Chapter Thirty-Four
Scout’s rancid fart wakes me up from a nice dream. Or maybe it’s because I need to piss. Hell, it’s probably because I have a beautiful naked woman in my arms. Regardless, I’m not ready to get up. The sun hasn’t even risen yet.
With a yawn, I slip out from under Destiny’s hold. The second I inhale Scout’s obnoxious fart, I regret the deep breath of air and fight gagging on it. I’m considering making the dog sleep with Wild. They can be annoying together.
The light above the sink in the kitchen area of the RV casts a glow on the mountain of dishes Wild still hasn’t tackled.
Fucker. Tomorrow, I’m going to chain his ass to the sink until he does them.
Does he seriously need a new knife every time to cut up his apples or can he not just rinse the one off and reuse it?
Shaking my head, I slip into the bathroom and take a much-needed piss.
After a quick wash, I sneak back to bed where Destiny is sleeping.
I’ll need to get her to the cabin before everyone gets up.
We may have a plan in place, but I’d like not to get busted for fucking my sister.
It feels like something we should tell everyone gently. Surprises are never good.
I crawl into bed over her sleeping form and begin waking her with kisses to her neck and chest. Because this girl knows what she wants, she pushes my head down, leading me right where she wants me.
I inhale her familiar scent and start licking her pussy in earnest. She squirms and whimpers and moans.
“Shhh,” I hiss against her clit. “Keep quiet.”
She yanks at my hair but does attempt to keep it down. I easily bring her to climax since I know exactly what she likes. While she’s still shuddering from her orgasm, I prowl up her body and then push my cock into her slick opening.
“Ahh, fuck.” I groan into her mouth. “You feel so fucking good.”
Being inside of Destiny is peace and chaos all twisted up into one thing.
It’s wrong, but it’s so, so fucking right.
With each thrust of my hips, she tugs at my hair and gets louder as the pleasure continues to consume her.
This makes me feral and I fuck her hard, our bodies slapping noisily together.
Scout makes a displeased huffing sound, but it doesn’t stop me.
When she starts to cry out, I cover her mouth with mine, stifling her noises but never stopping the thrusting of my hips.
Feels so fucking divine.
A sharp pain in my shoulder has me cramping up. I’m blissed the fuck out, but my shoulder still hurts from hitting the tree earlier.
Fuck, now my ribs?
It takes several seconds to realize I’m being punched over and over again on my backside. A burst of fiery pain assaults my kidney area and then there’s a blast so deep inside me I grow dizzy.
What the fuck is happening?
“Get off her!”
The snarled, crazed words make it to my ears quicker than realization does. I’m being attacked.
“Rowdy!” Destiny cries out, horror in her tone.
I attempt to fling the person off, to no avail. Another sharp pain jabs me below the shoulder blade. A roar tears out of me at the same time my muscle does. All I can think about is protecting Destiny from the assailant. If I cover her body with mine, they won’t be able to get to her.
Everything spins and blurs.
Nothing makes sense.
I slump against Destiny as she screams in my ear. Her hands are all over me, sliding over my shoulders in the slippery substance pulsing out of me. It’s blood. She’s fingering my blood.
I’m vaguely aware of lights been flicked on. Then big hands are lifting me so my sister can slip out from under me. I make a pained cry, knowing she’s going to be seen naked by whoever is doing this to me and there’s nothing I can do about it.
Are they going to hurt her too?
I whimper and it sounds so fucking sad. My strength to grab at her is gone. Destiny. Oh, fuck, I have to help her.
“Call nine-one-one!” someone shouts, pure panic in their words. “Hurry the fuck up!”
“Dez,” I croak, words gurgling out of me.
“Don’t try to talk,” a familiar voice says gently. “I think some of these went deep.”
Uncle Atticus?
“Why?” Destiny screeches from somewhere down the hall.
I attempt to sit up on my elbows but can’t do it. A wave of nausea and dizziness makes it impossible. Everything hurts too damn bad.
“Fuck, there’s a lot of blood,” Uncle Atticus bites out. “Destiny, call the police. Now, dammit.”
The bedding beneath me grows saturated. Must be all the blood. Who the hell stabbed me?
My lungs burn and then I start to cough. The pain is unbearable. With each cough, I taste the metallic tang of blood on my tongue.
In the far distance, I can hear Destiny sobbing as she tells someone to send an ambulance. Uncle Atticus is doing something to my back. Pushing on it maybe? It hurts and I wish I could shove him away. Why isn’t Wild doing anything?
Did he do this?
Because I chose my sister over him?
My heart breaks at the thought of him doing something so heinous. Or maybe it wasn’t him at all. Maybe Alex got loose. What if it was Evan and he was mad at me getting Alex caught?
“They want to talk to you,” Destiny says, closer than before. A voice can be heard, but it’s too soft for me to hear. Destiny’s small, sweet hand touches my ass and she starts to cry harder. “Oh God. He’s so cold, Uncle Atticus.”
A dark wave claims me completely.
I’m jostled awake and I hear screaming. It’s hysterical and nonsensical. Also, it’s snowing. I’m on a stretcher and am being carried out of the RV. Nearby, a female screeches with hatred. Some kind of mountain lion?
“Stop,” a deep voice booms. “Fucking stop!” Then with a cracking voice, he says, “Dad, help me.”
I try to turn my head toward them, but my eyes close without my approval. Every movement on the stretcher sends sharp pains throughout every nerve ending. Tears streak from the corners of my eyes. This is agony.
What is happening?
Where is Destiny?
This sends me into another coughing fit that hurts so fucking bad I beg for death to take me.
No. I don’t want that. I just want to stop hurting.
Scout barks his head off, but no doubt is doing nothing. He’s useless when it comes to protection. I suppose I am too. I couldn’t even protect myself. At least Destiny seems to be okay.
A heavy, dragging feeling tugs at me deep, deep inside. It’s as if my soul is being pulled from my body. The sensation is so terrifying, I cry out for my father.
Dad, please help me.
Whenever I was a boy and scared, Dad always came to the rescue. He’s terrifying for his enemies and protective over the ones he loves. One day, I want to be a dad like him. Even if I could be half the father he is, it would still be good. I miss him so fucking much.
But he’s nowhere.
I’m all alone, being carried away from the only people around here who love me.
Darkness steals me again.
Bright lights burn into my eyes from behind my eyelids, jolting me back to awareness. Based on the sterile smell and chaos of voices and machinery, I think maybe I’m in the ambulance.
“Sir,” a person says, “can you open your eyes? Talk to us and tell us what happened.”
It feels like an impossible feat. My mouth only works to cough. More blood in my mouth. More dizzying pain in my chest.
“Rapist! He’s a rapist! Not her husband! Not her husband!”
The screams of the mountain lion have words, but they’re silenced as the door closes with a slam. A surge of panic ripples through me, which sends another fit of coughs bursting from me.
I feel like I can’t breathe.
I can’t breathe.
I can’t fucking breathe.
“…likely a collapsed lung…”
Stars twirl around me and I pass out.
Destiny.
I need Destiny.
“Shhh,” a sweet voice croons, squeezing my hand. “I’m here.”
I’m unable to see her because each time we hit a bump, the pain is excruciating and blinding, but I can hear her. She’s here.
Her hand feels hot inside my cold one and oh-so small. I ache to rewind back to earlier. I’m unable to figure out what happened or why. My brain can’t seem to make sense of anything.
All I remember is Destiny beneath me.
Loving her.
Kissing her.
Fucking her.
Is this all about to end?
Sadness settles deep in my bones. Tears continue to stream from my eyes. When a sob rattles out of me, it sends me into another vicious coughing fit that makes me black out.
I’m flying.
Weeeeee.
I remember the first time Dad took me flying. He held me above his head and I pretended to flap my wings. It was exciting. And now, I can feel the air dancing over me as we rush by.
My cracked eyelids allow me to focus on one thing. A vending machine. It’s the same one from so long ago. I remember the big dent on one side.
I’m back there.
The place where death tried to steal me.
A hospital in town.
No.
I try to suck in air, but I can’t. An inhuman groan rattles deep within and then I thrash like a fish on the riverbank. Just like the fish, I can’t fucking breathe.
“Ma’am, wait over there,” someone bites out. “You’re in the way!”
“Rowdy! Rowdy! Don’t leave me!”
Destiny’s voice grows smaller and smaller. I convulse, unable to take a calming breath. It’s all too much.
People are trying to help me, but I don’t understand what’s happening or what they’re saying. All I know is I’m shoved under bright lights while I suffocate right in front of them.
I’m shoved this way and that way, all the pains deep inside me screaming for me. Darkness steals over me, but this time it feels final. Like if I allow it, I won’t come back from it.
And I need to.
God, I need to.
Destiny needs me and I need her.
Please, I don’t want to die.
I begged once before for my life, and I was spared.
Does a man get a second chance?
Everything turns completely dark, warm, and muffled. I’m able to relax and the pain subsides. This is okay. Much better. Maybe I should stay here awhile.
“We’re losing him!”
Who?
Who are they losing?
My very last thought isn’t Destiny or Dad or strawberry milkshakes.
It’s Spirit. The best wolf dog ever to be.
She’s back at the homestead, waiting for me to come back.
But I’ll never see her again.
The flatline beeping sound cuts through my warm cocoon and signals the end I knew was coming.
I didn’t want to die.
It was too soon.
Too fucking soon.