Page 48 of Bear Hunt

I just need to be faster than this terrifying man standing between me and the exit.

Throwing the book at his head, I make a run for the door, fighting the instinct to look back at Bear again, knowing my priority is to get him help. The man yells and I’m so close to making it, except there’s a sharp sting in my back…

My stomach rumbles, pain shooting through my abdomen, and I tug on the chains holding my arms in the air. Everything is fuzzy and there’s a weight on my head, it’s over my face too. I must be wearing a hood of some kind. This is my nightmare and it’s coming true.

They’ve found me.

And Bear… he’s hurt. He was just trying to protect me, maybe even love me at some point.

Tears spring to my eyes, making my head pound harder, the pain almost excruciating. I can’t stand, my legs feel too unsteady, like I don’t even have control over my own limbs right now.

What was in that dart and how long have I been here?

The smell of bleach assaults my nostrils, and the cold from what feels like a tiled floor seeps into my bones. I’m still only wearing my panties and it’s impossible to stop from shivering, even as I curl my knees into my chest and lean back against the wall where my hands are chained above my head.

I sniff back a shuddered breath, utter despair creeping in and finding a home inside me. It’s not fair. I escaped. I saw what a real life was supposed to be and I’d just decided to stay, to give my body to Bear because I knew he’d treasure it in a way nobody else ever has.

Clipped footsteps sound from a distance, moving closer at a steady but unrushed pace. If I’m right, that sound belongs to a woman wearing shiny black shoes with a two-inch heel. A woman I hoped I would never have to see or hear again.

“I see you moving, you little cunt.”

Pain shoots through my leg when she kicks my thigh with her pointed shoes and I scream out. Having bruiseless skin didn’t last long.

“Don’t scream like that. You know he hates it.”

The smell of smoke wafts up into whatever’s over my head, triggering a coughing fit and making my throat feel ten times worse than before.

Something is pushed against my mouth from beneath the hood, so I press my lips together as tightly as my strength will allow.

“Open your fucking mouth, girl. We don’t want you to die from starvation… not yet anyway.” She chuckles, and it’s deep, dark… dangerous.

The sharp tip of her nail scratches against my lips and pushes between them, forcing my mouth open so she can slide in whatever she’s hellbent on making me eat.

It’s bread, but I know it’s going to come with conditions.

Nothing here is free.

After experiencing the love and joy and sheer happiness Bear and his friends have, I now know that none of this is normal. Everything these people stand for is a twisted funhouse-mirror version of the real world.

“I’ve always looked after you. Given you everything you need.” She pushes another bite of bread into my mouth. “You’re an ungrateful little bitch. You had your own room and everything. Well…” The brightness of the room near-blinds me as she rips the hood from my head. It doesn’t help the dull pain in my skull at all and I have to close my lids against the onslaught of light. “Open your fucking eyes and drink this.” She grips my chin and tilts my head backward, then pours water over my mouth.

My throat is too dry to ignore so I open up, swallowing as much of the lukewarm liquid as I can without choking. Most of it falls down my cheeks and neck, but the small amount I do get is a relief and eases a little of the raw pain.

“The masters are going to take away all of those privileges until you’ve proven yourself again. Ugh. You smell disgusting. I’ll have one of the others come and bathe you. No point in putting clothes on though, you won’t be needing those.”

The whole time she’s rambling on, she’s adjusting her maid uniform as I try to take in the room. I think it’s the basement—empty and cold—but it’s been so long since I was last here that I can’t be sure.

I do know that it means trouble for me. Not that I expect anything less after what I did when I escaped. They’re going to make me pay for killing Dan. He was supposed to be guardingme, and I thought he really liked me for a while… until he didn’t, and I saw him for who he really was.

The same as the rest of them.

Mrs. Laurel stands and frees one of my wrists from the chains holding them up, and again, the relief has me sighing heavily. I don’t speak though. I know better than that.

Bear may have helped me find my voice, but these people are experts at stripping everything away from me.

Standing, her eyes scan the length of me and she sneers, her top lip curling in disgust before she turns to walk away. She pauses first, looking over her shoulder, and she doesn’t hide her distaste for me.

“Finish the bread and drink that water. You’ll need your strength. They’ll be home soon.”

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