Page 36 of Small Town Beast

That’s strange.

She turned around, skin prickling.What the…

Something huge and dark stepped out of the shadows and pinned her arms, covered her mouth. She screamed with everything she had but the man dragged her back, crushing her in a mighty bear hug.

“Hey, chocolate,” he said into her neck. But she had already known it was him.

The man put her in some kind of hold and began walking her out of the cramped kitchen. She fought him with all her strength, and Tanya was a strong girl, but it would have taken Hercules to get that giant man off her back. She could remember how big he had looked standing over her, his cock mushing up in her tightness…Fucking her in the back seat of his truck. She remembered how small she felt looking up at him, leaning over her, his hair like a wild man’s. And now–Oh God. He’s here to rape me!

The monster dragged her deeper into the apartment, sidestepping the boxes on the floor so easy she knew he’d waited there for her, learning the whole place.

Her bedroom–

“HELP!” Tanya screamed, leaping for the window. “SOMEONE HELP–”

Mister Bailey hauled her back again, and next thing she knew something was being stuffed into her mouth. Her teeth gnashed on clean cotton. She gagged and spat but he held it there with a large hand clamped strongly over her mouth.

“Shhhh,” he said. “Shhh, listen to me.”

What the fuck…

He pushed her to her knees, and sat on the edge of her bed, holding her wrists tight. “Stop hollerin’,” he ordered.

Tanya quieted. She heard herself panting like a trapped rabbit. Her mind raced. What did he want? How could she escape?

Cold metal pricked her throat. Her eyes squeezed shut.Just make it quick, please…

“Answer true,” Mister Bailey said. “Do you work for Hiram? The Green Trees?”

Who the fuck…

“Answer!” He snarled.

No!She shook her head desperately, realizing that he still thought she was working for the men who had jumped him in the parking lot. After she replied (silently) he went quiet; he must have been deciding if he should kill her or not. She didn’t dare open her eyes. Inside she wondered what would happen to Amari, if there really was heaven, if there had ever been a point in her life, apart from Amari’s birth, where she had been happy. But then he took the knife away.

“Had to make sure,” he murmured.

She gagged on the cotton again, and calmly he plucked it from her mouth. All the rage was gone from his voice when he asked, “I hurt you?”

“No,” she whispered, her voice shaking bad. “What do you want? I have nothing here for you.”

“But you do, Tanya.” He pushed her hair off her forehead. “That’s your name, right?”

“Y-yes.”

Tanya had no idea what to do. Should she scream? Run? Grab his knife? Bite his knee?

He said, “I wanted to hurt someone tonight.”

This can’t be happening. This is a dream, right? A terrible dream…

“All them Snatch Hills, Green Trees…they got to pay for what they done. But instead I came here.” His hand was heavy on her head, pushing her head back to stare the long distance up into his face. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

He tugged a curl free from her bun, rolling it between two heavy blunt fingers. “You’re the girl from the paper with the missing son. Amari. I remember your tattoo, and I put it together.” He exhaled, stroking her hair, twisting her curls. “That room over there…that’s his room?”

“Please get out of here, mister. Swear I won’t call the police. I promise we can forget this ever happened. I won’t get you in trouble.”

“I believe you,” he said. “It’s okay, Tanya.” He dropped the knife and kicked it across the room. But she knew he was probably still carrying a gun, so…

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