Page 53 of Bailey

"But I don't want to leave you alone," Matty argued.

"I won't be alone," I remind him.

"Don't worry, kid, we'll take care of her," Caleb promised. "Come on, I'll drive you home."

"I'll ride with you," Ethan said.

I hugged Matty goodbye.

"I love you, Bailey," Matty whispered. "I was so fucking scared that I had lost you. I don't know what I would do if you weren't here."

I cupped his face with my hands and kissed his forehead. "You would live your very best life, Matty. You would continue with your life, start a family, and teach them what I taught you. I might not say it enough, but I am so proud of the man you've become, Matty. I love you."

"It wouldn't be the same without you," he replied.

"Lucky for you, I don't plan on going anywhere for a very long time. I have my own very best life to live," I assured him.

A smile spread across his face. "I'm going to hold you to that."

"Good." He kissed my cheek, and then, with one final look at me and promising to return in the morning, he left.

Pike came over to sit next to me. "If I made food, would you eat it?"

"Biscuits?"

"Sweetling, if you wanted fresh deer, I'd go out and get you one. You can have whatever you want."

"As tempting as that is, I think biscuits and eggs will do just fine," I replied. He kissed my forehead and left to start cooking. I stroked Witch's head and closed my eyes as the others crowded around me. I didn't think I'd get this again. I thought for sure I was a goner, so I silently soaked up their presence and counted my blessings. After eating, everyone piled into bed, wrapping me in safety.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Gray asks.

"Not even a little bit." I just wanted to forget everything and move on with my life.

I drifted to sleep but wasn't asleep long before my terrified screams woke me up. The guys were right there to soothe me and make sure that I knew I wasn't alone and that I was safe. The guys must not have gotten much sleep because they seemed to be awake and alert every time I woke up from a nightmare.

The next day, I wasn't allowed to leave the bed, and I didn't have the energy to protest. I hurt everywhere and felt exhausted. They took turns cuddling with me as the others took care of the chores and repairing the damage that Scott caused to the house. Witch only left my side to go outside or eat and drink. The only time one of the guys was not with me is when Matty came to visit.

Caleb held a piece of paper that night when they all came to bed. "What's this?" he asked, showing it to me.

"Those are my revised rules," I replied.

"Does this mean what I think it means?" he asked softly, pointing out the correction to the rule about children.

"I'm open to it, though not right away. I think my recovery might have had a setback," I admitted.

"We aren't in any rush, Bails," Ethan assured me. "But thank you for reconsidering."

"We aren't going anywhere," Pike added. "You may never be alone again."

I had a hard time being upset about that.

Chapter twenty-six

Scott

Ilookedaroundthedilapidated barn. By my calculations, it had been a month since I was captured. I should have left the area after raping Bailey, but I got greedy and wanted Matty too. Stupid! And now I was paying the price. Nobody has spoken to me since my imprisonment, no matter how much I’ve yelled, nor have I seen Matty or the buffoons living with Bailey. I didn’t even know if she had survived or not. I like to think not. In my fantasy, she was turned into a zombie and attacked and killed Matty and her men. It was fantasies like that which kept me going. Those and my memories of my little toy.

Yesterday, they moved me from my cushy cell on the farm to this barn. I didn’t even have a chance to escape because they drugged me before moving me. My arms were chained around a pole in the center of the empty barn. The barn looked like a strong breeze would blow it down, but this pole wasn’t budging. I had tried to break free for several hours until I finally slumped to the ground. I wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

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