Page 108 of Goose

“Daddy. It’s two in the morning. What’s wrong?”

He stumbled toward me, a beer bottle in his hand.

“You’re what’s fucking wrong. I seen you around town with that Crawford boy again. Didn’t you learn your lesson last time?”

I reached for the knife hidden below my pillow as my father stumbled toward me.

“This is getting out of hand. He walked with me to the ice cream shop where we were meeting friends. I told him I don’t date.”

“Fucking right you don’t. I own you, bitch.” He stepped forward and grabbed me by the hair, dragging me out into the hallway. “Wanna act like a dog? You get to sleep outside like one.”

He kicked open the front door and threw me down the stairs. Slamming the door shut, I walked across the street to the treehouse Sawyer and I had built. It wasn’t a house, but it kept me away from the wildlife and my daddy...

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SNAKE WAS HOLDING MYhair in his fist as I laid on my stomach. His heavy body slapped against me as he took advantage of me. He finally finished and pulled out, spitting on my back as he left the small room they called a bedroom.

It was more of a broom closet with a tiny mattress I slept on. I cried as I heard him laughing with the other guys by the bar. I would get out of this shithole soon enough. I just needed to bide my time.

I fell asleep when the door ripped open and another man came in. He laughed as he closed the door and grabbed my legs, pulling me closer to him.

“Let’s go, bitch. You’ve had enough rest. Suck me off like a good girl or you’re precious little boyfriend get’s the bullet in my gun.”

I got to my knees and tried to take myself to another place where I was happy and safe....

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IWAS READY TO JUSTkill myself. Today they had me in a cage as they celebrated another drug drop off. Some were already shooting up drugs as others drank.

Snake came over and shook the cage. “Ready to dance, baby?”

I refused to speak and turned my head away from him. I knew this would make him upset and maybe this time, he would hit me hard enough to end it.

Snake unlocked the cage and dragged me out by my hair. He grabbed my face in his rough hands and forced me to look into those black, soulless eyes.

“I fucking asked you a question, bitch.”

I glared at him before spitting right in his eye. He roared and threw me back into the cage, locking it.

“I’ll fucking be back for you.” Turning to one of his flying monkeys, he screamed. “Get this cunt downstairs! Break her until she’s ready to fucking learn her place around here.”

The man laughed as he moved closer to me.

“We’re gonna have some fun, little dancer.”

After what seemed hours upon hours, they finally left me alone. Curling up into a ball, I cried and cried until there was nothing left in my body to give.

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IWAKE UP IN A PANIC, screaming and clawing at the IV lines in my arms. Strong hands grip my shoulders and I fight to get them off of me.

“It’s me! Bambi, it’s okay! It’s me, Sawyer!”

I turn to see Goose laying in the hospital bed with me. His soft green eyes bring me out of my head and back into reality.

“Baby... what happened?”

I shake and Goose brings me to his chest and just holds me as I cry. The door to my room flies open and Lilah comes rushing in.

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