Page 6 of Sweet Retribution

He said he was going to plant his seed in me, but he was repulsed by my smell. Had he cleaned me up so he can rape me? My heart races and beads of sweat form on my upper lip.

A quick flash of me naked in the tub being washed fills my vision. Gentle touches. Soft whispers.

Stone.

Or did I dream it was him? Did I replace the rancid image of Antonio with Stone so I didn’t break down in a panic attack?

I have a vague recollection of being cared for and dressed.

I hear Stone’s soft words. His comforting words. He called mebaby.

He’s never called me that before. Those are not words Stone Parlatore would use. It was all a dream. An escape to pretend I wasn’t being tortured by Antonio.

I need to escape before he comes back. Before he makes do on his threat. His promise. I jump out of bed and rush for the door. My hand is on the knob when someone comes up behind me.

“Stay away from me,” I shout as I try to open the door. My head spins with diziness, my legs weak and nearly collapse under me.

A big hand encases my shoulder and turns me around.

“Gia.”

“No. Stop!” I shriek and shoot my hand out to claw at his face.

“Gia, baby. You’re safe.”

He called me Gia. Stone.It can’t be. I’m hallucinating. I don’t let myself believe it and claw at him again, screaming for help.

He ducks. A moment later, I’m floating through the air as he picks me up and hugs me to his chest.

The man smells like him. Like Stone.

Musk. Sandalwood. Ocean. Man.

He’s gentle with me and whispers by my ear. The fear and rage strumming through me are so fierce I can’t hear his words. My vision is blurred by tears; I can’t make out his face. I’m dreaming. I’m hallucinating. The Stone I know doesn’t whispter words of endearment. Doesn’t hold me gently.

I can’t help the panic attack that rips through my body. The man trapping me in his arms climbs into the bed and cradles me in his lap.

He sounds like Stone.

He smells like Stone.

He feels like Stone.

I’m dreaming. I’m crying. I’m escaping from the pain and torture that I’m about to experience. It’s all I can hold on to before I’m raped by a monster.

“Stone,” I cry before blacking out.

When I wake, it’s light out. The sun is poking through the closed drapes. There’s a warm body under me. Or partially under me. My cheek rests on a solid chest. A heavy arm is wrapped around me.

My leg is draped over his leg. My body tenses and his hand gently rubs my back.

“You’re safe, Gia.”

Stone.I try to say his name but my throat is dry, my lips cracked. He kisses my forehead making me wonder if I’m truly awake or if I’ve drifted off into another hallucination to escape Antonio’s punishment.

“How do you feel?”

I find the courage to move my hand that rests on his chest. It feels like him. I let my fingers roam to his shoulder, then feel around his face. A five o’clock shadow scratches at my palm.

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