Page 44 of Piper's Pyro

“We were bound together that night.” Forrest turned toward me. “I love you.”

“It was only one time.”

“That’s all it took, isn’t it?” He screwed up his face as if in pain.

The air left my lungs. Did he know?

“Answer me! It only took one time for you to get pregnant, didn’t it?” he yelled at the top of his lungs. “But you got rid of our baby. And don’t deny it. I followed you to the clinic and watched you leave hours later. Your hand was on your stomach.”

I nodded, more tears streaming down my face. I hadn’t wanted to have an abortion, but I wasn’t ready to be a mom. I was barely eighteen. I had goals to achieve… Dreams to make come true. But none of that would’ve mattered if Forrest hadn’t become obsessed with me. He had followed me around for weeks after our one night together. He bought me gifts. Waited outside for me. Told everyone I was his girlfriend. I couldn’t take it. I didn’t want to be bound to him for life, so I solved my problem in the most selfish way.

I wasn’t proud of my actions, but I didn’t have a choice. If I’d told my brothers or my parents, one of them would’ve killed Forrest. They were outlaws and lived by their own rules.

At the time, I’d believed letting them loose on Forrest was a greater sin than what I’d done. What if one of my brothers had gone to jail? Or my dad. Or my mom. I wouldn’t have been able to live with the guilt, so I’d done what needed to be done.

I turned my disgraceful gaze at Stitch. All the problems Forrest had caused my family were because of my stupid actions one night. Everything leading up to this moment was my fault. If I’d known how far he’d go, I would’ve told them the truth from the start.

“There’s only one way to make things right.” Forrest unbuttoned and unzipped his pants.

“No!” The word shot from my mouth.

“Touch her, and you die,” Stitch growled as he struggled to break out of his bindings.

Forrest laughed. “I’d like to see you try.” He yanked down my pants.

“Don’t do this. Oh God, please don’t.” I squeezed my legs together with every ounce of strength I could muster. “There’s got to be another way. I don’t want Stitch to see this. He’s like my brother.”

“I don’t care. The faster I bind us together for life, the better for all of us.”

“But if we’re to have a family together, it has to be done right. Please, Forrest.” My heart raced, and my breathing quickened under duress. “We have to do everything right for our baby.” I had to somehow make him believe I wanted to be with him. Make him rethink his convoluted plan.

But honestly, how could he think raping me would ever be okay? I’d never love or want to be with him after a violent assault.

God, please. Send someone to help me.

14

Pyro

My feet stopped moving when they hit the threshold of the hospital entrance.

Spectre looked back at me weirdly.

Hustler did the same but kept moving.

You can’t pussy out. Piper is in trouble.

Or so her brothers thought. Some nurse named Mercy had said Piper was locked in a room with a deranged man. I was told Mercy was a reliable source and a family friend. Knowing as much had only made my anxiety spike.

I inhaled a deep breath, forced my feet to move, and went to where Piper’s brothers were talking.

“What’s he doing here?” Cobra asked, appearing none too pleased.

“I’m here for Piper.” I put my trembling hands in my pockets so no one would see I was on the verge of having a PTSD attack. During stressful situations, my demons came out, and I’d turn to drugs to make them go away. I couldn’t and wouldn’t resort to my old coping habits today or ever again. I had something, no, someone to stay clean for. And Piper needed me to be level-headed and of sound mind to fight for her.

“I don’t get it. Why? You don’t know her.” Cobra acted supremely irritated.

“Oh, but he does. Intimately.” Spectre clucked his tongue. “I’m guessing several times over.”

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