“Where are you taking me?” she said to Gris.
“You know damn well where I’m taking you. I’m taking you home. And don’t think it’s going to be as easy to get away from me a second time. Now that I’ve got you back, I’m going to make damn sure I keep you. You’re not going to have a car. You’re not going to have a job. You’re going to stay in the house, and you’re going to do what you’re told. You’ll eat when you’re told to eat. You’ll talk when you’re told to talk. And you’ll fuck when you’re told to fuck. Are we clear?”
“Gris, you can’t do this to me.”
“What do you mean, I can’t do this to you? I am doing it to you, and there’s no one in the world to stop me.”
“My friends. They’ll call the police when they realize I’m gone. They saw you threaten me.”
“Didn’t you see what just happened back there, sweetheart. I have the police in my pocket. The sheriff in that town is as spineless as a snake. All I had to do was threaten him and he gave me the run of the town jail.”
“What did you say to him?”
“Well, truth is, I didn’t have to say much. He was ready to believe all sorts of terrible things about your little boyfriend, Forrester. Turns out he came from that town, and everyone knew who he was.”
“I know. I heard.”
“Then you’ll have heard that his past wasn’t all that different from yours, Elle. His parents didn’t love him either.”
“His mother died. I’m sure she’d have loved him if she’d lived.”
“But she didn’t live. Forrester killed her coming out of her. And the dad hated his guts for it.”
“His dad must have been sick.”
“Call it what you want, sweet cheeks, but that father brutalized Forrester and in my book, that counts as hate.”
Elle’s cheeks flushed. She hated the way Gris was talking about Forrester, and she hated when he called her sweet cheeks.
Gris lit a cigarette. They’d left the town behind and were heading into the dark and windy road that led through the mountains into the town. Elle thought back to the night she’d arrived. It had been so recent, and yet it felt like a lifetime ago.
Gris kept talking.
“I guess that’s why you were so attracted to him, Elle. I mean, apart from his pretty boy looks. He was a discard, just like you. No one wanted him, just like no one wanted you. Did you hear the story of what his old man did to him?”
At that, Gris let out a hearty laugh. Elle felt sick.
“So, Elle, listen. I’ve been thinking. I don’t want you getting away from me again, so I came up with a plan. Why don’t I put a ring on you?”
“Excuse me?” Elle said.
“I’ll marry you. That way, you can’t go anywhere. You’ll be mine.”
“Gris,” Elle said. “The only reason I’m in this car right now is because you said you’d hurt Forrester if I didn’t come with you. I don’t want to marry you. I’m in love with him.”
Gris laughed again. “You can’t be in love with someone who doesn’t love you back, you stupid bitch.”
“Gris,” Elle said, but she wasn’t even sure what she was going to say.
She knew she was in love with Forrester, but she wasn’t so certain he was in love with her. What if she was wrong? What if Gris was right? Could there really be love if the other person didn’t feel it too?
But she knew he felt it. The last time she’d been with him, she’d felt his love. She’d felt it right in the core of her being. He’d loved her like a raging fire that no one could put out. She knew that. The only reason Forrester hadn’t showed up the other day at the diner was because Gris and his henchmen had thrown him in jail. If he’d been able to get out of there, he’d have come for her.
“I’ll never marry you,” she said firmly.
And then it came. What she knew was coming, sooner or later. Gris’s heavy hand swung across the car and slapped her right in the face.
“Don’t make me pull this car over and teach you some manners, bitch.”
“You can’t teach me anything, Gris,” Elle said back, defiantly.
She’d made up her mind. She’d let Gris create some distance from the town. She’d buy Forrester some time to get over his injuries. She’d stay with Gris for a few days if necessary. But then she would escape. As soon as she felt Forrester might be out of that jail, she’d escape and get back to him.
“You know what,” Gris said, “I should just stop the car and get you to suck my cock. That will show you what you’re worth.”
“I’m worth so much more than that, Gris.”
“That’s not what you used to think. You always did whatever I wanted. You were my little slut.”
“I didn’t know what to think back then.”