"You make it sound like a mob deal."
"I think dealing with the mob would be safer than Jaime Perez's crew."
"I think you're right." She lifted her lips in a small smile.
"I need to go. Verity is waiting for me. I promise I'll be back."
A rumble of gurgles and fluid erupted from little Mathew. Seconds later an explosive stink fogged Mathew's brain. Without disposable diapers, he didn't want to think of what his sister had to do next.
"Someone is trying to kick you out the door," she said, smiling at the little boy in her arms.
Mathew chuckled with watery eyes. He never could keep all this promises before. "I've got a woman waiting. I love you." He leaned in, careful to avoid any baby contamination, and gave little Mathew the literal stink-eye while he patted his sister on her back.
"And you, little man, be good and stay clean."
"I love you too, Matty," she said with a broken voice.
Mathew stopped at the door with a hand on the knob and his sister waved. Tears rolled down her cheeks, and he nodded, closing the door behind him.
The blistery cold slapped him on the face, stealing his breath. Verity was not in view.
"Verity?" He wiped his eyes dry and jogged to both sides of the log cabin. He didn't see her. His pulse kicked into gear, and rapid breaths tore from his chest. Oh, shit no.
"Verity!"
She was gone.
Chapter Twenty-One
BOOKS FILLED THE walls from floor to ceiling. A small wooden table for two sat on one side of the room with two chairs placed under it. There were no windows, but a fireplace crackled, sputtering the only dim light in the room. The back of her head ached, and her fingers searched her scalp. She winced at the tender spot. Someone had hit her on the head and tossed her in here. She needed to get out. Verity's heart pounded in her chest and she stood on sore legs. Her palm went to her temple to suppress her growing headache.
The disorienting pain subsided, and Verity set about escape. She last remembered was coming up to a magnificent estate and it turned out to be Jaime Perez's house. She used the wall to support her steps to the door and tried the knob. They'd locked it, as expected.
Verity pawed at the books, hoping to find a secret door or passageway. When her fingers cleared half the room, the door behind her opened. She stilled and her breath hitched. Loud footsteps clattered on the hardwood. Verity's hands trembled while she turned. She wanted to fall to pieces upon seeing Jaime Perez with a happy smile on his face.
"My, my, my, what a wonderful sight. I've dreamed of this day for—how long has it been? Over a year now. A long time." He strolled inside and shut the door behind him. He wore trousers, a long-sleeved shirt, a pistol vest, and a hat, which he removed from his head and tossed on the table. The pistol vest was free of weapons. He didn't intend to kill her yet. She didn't know whether to be relieved or terrified.
"Jaime," she acknowledged and stood up straight. She'd faced him before, and she would do it again. The smile left his weaselly face. A tremble began in her stomach, but she held firm on the outside. Jaime stalked up to her with casual menace and stopped at arm's reach.
A quick snap of his hand sent her head reeling. Her cheek stung. Verity's eyes watered on reflex, and she tilted her face to hide it from him.
Jaime chuckled.
"Never speak unless asked a question. That's how I run this house, and you should know that by now, but I'm glad you forgot. So, everything I do to you is your own fault. Maybe if your father taught you some manners, I wouldn't have found you in The Wounded Soldier in Greenleaf, and you wouldn't have defied me." He sucked air through his teeth and rested a hand on his hip. "Even with the damage you did to me, I still haven't decided whether I regretted our rendezvous." Jaime sneered.
Verity had always known Jaime was an animal. She hadn't known how delusional he'd been. And that was a dangerous mix. She'd always wished for a merciful death if Jaime got his hands on her, but now that the time arrived, Verity wasn't ready to give up.
"Anyway, down to business." He clapped his hands and Verity's eyes searched for anything to defend herself with. A book wouldn't do any damage. Across the room were chairs and a vertical basket of fireplace implements—too far out of reach.
Jaime unbuckled his belt and Verity heard the soul-sucking sound of his leather strap sliding through his belt loops. She wanted to vomit at the memory of their last encounter. This time would be so much worse.
He unbuttoned his trousers and a crooked erection pressed at his linen drawers. Verity recoiled.
"You never saw the aftermath. So, I will give you the pleasure. Perhaps you won't fight the punishment so much. We wouldn't want your discipline to get out of hand, would we?" Jaime untied his drawers and his erection sprang free. It was misshapen, like a chunk was severed off. His—she shivered at the sight—sack was also missing most of the flesh it should've encompassed. His inner thigh and groin area had several thick jagged white scars.
If it weren't for this situation, she would've been proud to give him a taste of his own discipline, but alas, she was terrified. Her self-defense hadn't scared him off, it had only angered him more. April had suffered by his hands because of what she'd done to him. Somehow, someway, she would stop Jaime once and for all. Seeing how she was trapped and unarmed, Verity hoped a knight in shining armor would come save her just like in the fairy tales, but she had more sense than that. Hope was only a distraction.
"Beautiful isn't it? If it weren't for the circumstances"—he used a hand to shift himself around, displaying her work more clearly—"I would've been impressed." Jaime lifted his belt and said, "Turn around. The lessons begin now, and if you fight, I will knock you out. Then your lessons will only resume once you wake, and I won't be holding back."
Verity trembled while she turned around. His hand pressed her back until she folded over. Tears sprung to her eyes and her body convulsed with fear. His disgusting hands lifted her skirting, exposing her scarred bare bottom.
A snap of leather sliced across her derriere. She stifled a scream and bit into her hand. He delighted in screaming, and she refused to allow him any more pleasure than necessary. Warm liquid trickled down the back of her thighs. The snap came again and again until the screams broke free.
She begged and cried out in pain. She screamed for him to stop. Her body shuddered and tensed under the relentless agony.
"That's it, honey, now we're getting to the meat of the lesson. Stay with me now. This is only the first of many to come. By the time I'm through with you, you'll be my personal assistant."
Not quickly enough, the pain in Verity's body mercifully knocked her out.
***
AT A LOSS FOR IDEAS and not dressed to go gallivanting around in the winter wearing only a dress shirt and pants, Mathew knocked on his sister's front door and entered before anyone gave him permission.
"April? Sam?" Mathew's voice was steady, but on the inside, his pulse roared, and he fought to keep his breathing under control.
April stood up from the couch with concern on her face. "That was fast. What happened?"