Chapter 8 Ginny
EIGHT
GINNY
Dr. Marney gripped my wrist as I winced, the skin purpling under his harsh touch. ‘Listen to me, you stupid whore. You do as I say, when I say.’
‘I’m sorry,’ I stammered, trying to pull away and failing. ‘I didn’t mean to.’
My spilled water pooled on the ground between us. Mud clung to the tiny white pills I’d dropped.
‘You take your medication when the nurses tell you, or you’ll be tied to your fucking bed and force-fed them.’ Dr. Marney’s nostrils flared as he spoke, rage in every word.
The head doctor terrified me. The staff, on the whole, were sick in the head, but he was like a coiled viper. All restrained violence just waiting to strike. I tried to avoid him at all costs.
Nancy would never have told on me for not taking my meds, but the scrawny older nurse ran straight to him like a tattletale.
‘They might be bad for the baby,’ I whispered.
Dr. Marney stooped and picked up the pills, mud and all. ‘Open your mouth.’
The pills and his fingers were brown with dirt. I refused with a shake of my head.
His hand met my cheek with a ferocious slap, instantly bringing tears to my eyes.
‘I said, open your mouth.’
My second refusal was harder than the first, my face hot and throbbing where he’d hit me.
The following slap filled my mouth with salty, metallic blood. Tears tracked over my face as I opened my mouth.
‘Better. I know from the state of you that you aren’t a stranger to opening that mouth for a man.’
Earthy musk joined the taste of blood as he shoved the pills into my throat, his other hand grasping me by the nape of the neck and pinning me at arm’s length.
My chest heaved as I gagged on his dirty fingers. Struggling did nothing. I had no option but to obey. Swallowing hard made him release me.
‘With any luck, you’ll miscarry the child,’ he hissed. ‘If not, I’m sure I can make use of it in the basement.’
Wiping blood and dirt from my mouth, I fought the urge to cuss at him.
My shoulders slumped as he turned and stalked back to the building, leaving me amongst the weeds. Using my fingernails, I scraped the muddy remnants from my tongue before drying my tears.
I hated Wellard.
Hated Dr. Marney.
Hated my Mama.
A flash of white drew my eyes to the tree line, a flap of material amongst the dead trunks.
Elijah?
I hadn’t seen him in days.
No one paid me any attention as I slipped away. The trees swallowed me up. Welcomed me in their tangled grasp.
‘Elijah?’ The dried woods deadened my words as I made my way through, looking for any signs of him.
Nothing.
Resting back against rotting bark, I closed my eyes and cradled my stomach.
‘Little un’, I swear your daddy will find a way to get us out of here. We’re family. He’s got to come back for us.’
His familiar scent drifted over me moments before his hand clamped around my mouth.
‘My sweet girl.’ His lips grazed my neck as he pulled me backward against him. ‘I’ve missed you.’
‘I need to get out of here. Please help me? Show me how you get in.’ We could sneak out together. Run away and become a family.
‘You know I can’t take you. Not yet. Not like this.’
‘Then come visit me. Properly. Nurse Nancy said you can.’
Elijah stiffened at the mention of the nurse, and I turned to look at him, wrapping my arms around his neck and breathing him in.
‘You can’t trust them. None of them. Neither can I. But when the time comes, I will keep her safe. I promise, Ginny.’ His face softened as he pulled me to him, kissing me deeply. My body reacted with a rush of heat, my muscles relaxing for the first time in days.
‘What if they see?’ I murmured in between tastes of his tongue.
‘Shh,’ it’s okay. They won’t see.’
Pinning me back against a tree, he pressed himself inside me in seconds. Before I was ready.
‘Elijah,’ I whimpered. ‘Can’t we just kiss?’
‘Baby, I need you. It’s killing me to be away from my girls.’ Elijah cupped my stomach as he lost himself inside me. Holding her. Not me.
Gripping his hand, I pulled it up to my waist, but he slid it back down to caress my bump.
The bark dug into my back, scratching me. I cried out as he forced himself deeper. Taking. Always taking. I’d loved him for so many years that I tried to push down the way he sometimes overrode my desires when his own grew too large. He’d told me a good girl always gives first.
I’d always tried to be good for him.
‘Turn around,’ Elijah demanded, forcing my face against the tree. I winced as he filled me with rough jerks, my upper body grazing against the roughened trunk.
Still, he protected my stomach with his strong hands.
‘She’s mine,’ he growled. ‘All mine. And this time I’m keeping her. It won’t be like the others.’
‘And me? I’m her mother.’ My breath hitched as he fucked me viciously.
‘She’ll be with her mother. Always. It’s what we’ve been working for, all this time.’ Elijah shuddered behind me, his body stilling shortly after.
Hot liquid spilled over my thighs from the point where we joined.
‘You’ve been such a good girl,’ he crooned into my hair. ‘Not too long to go.’
‘This place is going to kill me, Elijah.’
His heart thumped against my back as he trailed his fingers over my stomach. ‘I can watch you here. I can be there when the baby comes and it’ll be different this time.’
‘Help me get out.’
‘You just keep growing her. I’ll do the rest.’