Page 3 of Torment

“Tomorrow.”

Blanchette closed her eyes, biting back tears. One more day. That was all she had left. Just one more damn day and then she would be alone in her hell. It had been months since the abuse and the rape started, but Willow had been the angel keeping her from plunging into darkness.

One more day and she would no longer have that one angel, that one lifeline. But she’d be damned if she was the reason for keeping her sister from living a fulfilled life.

Blanchette pulled Willow closer and wrapped her arms tightly around her sister.

“I love you, Willow.”

“I love you too, B. And it will only be for a little while.”

Pushing back her tears, Blanchette pulled her fingers through her sister’s long blonde hair. “Just don’t go without saying goodbye, okay?”

“Wouldn’t dream of it. Besides, I want you to meet him before we go. Will you take me to him tomorrow afternoon?”

Blanchette smiled. “Of course I will. I’m glad I get to meet him before we say goodbye. I want to see this man who is taking my sister away from me.” She winked.

“He’s not taking me away from you. We’ll see each other again soon. This won’t be a permanent goodbye, okay?”

Blanchette kept the smile on her face, even though she was sobbing on the inside. “Okay.”

Willow didn’t know, but Blanchette did. She knew when they said goodbye the following day, it would be the last time she’d ever see her sister. There was just no way Blanchette would survive…not with him.

Never.

Chapter 2

Present

There was no sound, no sense of time as Scarlet stared at the man who had a gun aimed at Hunter’s forehead. Sure, it was a weapon of death which could end Hunter’s life in the blink of an eye, but it wasn’t the matter of life or death that had her completely frozen on the spot.Oh, no. It was the fact that the man currently pointing said weapon at Hunter’s forehead just happened to say the words, “I’m her father,” like it was some line out of a damnStar Warsmovie.

Lucky for them, the guy with the shaven head and goatee who freakishly reminded her of Bruce Willis inDie Harddidn’t quite have the same stunned effect on Hunter as he did on her.

Hunter pressed the gun forward, closer to Bruce’s forehead. “I suggest you try again. And this time, the truth.”

Bruce also pressed his weapon closer to Hunter’s face. “And I suggest you listen to me and get her the fuck out of here before they get here.”

“Who arethey?”

“You know who they are.”

Hunter narrowed his eyes. “And how is it that you know whotheyare?”

“I know a lot of things.”

“I bet you do.”

Scarlet noticed the guy behind Bruce shift.

Hunter noticed too. “I’d keep still if I were you, Robin. One wrong move and Batman here gets a bullet through the skull.”

Scarlet gave a step forward, wanting to get a closer look at this man claiming to be her dad. “Who are you?”

The man looked at her and it was like his eyes softened instantly. It didn’t make sense, this man was standing with a gun aimed at Hunter’s head, ready to pull the trigger in a split second, yet his eyes conveyed a completely different message.

“Who are you?” she repeated, and gave another step closer.

Hunter held out his hand, urging her to stay back. “Scar, don’t.”

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