I bit hard, my teeth sinking deep until I could taste blood. He groaned and jolted from the pain until I finally released him. Mason sat up, one hand to his bloodied mouth, the hand already raised. His open palm connected with my cheek, the sharp slap echoing through the woods.
“Fucking bitch!” he fumed, struggling to form the words. My eyes were squeezed shut while I coped with the sting, and I started wishing to be anywhere else but trapped in the woods.
“Open,” he demanded, his tone chilling.
I obliged, fearing reprisal. Through damp lashes, I met his eyes. He smirked, his gaze dropping to something in his hand. My lip stopped quivering and instead, my fear took hold.
In a terrifying moment, I was met with Mason’s sadistic smiling face and his switchblade. Its blade glinted in the small stream of light which penetrated the forest canopy.
“You may not love me like you do him, Gem,” Mason started, dragging the blade down my cheek, catching the tears. “But I want to give you something that reminds you of me. Do you wanna know what that is?”
I was frozen in place, too scared to move in case the knife slipped. “No.”
He sneered.
“I want to show you. Make sure you keep your eyes open for this one. You don’t want to miss a single stroke.”
Pulling my arms back down to my side, Mason crawled high into a straddle, his knees pinning me down. My upper arms bore the full weight of him, knees squishing muscle and flesh. I screamed, but he didn’t ease the pain.
“It’s for your own good, Gem.” His eyes glistened with a sickening promise. “You’ll see.” Mason pulled the straps of my bra and dress over my shoulder, his forearm resting across my neck. I was pinned from the waist up, and now he seemed intent on choking me. I could only see his face, his expression unreadable, stormy eyes focused on his next task. The tip of the blade carved into my flesh.
The tender skin under my collarbone was on fire, each drag of the knife igniting more agonizing pain.
If I moved, he increased the pressure on my neck.
He tore at my skin like he owned it.
He carved into me, relishing the sight of blood he set free by his own doing.
I begged.
I pleaded.
Every word fell on deaf ears until finally, he sat straight, removing his arm from my neck. I coughed, gasped and sobbed simultaneously wanting nothing more than to curl in a ball and cry.
“Pretty neat for my standards,” Mason said, pleased with his efforts. I had no idea what he had branded on me. I was too scared to know. The smile dropped from his face, and his eyes narrowed.
“A little something from me to you. Something to remember me by.”
Chapter 17
“Owww…” I sobbed, tears dripping into the bowl of water I was hunched over.
I was alone in the cabin, dabbing at the fresh wound. Staring ahead, my pained eyes locked on the black knot in the woodgrain wall. I was trembling, which only added to the pain, the cloth pulling at torn flesh. Mason had escorted me back until we were twenty yards shy of the cabin, his fingers digging into the tender part above my elbow. When we came to a stop, he swung me to face him. Blood had dripped like a fountain from the wound and covered my breast, my yellow sundress was completely ruined.
He inched his face closer to mine, his teeth bared. “Breathe a word of this to Lucas, and I’ll do more than carve a few letters into your skin. Do you understand?”
Still in shock, I didn’t reply fast enough. Patience lost, Mason gripped my shoulders and shook me, spurring me into action. “Do you hear me? Do you understand, Gem?”
“Yes.” I was utterly defeated.
He released me, using his thumb to stroke my cheek. It was an endearing gesture but one that was filled with malevolence.
“Good girl,” Mason crooned. “Go clean yourself up.”
He stalked away, heading back to where Lucas would be waiting at the stream. For a long while, I waited, too numb and exhausted to move. When Mason had disappeared into the thick of trees, I staggered to the cabin and collapsed. At first, I hugged my legs to my chest, rocking back and forth, crying. Then fear of Lucas returning and finding me in that state propelled me into action.
The dress was a throw-away. Since there was no shower, I made use of water from our bottle collection. My limbs were covered in dirt, the rest, blood courtesy of Mason. Carefully applying gauze from the first aid kit I brought on the second trip to the cabin, I changed into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, concealing the wound. Gathering my belongings, I made to leave. I couldn’t stay here. I needed to be as far away from Mason as possible.
With a sorrowful glance around the room, I said my goodbye. It would be my last visit. My fingertips barely touched the brass handle when the door flung open. The two brothers stood in the entry. Lucas eyed my backpack with confusion while Mason’s hard face spelled out the warning.
“Gem, where are you going?” Lucas asked, brows knitted together.
“I’m heading home,” I stumbled the words which only further piqued Lucas’s curiosity.
He crossed the threshold causing me to step further back into the cabin. “What? Why? We weren’t planning on going back until tomorrow.”
Mason’s brows raised in challenge. He was daring me to speak the truth.
I hated lying to my best friend, but what I detested even more was knowing Mason would come after me a second time. “I have a science exam next week, and I need extra help—”
“I know,” Lucas interjected. “I was going to help you with it tonight.”
“It’s too late,” Mason offered with false sincerity. “The sun’s going down, and it’s not safe in the woods at night.” A small smile twitched his lips. “You never know who or what’s lurking around.”
My eyes prickled. If I burst out crying Lucas would surely know I was lying. Already, I could see him questioning why my eyes were red and puffy.
“Gem, Mason’s right. Besides…” he stepped forward cupping my cheek. Over his shoulder, Mason carefully watched. “I need you here with me. I can’t go back home yet.” The desperation in his voice was heartbreaking. Of course, he didn’t want to go home. If I were in his situation, I wouldn’t want to either. “I’ll help you with whatever you need.” He continued, “Please, just don’t let it upset you.”
“Okay,” I whispered, stepping out of his touch. I turned away from them both, eager to escape their scrutiny. Letting the bag slip to the crook of my elbow, I tossed it onto the couch wincing as the tender flesh tore a little more from the movement.
Gauging my body language, Lucas approached from behind, placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder.
“What is it?”
“Nothing,” I dismissed. “It’s nothing.”
“Okay.” Lucas studied me with concern, but I couldn’t fully meet his gaze. I would break down if I did. “Let me know when you want to start studying. I’ll help. I promise you’ll pass.”
“I will,” I responded quietly, pulling away. With my back still to the brothers, I sat on the sofa and flipped to a random page in the textbook. I didn’t care for the exam. I didn’t care for the words and formulas on the page that were nothing more than a blur.
“What do you mean you couldn’t find them?” Lucas asked in disbelief. “They’re right here!” He held up the packet of fishing sinkers from the small dining table and waved them at his brother.
Mason chuckled knowingly while shrugging his shoulders. “I guess I missed them.”
“Missed them or just didn’t look properly.”
“Had more important things on my mind, brother,” he said with a hint of sickening humor.
I visibly cringed. I needed to remove myself from this situation and get as far away from Mason Carter as possible. But I couldn’t. I was stuck in his presence until we made moves the next morning. Opposite me, Mason propped himself up on a rusty stool and juggled a shiny green apple. He held my gaze before taking a large crunchy bite, winking as he chewed, humiliation his goal.
It was going to be a long night.
~