Page 77 of Winters Heat

The muscles in Winters’s face contracted against his will. He flexed his fists in his lap, trying to control gurgles of sanity-busting rage and emotion.

That lady. He called Miathat lady. What the fuck was wrong with him? It didn’t matter. She was just too precious for a man like him.

***

Tight pain seized Mia’s wrist. Her eyes shot open, terrified. The scratchy mat, the rickety shack. Everything came into focus, including Alejandro’s twisted smile and the trails of sweat pouring down his temples. It was a sick vision.

She bicycled her legs, trying like hell to scamper away. Escape was futile.

“You are awake.” His breath stank of rancid milk and rotted flesh.

“Help!” She pulled and kicked. “Help me!”

“They left you. All alone without so much as a weapon to guard yourself with. Tsk, tsk. Not smart on their part.”

She didn’t even know he could speak English. Now, he taunted her. Breathing her in. Licking his teeth.

“Please don’t—”

He yanked hard enough her arm to make her shoulder joint pop in and out of place. Tears of pain, desperation, and exhaustion rolled free.

Alejandro shook her again. “Wretched slut. Shut up.”

“Help—”

“You were promised to me.”

Mia’s lips trembled. Her heart screamed into her throat. Bile surfaced on the back of her tongue.

“I am in command. I am in control. And I will take my reward,” Alejandro shouted, almost releasing her to beat his chest.

Thick fingers toyed with her sundress strap and snapped it, forcing it loose. His gnarly tongue licked his chewed lips, and he pulled her close to his face. She shut her eyes tight, pushing hard away from him.

“No. Don’t do this.” He was going to rape her in a jungle shack. Her life was over. She didn’t even wipe the cascading tears. The fear, the terror boiling in her mind and gut overpowered planning an escape. Her fate was sealed.

Alejandro cackled. “My favorite part. Every time. Every girl. I get to see how much you fight. I watch your will to live drain like a gutted pig.”

She whimpered. The tears obscured her vision. She wasn’t sure if her pleas were verbal or frozen in her petrified brain.

Alejandro released her wrist. She dropped on the scratchy bed mat, then rolled away, slamming into wall. The shack swayed, as if breathing in and out, trying to decide if it should remain upright. His gaze raked over her, sending ice-cold shivers in the humid heat down her spine. He scraped the wooden chair on the dirt floor, leaving a trail in the dust. The devil flashed across his face.

“Sit here. Now.”

She shook her head. Tears flew off her cheeks, landing on her shoulders and collarbone. Her fists clawed into the mat, bracing for his wrath. Blood thumped in her ears, drowning out his grotesque breaths. Her pulse pounded faster and faster, swimming her head dizzy.

A howl rumbled from Alejandro. He balled his brawl-scarred fists until his cracked knuckles changed color, off-white and fleshy-red. He wore a tight black shirt and black cargo pants with loops and pockets. A knife was strapped to his thigh, and a gun was holstered on his hip. He looked like an immoral, repulsive adaptation of Colby.

His calloused hand wrapped around her neck, and in one swift move, she was in the chair. The force toppled it onto the back two legs before it slammed back to earth. He yanked her one arm, then the next behind the chair, tying them secure. Too tight. It stung before both hands went numb. Pins and needles crawled up her forearms.

Alejandro radiated heat. “I was mistaken. I thought you might have more fight than this sniveling.”

He bit down on her shoulder. More of shock than pain caused her to recoil. She railed against her hand ties, kicked her feet, aiming for the crotch, but as usual, that did nothing.

Alejandro slinked in front of her, just out of toe’s reach. She still tried like hell to get him. To keep his deranged, lust-dripping self away. He cackled again and stepped forward, ignoring her attacking knees. One disgusting finger traced a path from her temple, down, down, down, until it hovered between her breasts.

Mia strained away from him. The tears stopped. Anger and hatred rushed in their place. He wanted a fight? She’d fight. She’d stay alive and intact until Colby and Titan returned to kick his ass for her.

She gritted her teeth against her disgust, drew back, and spit into his face.

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