Raw: The Ultimate Mc Collection (91 page)

“Well, I thought about it, to be honest. But she looked so pathetic, like a wet rat out there. She was oblivious to everything going on around her, and trying to take pictures of you through the window. I could tell she was harmless. I couldn't help but feel sorry for the dumb little bitch.”

Their laughter echoed through the cabin as I slowly regained consciousness and began struggling at the duct tape wrapped around my limbs. They had dragged me inside, unconscious, muddy and bleeding, taped me to the chair and put a piece of tape over my mouth. They wouldn't let me talk at all, and with each groan I made and every time I jerked against the constraints, they laughed.

My head felt like a train had driven through it and my vision was blurred. I listened to them debate what to do with me and fear gripped my heart. I was so fucked. I couldn't believe I had put myself in this position, and I didn't see any way out of this. If they let me talk, I wasn't sure what the hell I would say anyway. My alibi of being a photographer was not going to help me, considering I was caught in the pouring rain and trying to take pictures through a window.

I didn't want them to know I was working for River, because I didn't know who they were working for and I didn't want to put him at risk in any way.

My only hope was for River to show up. But he had said the party was going to go late, and he was expecting me there. He would never think to look for me at his place. I wished desperately I had sent that text earlier, so that he would at least know that I had gone after someone.

Now, he might just think I changed my mind. He would party late into the night, and might even spend the night at the clubhouse. By that time, these two bitchy women could have done anything to me.

It was going to be up to me to find a way out. If there was one, that is.

My mind was foggy and I was pretty sure I felt blood trickling down the back of my head. I surely had a concussion this time. Lovely.

Fighting between anger at myself and anger at these two awful women, I struggled to think logically and come up with a plan.

“So who do you think she is?” “I really don't know. She's definitely not a cop. No cop would just be peeping on you out in the open like that. Maybe she's just a pervert?”

Their laughter was like nails on a chalkboard.

Glaring at them, I tried to let them know exactly what I thought of them with my eyes. I wanted to scream at them, hit them with this stupid chair I was so painfully attached too and take them outside and push them down into the mud, and ruin their stupid, perfect hair. My dress was covered in mud, not to mention my hair, and even though River had told me I wouldn't be in any danger, here I was tied up like a fool. A very wet, very embarrassed and afraid fool. This was all my fault. River had told me not to follow him, and if I had done what he asked, I wouldn't be here now.

Would they really shoot me? I was hoping the answer was no. If they were going to, surely they would have done that by now.

Right? Sure, right.

Fuck!

I wiggled against the tape, making absolutely no progress at all at freeing myself. I was completely at their mercy. And they knew it.

“Gosh, just look at her, Polly. What a mess. I bet she could be pretty with a shower and some dry clothes. Should we do something about that cut on her head? I don't want this bitch bleeding out on these beautiful hardwood floors.”

“She's fine, Brandy. I didn't hit her that hard.”

Brandy and Polly. What kind of bimbo names were Brandy and Polly? I hated them even more.

“Well, should we let her explain herself? She looks like she has something to say.”

Brandy leaned in close to me, her green eyes peering into mine.

“Do you have something to say, bitch?”

I nodded my head. I had no idea what I was going to say.

“Okay, go.” Skin ripped from my lips as she pulled the duct tape off of my face.

I screamed in pain as tears began falling down my face. Dammit! The last thing I wanted to do was show these women I was afraid, and I couldn't help but start crying.

“Please let me go.” I said through my sobs.

“Why should I let you go? You were taking pictures of my sister.”

Her sister? Of course they were sisters, they looked just alike. Gross, River. I couldn't believe he was fucking two sisters.

“I'm sorry. I'm um...um...I can't explain it. I know it was wrong. I won't do it again, I swear, and if you just let me go, I won't tell anyone.”

“What do you mean, you won't tell anyone? Tell anyone what, bitch? You're the one in trouble here. You were the one peeking into the window like a goddamned peeping Tom!”

“Yes, I was. Which is bad. But now, you've assaulted me and kidnapped me. I think that's a higher level crime. That's what I meant. I won't tell anyone, just please let me go. I didn't mean any harm, I swear.” I was pleading with them, and I hated having to do it, to sound so pathetic, but it was my only option at this point.

“I don't know.”

“Yeah, me either. Let's make a phone call first.”

“Yeah, good idea. You just shut up now, you pathetic little rat.” Brandy leaned down and put another piece of tape on my raw mouth before I could say another word.

A phone call? Who the fuck were they going to call? I was terrified. I would have given anything for River to come crashing through the door right now. I was past the point of embarrassment, I just wanted to be free and get away from these violent bitches.

They both walked out on to the porch, leaving me alone in River's cabin. I looked around, remembering the last time I was here, when I had seen them all making dinner together, and then I remembered the time before that, when I had woken up in River's bed for the second time, that soft look in his eye that had quickly turned to lust and passion.

I was afraid now that I would never see that look again.

Hot, salty tears continued to fall down my face. They were right. I was a pathetic mess and as much as I wanted to please River, I obviously couldn't even do this right. He would be pissed that I hadn't followed his simple instructions and even if I did make it out of this alive somehow, he wouldn't have anything else to do with me. I had failed.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

I must have passed out again, because I was abruptly brought back to consciousness when I heard River's loud, angry voice.

“What the fuck!”

My eyes tried desperately to focus on him as he stood in front of me. The Barbie bitches were on either side of him, their arms crossed over their massive, perfect boobs. The tape was still over my mouth, so I had no way of even beginning to explain myself.

“Yep. This is her, River.” Polly said as the three of them looked at me. “Brandy was about to go into the party when I texted her and told her that I couldn't find that old picture of you and Colby at my house. We wanted to give it to Colby for his birthday. So Brandy came out here to look for it real fast. Brandy was rummaging around in Grandma's old papers and I stopped by to help her out. Good thing I did because when I got here, this pathetic little bitch was taking pictures of Brandy through the kitchen window! I don't know who she works for, but something isn't right here, River,” Polly said.

“Yeah, and she has no explanation, either,” Brandy continued. “She's either a cop, or a pervert, we've decided. Probably a pervert.”

“Well, she's not a cop, you are right about that,” River said with a sigh.

“What?” Polly asked. “You know her?”

“Yeah, I know her. Sorry, girls. You can leave now. I'll handle this.”

“Seriously!?” The girls exclaimed loudly and simultaneously.

“Yeah, seriously! Now get the hell out of here and go to the party. Tell Colby I won't be back tonight. The picture you are looking for is on my bedroom dresser.”

“Wow.” Brandy walked past me on the way to the bedroom, her voice low. “You're lucky you didn't get shot, mama. My brother must like your pussy.”

Silence filled the room as we waited while she retrieved the picture. River's eyes bore into mine with something I had never seen in them before. When she returned, they both hugged River and left without a backwards glance at me.

River walked them to the door, locking the deadbolt after them. When he turned back to me, I burst out crying again.

“Hey, hey, hey.....come on now, everything's okay.” He walked over to me, and kissed my forehead and began gently pulling the duct tape away from my mouth. “Here, let's get you loose.”

He didn't sound angry. He sounded worried, actually. It was the same River that I had woken up to both of those times after I had hit my head. And I had no idea how to take it. I was a mess and everything I had gone through the last few weeks came rushing back and I was overwhelmed with emotion.

Wincing as he pulled the tape from my lips, I realized I wasn't sure what to say to him. I had so many questions, there was so much I didn't understand, and yet I couldn't form even one coherent word. I sat silently as he continued to free me from the sticky mess the Barbies had created.

“So. I see you met my younger sisters. Twins. Obviously.” River began talking, his voice low and steady in the quiet room. “They're tough. And protective. Especially of me. They're pretty much the reason I've been single all these years. No woman is good enough for me, according to them. I've tried for years to get them to be nice to various women, but after a while I just gave up. Our grandma left me this cabin when she died, with one stipulation. We have to all have dinner here once a week. We do that, and it keeps us close. I don't see them much outside of that.”

“They're close to some of the members of the club, though. Colby especially. We all grew up together. I'm so sorry they hurt you, but what the hell are you doing here, Dixie? You were supposed to come to the party. I was waiting for you. Luckily, they called me. I had no idea I would find you here.”

He finished removing the last of the tape from my ankles.

“I thought they were your lovers.”

I hadn't meant to say that. I could have started with anything. Like, I don't know, maybe something like, 'thanks for saving my life from your deranged and violent psychopathic sisters' for starters? Instead, I gave away my one secret that he never needed to know.

“What? Why the hell would you ever think that?”

“I...um...well, River, I um....I saw them here once before.”

“Once before? What are you talking about, Dixie? As far as I know, you've only been here twice and they were nowhere around.”

“I know. I'm sorry River.”

“You're sorry for what? You spied on me again? Is that what you're saying?”

“Yes.”

“WHAT THE FUCK, DIXIE!” His voice rose in anger, and I knew I had lost him. My head pounded with each horridly loud syllable.

“I know! River, I'm sorry. It was while we weren't talking.”

“When were we not talking, Dixie?”

“Well, I mean...I was angry with you, River!” My voice rose, surprising me as the words tumbled out and as much as I told myself to shut up, there was no stopping them. They flowed from my mouth like a river bursting from a dam.

“You left me that first morning so abruptly, insisting I leave! And then, just when I thought you might be a nice guy after you punched out Colby and Spider at the bar and you took me home and took care of me, you leave me again, and not only do you leave, but you pour salt in my wounds leaving me money like I was a common hooker! I was so insulted! I'm no hooker and I already told you that, River. This whole thing has been so screwed up. But then I found myself following you again one night, in spite of my anger at you. And I saw you cooking up a cozy dinner with those Barbie twins! I didn't know they were your sisters, I swear. If I did, I would have left right away when I saw them tonight. You're right, though, they are some seriously mean bitches!”

“I'm sorry I ever got involved with you, River.” I stood up, my legs shaking and trembling underneath me as I slowly walked to the door.

River stood there, silently drinking in my words. He looked so damned handsome, his long, wet blonde hair framing his gorgeous face. But I knew it was useless. It was over. Whatever we had between us was over. Whatever future we may have had was obliterated within my failure to follow his simple instructions.

“I'm sorry I failed you, River. It was fun while it lasted. And thanks for saving me from your evil sisters.”