Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 82878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 414(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 414(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
“Dan, stop it,” I say as firmly as I can. If I can just get the upper hand here, I might be able to talk my way out of this.
“Dan, stop it,” he mimics. “You’ve pushed for this for months and now you’re going to pretend like you don’t want it to happen? Why? You think you’re too good for me all of a sudden?”
I think literally every woman on the planet is too good for him. “You’re very attractive and all that, but this is not right. You’re married to my mom,” I say, forcing my voice not to become shrill with panic and rage.
He releases me from his hold, and I breathe a sigh of relief. It’s over. Except it isn’t. Dan is only just getting started.
“Since when has that bothered you?” he snaps and shoves me so hard on my chest I fall backwards onto the bed.
“Fucking slut. You really think you’re something, don’t ya? Well, let me tell you something about girls like you. You’re only good for one thing.”
Frantically, I scoot backwards across my bed, but it’s so small there’s nowhere for me to go. My back is already pressed up against the wall. I can feel angry tears filling my eyes as I try to think of something to say to calm my mother’s husband down. Nothing comes to mind. Since there’s nothing I can grab to smack him with, I get ready to kick him in the nuts. So hard, he’ll crumple into a heap and that will give me enough time to get the hell out of this trailer.
Then I’m never coming back.
He smiles down at me, and his eyes shine wickedly. I don’t know if he really believes I’ve somehow been leading him on, or if it’s just something he’s telling himself to justify what he’s about to do to me. Either way, he’s coming for me. As if he knew what I planned to do, he grabs both my ankles and clambers onto my bed. He pulls my ankles wide, and roughly pulls me so I am flat on my back. Then he clambers on top of me, breathing his disgusting breath all over me.
I try to throw him off, but it’s like he’s made of wet sand. His weight holds me in place, and he grabs my flailing arms. He pushes my hands together over my head and holds them in place with one large fist.
I’m screaming now, shouting for help at the top of my lungs, but I don’t know how much good it will do. Our neighbors tend to keep to themselves, not getting into each other’s business. And no one around here will call the police. Not if they don’t want their windows smashed in as a paint can comes crashing through.
Dan is slobbering over my neck. It’s only a matter of time until he goes further. My screams are doing nothing to stop him.
“Dan. Get off her right now,” my mom commands suddenly from the bedroom door.
My scream freezes in my throat and Dan jumps up like I’m a bed of hot coals.
“Oh, Mom,” I whispered, pulling my legs together, relief flooding into me.
Tears run freely down my cheeks now. My mom is here. Everything is going to be okay. She can see what a creep Dan is. She’ll get rid of him, and it’ll go back to just being the two of us. We’ll find another little apartment, but now that I can bring in money too, we’ll make it work.
“You just couldn’t see me happy, could you, Amelia?” my mom asks.
For a second it doesn’t compute. I shake my head in confusion and shock. “What?” I blurt out.
“How could you?” she screams suddenly.
“Mom…”
“Don’t you want me to be happy?” she whispers, her voice suddenly breaking.
Happy? Am I stuck in a nightmare? “Mom, he’s a fucking useless alcoholic who just tried to rape your daughter.”
“You seduced me,” Dan mutters, all the slur gone from his voice.
“Shut up,” Mom throws at him viciously before she turns on me again. “You walk around here in your little outfits, begging for Dan’s attention,” my mom accuses, mirroring Dan’s untrue observation about my skimpy attire. “But I let it go. I told myself you were just seeking attention. You wouldn’t actually try to steal my man, but”
“Steal your man? Can you hear yourself, Mom? You’re delusional.” I look Dan up and down and shake my head. “You think I want to steal him? I wouldn’t have him if he was the last man on earth.”
Mom steps forward and slaps me hard across the face, leaving behind a stinging, burning patch.
“Show a little respect,” she snaps, her face white with anger and hurt.
Dan grins, triumphant. I have no idea how this has happened. My mom came home and literally caught Dan trying to force himself onto me, and somehow, it’s my fault?