Heart of Integrity (Hearts of the West, #2)

Chapter 13

Susan glanced at the clock as she scooped up the few items she’d dashed home to pick up to bring with her to Opal’s house. The post office had been quiet that morning, and she’d been relieved to discover upon returning home that Da was out. No doubt with him, but still. At least she didn’t have to face either of them right now.

When she’d got home from church the day before, Da hadn’t even mentioned John Murphy. It’d been clear he’d been trying to act the doting father—one of his many manipulative tactics that quite frankly didn’t work anymore. She’d been so desperate for his approval when she was younger. Too desperate to realize how low into the gutter it would take her.

She picked up her shawl, which was draped over a kitchen chair, then headed for the door. Just before she could grasp the handle, voices guffawed outside and the door handle turned.

Stepping back in alarm, she froze. Two voices.

No… Please…

The door swung open to reveal John Murphy, big and bulky as ever, and Da just behind him, looking even older than he’d looked the day before. Dark circles rimmed his eyes and gray stubble covered his chin. He wasn’t taking care of himself. He never did.

“Ah, young Susie.”

She winced at the familiar nickname. “It’s Susan. And I’m just on my way out.” Her voice was firm, a contrast to the rest of her.

“Not so fast, young Susie.” John Murphy stepped forward, blocking the doorway.

Indignance lit within her. “I’m on my way out.” She stared at him, her pointed gaze as unblinking as his own. “Move.”

She just about took in the flicker of his eyebrows before he lunged at her, fastening his large, strong hands around her upper arms. “You ever talk like that to me again, young Susie, and you’ll regret it, you hear?”

“Let go of me!” It was more of an order than a plea.

And he knew it. “I don’t know who you think you are, missy, but you’d better not think you’re getting out of this one. Your da said you told him you were in.”

“Well, I’m not!” The words roared out of her before she realized.

John’s face fell, and a cold glint snaked into his eyes. “What did you say?”

“Ah, Susan, now…” Her father’s voice pleaded.

She eyeballed John without flinching. “You heard me. You can count me out. For this one, and for any other rotten scheme you?—”

“Why, you—” He threw her to the floor, then knelt over her, pinning her down, all his weight pouring into the vice-like grip he had onher wrists. “You’ll do what you’re told, you hear me?”

Fear filled her. But she refused to show it. “Or what?”

“Susan!” her father said in a scolding tone. Always, he sided with the monster hovering over her. She wasn’t sure it would even bother him if John killed her.

A cruel smirk altered John’s face. “Keep this up and you’ll not be too long in finding out.”

After a moment of silent agony, he pushed her wrists even further into the floor, then released her.

She clambered to her feet, rubbing her wrists absent-mindedly, her mind racing.

She grabbed the bag she’d been holding—that had landed on the table when John’s sudden assault had made her drop it—and slung it over her shoulder, not looking at either of them. Though, she could tell they both had their eyes fixed on her.

“Where are you going, Susan, love?” her father asked, as though a hulking brute of a man hadn’t just hurt her—on his watch.

“Out.”

She opened the door. Her father must’ve closed it behind him when they’d come in.

A rough hand seized her wrist—and squeezed. Hard.“Just remember what I said, young Susie. I’ll be watching you. And I’ll be making sure you do what you’re told.”

She didn’t turn. Didn’t look at him. She couldn’t. He repulsed her. Instead, she yanked her arm free and slipped outside, a hurry in her steps.

Only once her house was out of sight did she allow the tears to roll down her cheeks.