Page 1 of Rattler
Chapter One
Lily
The side of my face burned where the asshole had backhanded me.Yeah, the asshole was technically my boyfriend, but I’d stopped thinking of him that way about the time he’d started using his fists on me and threatening to kill me if I told anyone or walked out on him.Asshole seemed like a better description.Problem was, I believed him.At least, I believed he’d kill me if I walked out on him and he’d probably manage to get away with it too.
He was that kind of guy.The one who could talk anyone out of anything and make them think it was their idea.Always the life of the party.Women falling at his feet.Friends in high places who would bend over backward to make things work out in his favor.He could probably shoot me in cold blood at high noon in the middle of town and have it labeled a suicide.
I was afraid to stay, and terrified to leave.
Tim.The asshole’s given name was Tim.He was not a happy drunk, and these days he was drunk more than sober.Ignoring my yelp of pain, he grabbed me by my hair and threw me across the room.I managed to get my hands up at the last moment to stop myself from slamming headfirst into the pantry door.I felt grateful that was all he’d done.How messed up is that?
“Stupid bitch.Did you really think I wouldn’t notice?”He stalked across the room as I staggered to my feet.I didn’t bother to ask him what he was talking about.It could be anything from the way I held my head to the color of my socks.There was always something about me that pissed him off these days.
“I’m sorry.I wasn’t thinking.”I held up a hand in anticipation of the next blow.
“Damn right.You never think, you stupid slut.”His hand closed painfully around my forearm, and he yanked me toward him.“I work hard for the money to support us, and I expect something better for supper than crappy spaghetti.”
I’d spent half a day making that spaghetti, the sauce cooked from scratch using a recipe he’d raved about the last time I’d prepared it.Of course, he’d been sober then.Sober Tim and drunk Tim were two entirely different animals.If I’d learned anything in the last six months, it was that.
I hated sober Tim with every fiber of my being, and drunk Tim downright terrified me.I was starting to think I should have just stayed with my mom and let her new husband sneak into my bedroom every other night to rape me.It might have been less painful.
Still holding onto my arm, Tim grabbed the plate of spaghetti I’d set in front of him off the table and threw it to the floor.I cringed as the sound of shattering china filled the room.“I’m sorry.I’ll make something else,” I whimpered in a vain attempt to ward off further violence.
“Too fucking late, you little bitch.What were you doing instead of making me a decent supper?Giving the mailman a blowjob?Maybe I should call up a couple of guys and have them come on over.If you’re going to give it away, I might as well make some money off you.”
“No!I’ll do better.I promise,” I sobbed.This wasn’t the first time he’d threatened to whore me out.The thought was all the more terrifying because I was starting to think it wasn’t just a threat.
He pulled me in toward him, so my face was inches from his.The rancid smell of bourbon and stale cigarette smoke on his breath made me want to gag.“You said that last time, and yet here we are.”
“I’m sorry,” I repeated yet again.When had I become such a mewling coward?I was apologizing when I’d done nothing wrong.Far from it.I’d spent hours trying to make something to please him.
I had to choke down what I really wanted to say.It would just lead to a worse beating.
He pushed me down to the floor, raking his filthy gaze over my cowering figure.“About time you started earning your keep.I bet I could get at least a hundred a gig for you.Your tits are a decent size, and your cunt isn’t stretched out yet.”
A cold chill swept over me at the calculating look in his eyes.This wasn’t just drunk ramblings.He’d thought about it, maybe even put some feelers out with his drinking pals.
He planned to turn me into a whore.
I needed to get the hell out of here while I still had a chance.If my brother were still alive, I could have counted on him to protect me.But he wasn’t.He’d died in some hellhole on the far side of the earth, trying to make the world safe for the rest of us.In a way, I was glad he didn’t know how bad things had become for me.I wasn’t helpless, and I needed to save myself.I had a bit of cash hidden in a can up in one of the kitchen cupboards.It wasn’t much, but it would get me out of town.
“What the fuck is that?”His attention focused on something behind me.
I twisted my neck and saw a little ginger kitten peeking in through the back doorway.I must have left the door open when I went outside to pick some fresh basil for the spaghetti sauce.
“You brought a filthy cat into my home?”He glared at me.
A chill settled deep in my gut.I shook my head.“No.I’ve never seen it before.”
It looked hungry, probably drawn in by the smell of food.Silently, I urged it to go.Leave.Save itself.
Ignoring my telepathic urgings, the little critter let out a soft meow and took a step inside.
An evil grin lit Tim’s face as he reached beneath his shirt and pulled out a gun.“Then you won’t mind if I get in a little target practice.”
All the pent-up rage and resentment from months of abuse came roaring to the surface.No way in hell was I going to sit cringing here on the floor and let him blow an innocent little kitten to pieces.Working on pure adrenaline and instinct, I surged to my feet.
Tim was too busy trying to steady his hand enough to line up the kitten in the gun sights to pay attention to me.
