Page 3 of The Mountain Man's Hunted Bride

The doorknob wiggles. “Tawny, honey, open up. I need to talk to you,” Chris, the oldest, slurs drunkenly.

No. Please no. Not tonight.

“Tawny, open up, baby girl.”

Reaching under my bed, I grab my partially packed backpack and start shoving what little I have inside.

“Tawny, open the door, damn it. I need to talk to you.”

My hands are shaking and I’m gasping for air. I’m going to have to make a run for it, but the only escape from up here is out the window and onto the roof.

I’ve thought about this more than once over the last month. What I’d do if they tried to attack me. At the back of the house there’s a tree that has a branch that hangs over the roof a few feet. I might be able to climb across it then down the tree.

The problem is I’m terrified of heights and have never climbed a tree in my life.

So, the alternative is to stay and get raped?

There’s a three-quarter moon which makes it easier to see what I’m doing, and harder to hide if I do make it down alive.

“Tawny, open the damn door before I kick it down. Pa said it’s time. I’m not waiting any longer. You belong to us and I need a fuck.”

Go to hell, you bastard. Nobody owns me.Slipping on the backpack, I clasp the chest strap then slide the window up and shut it behind me, hoping to buy myself more time.

More yelling reaches me and I think I hear Joey fighting with Chris. Joey and I have always been the outcast step-siblings. He and I have tried to look out for each other. God, I hope they don’t hurt him.

Crossing the roof, I slip and fall. Desperately I grapple for anything to stop my swift slide toward the edge. Snagging a loose shingle, I’m able to get control.

Getting to my feet, I stumble toward the point where the tree limb hangs over the roof.

The pounding from my room gets louder. “Open the fucking door bitch, or I swear I’ll kick it in.”

No time left. Grabbing the branch, I wrap my arms around it and slip over the edge of the roof. The branch bounces a couple times before it bends under my weight. It stops moving and I hear a slight crack. Taking a deep breath, I let go. Hitting the ground sooner than I expected, I roll to the side and scramble to my feet. Nothing broken.

I turn toward the road and hesitate. That’s what they’ll expect. If I go up the mountain to the east there’s an old lady who raises chickens and sells eggs. I went there a couple times with Mom before she died. Maybe I can hide in her barn, or she may even help me. I’ll need daylight to find it, but right now I need to put some distance between me and the Stump’s house.

In the woods, I take time to grab a branch and try to hide my trail as I go. I’m sure a tracker could easily find me but none of them are that smart. I’m scared, but I’m alive and I’m free.

I don’t know how far I’ve gone or what direction I’m headed in when the adrenaline wears off and exhaustion takes over. I come across a couple boulders that butt up against each other making what looks like a chair to my weary mind. I climb up andsettle in, thankful that I don’t have to sit on the wet ground. Just for a couple minutes I assure myself before I drift off.

Something brushes against my foot, and I wake with a start, sitting up so quickly I almost fall off the boulder.

The sun is rising and a beautiful golden retriever meets my gaze and cocks his head. Looking over him, I see the egg woman a few feet behind him, rifle cradled in the fold of her arms.

“I know you. You bought eggs with your momma. She was living with that no count fool Stump.” She squints. “Heard she died. He kill her too? Like the other ones?”

“Others?”

“His first two.”

I—I think he pushed Mom down the stairs.”

“He try to kill you?”

“He... his sons wanted to rape me. I got away but they’ll be looking for me. I need to tell the police chief.”

She scoffs. “The current police chiefs got no balls. Can’t protect you. Nope. We got to figure out something else. Can you walk?”

“Yes ma’am. But I don’t want to cause you trouble.”