Chapter 4

Lily dissolved into tears, looking for all the world as though I'd done something unforgivable to her.

James immediately helped her to her feet, his concern for her plain on his face. When he turned to me, that concern hardened into fury. "Wendy Jones, what do you get out of treating her like this? You owe her an explanation."

Before I could respond, he grabbed me and dragged me toward the door.

Alarm shot through me. I fought against him with everything I had, my voice shaking. "Where are you taking me?"

"To your stepfather's."

My mother had divorced him years ago, and he'd hated me ever since. Sending me back there was no different from throwing me into a fire.

"No. I'm not going. I'd rather die than go there."

Memories came flooding back, leaving my body rigid with fear and tears streaming uncontrollably down my face. None of it moved James. He dragged me to the car and forced me inside, his eyes red but refusing to meet mine.

"Wendy, I promised Lily's father I'd take good care of her. What you did this time went too far."

The closer we got to my stepfather's house, the harder it became to breathe. By the time we were almost there, my face was flushed, and I felt as though I were drowning. I clung to James's arm and begged him.

"I didn't do it. I swear I didn't. Please don't do this to me. He'll beat me to death."

James's expression remained cold. He clearly didn't believe me.

The car stopped with a sharp screech of brakes. I stared at the house just ahead, and all I could see was my own grave.

James hauled me out of the car. "It doesn't matter anymore. Your stepfather agreed that if we leave you with him for half an hour, he'll make sure Lily gets her diploma."

His voice was mercilessly calm. "You're his daughter, after all. He's not going to do anything to you."

He was pushing me toward the door when, all at once, the panic left me.

I turned my head slightly, my face passing in and out of shadow. "I'm pregnant. If that old bastard hurts me, he'll kill us both."

James froze.

His gaze dropped to my stomach, something flickering in his eyes.

He hesitated.

Then Lily spoke quietly behind us. "There's a limit to how far you can take a lie. You'll really say anything to fool James, won't you?"

Before James could react, she planted both hands against my back and shoved hard.

I stumbled through the doorway and fell at the feet of a man in polished dress shoes.

The door slowly closed behind me, sealing my fate along with it.

George Johnson smiled down at me, and a chill ran through my blood. He grabbed a fistful of my hair and hauled me up. I screamed from the pain, but his broad hand clamped over my mouth as he dragged me toward my old bedroom.

"You fucking bitch. You're just like your mother, an ungrateful whore who bites the hand that feeds her. Thought you were pretty tough before, didn't you? How does it feel now that your boyfriend brought you back to me himself?"

His fist slammed into my face.

My vision went black.

Dazed, I fumbled for my phone and managed to call James. It rang several times before he rejected the call.

Blood poured from my nose as I stared at the darkened screen.

Whatever hope I'd had left died with it.

George let out a sinister laugh and kicked me hard in the stomach, pouring years of resentment into every blow.

"Your mother ran off overseas. If you want to blame someone, blame yourself for being unlucky enough to have your own fiancé deliver you right back into my hands."

I curled into myself as an excruciating pain tore through my lower abdomen. Something warm began flowing between my legs and wouldn't stop.

But George still wasn't satisfied.

Then his murky gaze settled on my chest, turning lecherous.

He lunged for me and started tearing at my clothes.

I didn't move.

I lay there as still as a corpse until, finally, something about my lack of response made him pause. His eyes dropped lower. The moment he saw what was beneath me, he stumbled backward in horror and fell to the floor.

Without another thought, he scooped me up and carried me outside, then tossed me out like a piece of trash.

James, who had been waiting outside with Lily, hurried forward and caught me. When he saw my eyes closed, panic broke across his face.

"Wendy! Wendy! What's wrong?"

Lily gave a cold snort. "She's faking it."

Then James felt the wetness on his hands.

He pulled one away and looked down.

His palm was covered in blood.