on the strewn leaves and twigs.

Help me!my mind screamed, but who was I asking for help? Who was I begging to save me?

No one because the thrill of this chase had my blood rushing for a different reason.

I’d never felt so… alive.

I didn’t see a break in the trees with moonlight shining through, showing me a haven, a sanctuary. All I saw were the frightening arms of the monsters that crept about the woods, hiding behind the wide trunks and lurking in the shadows.

---