Finn tossed the ring to the bed and left the room. I considered chasing him down, but I needed to get dressed first. I scrambled, dropping the towel a second after he was out the door, and I lunged for fresh clothes. I grabbed jeans and then grabbed the same t-shirt I had been wearing and threw it on. The ring caught my eye and I snuck it back into my pocket. Whatever the hell the damn thing meant it still had cash value. That was the whole point of having it.
I didn’t love Zander. I didn’t want to get married to Zander. I didn’t even have sex with Zander! The engagement was basically a prop. It was the way Zander showed affection and claimed women he wanted to eventually fuck, use, abuse, and leave for dead.
I ran out the front door of the cabin. The sun was getting extra heavy and starting to fall. A thin line of brilliant colors battled their way through the gaps between the branches and leaves on the trees. It was getting cool out already and my wet hair was not going to serve me well. But I needed to get to Finn.
I hurried around the side of the cabin and ran.
I then heard a thud! Then a grunt followed by another thud!.
When I stopped, I saw Finn standing at a chopping block. He put a piece of wood on the block and then lifted a large axe into the air. The back of his shirt pulled tight to his back, showing off deep ridges of muscle. When he brought the axe down, he grunted, hit the large piece of wood, and it shattered into two.
“It’s not what you think,” I said.
Finn turned. His eyes were beady, evil. His hand gripped the end of the axe with a fierce grip. Veins jutted out of his hand and up his arm. His forehead already glistened with sweat.
“I might as well just give you up to Fiore for good. That’s what I had planned on doing. Let him do whatever he needs to do. Then I could go back to my fucking business.”
“That’s what you want? Just toss me aside? Leave me to be…”
Finn curled his lip. “You’re fucking engaged to him, Shayna. You have no idea…”
“This was what he wanted,” I yelled. “It was my only chance of staying alive. Okay? I had no choice. If I didn’t accept anything he offered, I’d be dead. Gone. Hurt. Tortured. Killed. I’ve seen enough to know, Finn.”
“You’re engaged to a boss,” Finn said. “And I’m supposed to fuck you?”
“So now I’m tainted?” I hugged myself and suddenly felt gross.
“Just go back inside,” Finn said. “We have to get through tonight and I’ll make a decision.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
“Whether I give you up or not.”
My heart twisted. “Fuck you, Finn. You don’t control me. I’ll just take off.”
“Then Fiore will find you,” Finn said. “I’ll find you. You think Zander does bad things? Please. You haven’t seen what Fiore is capable of. The man is grieving, brokenhearted, and teetering on insanity.”
“I don’t love Zander,” I said. “I’ve never…”
“Go inside!” Finn bellowed.
His voice echoed like thunder through the woods.
I crossed my arms. “No.”
He looked at the cabin, then at me. He stepped at me, still holding the axe. “You don’t understand what the cabin means. What it was supposed to be to me.”
“Then tell me,” I said. “Tell me, Finn. I want to know about you. I’m here, right? I’m trying to trust you.”
“I want to fucking trust you,” Finn said. “But what does it matter? You're engaged to a boss. My boss wants to hold your body hostage. I’m trapped in the middle of it. All I wanted was a beer and fuck.”
Anger flooded my body now. Like Finn hadn’t done anything wrong? Screw you, Finn. Screw you.
“Then fuck me,” I said. “There’s beer in the fridge. Perfect night.”
Finn approached me some more. “Let me get one thing straight, again. If I want to fuck you, I will. Just like I put you against the door in there. You haven’t been touched in a long time, sweetie. I felt it.”
“Then why are you so mad?” I asked. “I haven’t been with Zander. Ever. Never. I never would.”
Finn was a foot away from me. He dropped the axe. His hand rolled up into a fist. “So then what is it? You like the sense of power? You like sucking off that?”
“I bet you wouldn't be complaining if I was sucking something.”
“Yeah?” Finn grabbed between his legs. “Get on your knees then. I own you now, Shayna. Remember that. Your body. My dick. That’s what is going to get us out of this shit.”
“You said you were going to think of a plan,” I said.
Finn put a hand to my face. His fingers stroked my wet hair. His other hand was still between his legs. His hand slipped behind my neck and he pulled at me. I thought we were going to kiss but we didn’t.
“You owe me one,” Finn growled. “And I expect to know everything about you soon. If not, you’re fucking dead to me.”