reaching out a hand to stroke her hair. “I hear you have some news for me, beautiful girl.”
Brooke ignored him. She was living in the bubble where if she didn’t say the words out loud again, they weren’t real. The bubble was nice, safe, comfortable. Delusion was the only thing that got her through the day, trapped in a Hell she couldn’t escape.
Marcus’s hand stilled in her hair and he tugged it, forcing her to roll over and meet his eyes. “Ignoring me is not a smart option, Brooke.”
“You already know, why do I have to say it?” she demanded. He was insufferable with his need for control.
“I want you to tell me the news, Brooke.” He moved closer to her and glared at her until she huffed and gave in.
“Fine, you arrogant prick. I’m pregnant, okay? You already know I am so making me say it is completely ridiculous. But you got what you wanted, I’m going to have your baby. Now, just go away and leave me alone.” Brooke flopped back down, giving him her back once again.
“I’m very pleased, Brooke. Your first child and in such a short amount of time, I know you will give me a magnificent product.” He leaned down and kissed her head, choosing to ignore her silent tears, before leaving her to cry in the darkness alone.
Every day like clockwork, a meal tray arrived to her chamber. Her immaculately decorated, spacious house of horrors. The large, sinister looking man covered in tattoos would saunter into her room and deliver a tray of the most delicious meals. Greta was no longer granted the privilege of delivering her meals, she was simply a companion for Brooke ever since the incident in the dungeon. The aroma was always so hard to resist, even though every fiber of her being screamed at her to grab the tray and launch it at him, and then run like hell for the door.
The nightmares she had witnessed while being in this godforsaken place was the only thing that kept her sitting frozen, watching him approach with careful eyes.
Dropping the tray on the dark wood table a few feet from the bed where she sat, he leveled her with a look.
“You will eat it.” It wasn’t a question, it was a cold command from the brick wall pretending to be a human. In the first few weeks of her captivity, she had learned what happened when she tried to remain stubborn and starve herself. Shuddering, she shook off the horrific memories.
“I want to see him.” She spoke out of nowhere, surprising herself as much as him. He cocked a brow at her, his displeasure at her demand evident.
“He will come to you when you are more ripe.” With those words, he turned and stomped out of the room, the finality of the lock clicking sounding as loud as a bullhorn. She dropped her head in defeat, her hands moving to splay across her belly protectively as silent tears tracked down her cheeks.
I will find a way to free us, little one.
CHAPTER TEN
N ora was giving Shadow his morning workout before helping the other ranch hands round up the cattle when she spotted Gabe’s truck pulling into the lane. Stroking the soft fur of the horse’s mane, she whispered in his ear to settle him. “I know, I know, I don’t want him coming and going as he pleases either.”
Kicking him into a trot towards the stables, she called a good morning to a few of the workers that were just stumbling out of the bunk. It wasn’t usual for her hands to stay the night but with the busy cattle season around the corner, Nora wanted to start new processes and traditions. It was all part of her grand plan to build Jacobs’ Ranch into the place she knew it could be.
Reaching the stable, she dismounted and walked Shadow the rest of the way inside. She felt Gabe’s presence before she saw him, the heat coming off his body was like a goddamn furnace. Seriously, was the man hot all the time?
“Ah, there she is.” Gabe wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, taking Shadow’s reins from her hands.
“Good morning, baby,” he whispered in
Brooke ignored him. She was living in the bubble where if she didn’t say the words out loud again, they weren’t real. The bubble was nice, safe, comfortable. Delusion was the only thing that got her through the day, trapped in a Hell she couldn’t escape.
Marcus’s hand stilled in her hair and he tugged it, forcing her to roll over and meet his eyes. “Ignoring me is not a smart option, Brooke.”
“You already know, why do I have to say it?” she demanded. He was insufferable with his need for control.
“I want you to tell me the news, Brooke.” He moved closer to her and glared at her until she huffed and gave in.
“Fine, you arrogant prick. I’m pregnant, okay? You already know I am so making me say it is completely ridiculous. But you got what you wanted, I’m going to have your baby. Now, just go away and leave me alone.” Brooke flopped back down, giving him her back once again.
“I’m very pleased, Brooke. Your first child and in such a short amount of time, I know you will give me a magnificent product.” He leaned down and kissed her head, choosing to ignore her silent tears, before leaving her to cry in the darkness alone.
Every day like clockwork, a meal tray arrived to her chamber. Her immaculately decorated, spacious house of horrors. The large, sinister looking man covered in tattoos would saunter into her room and deliver a tray of the most delicious meals. Greta was no longer granted the privilege of delivering her meals, she was simply a companion for Brooke ever since the incident in the dungeon. The aroma was always so hard to resist, even though every fiber of her being screamed at her to grab the tray and launch it at him, and then run like hell for the door.
The nightmares she had witnessed while being in this godforsaken place was the only thing that kept her sitting frozen, watching him approach with careful eyes.
Dropping the tray on the dark wood table a few feet from the bed where she sat, he leveled her with a look.
“You will eat it.” It wasn’t a question, it was a cold command from the brick wall pretending to be a human. In the first few weeks of her captivity, she had learned what happened when she tried to remain stubborn and starve herself. Shuddering, she shook off the horrific memories.
“I want to see him.” She spoke out of nowhere, surprising herself as much as him. He cocked a brow at her, his displeasure at her demand evident.
“He will come to you when you are more ripe.” With those words, he turned and stomped out of the room, the finality of the lock clicking sounding as loud as a bullhorn. She dropped her head in defeat, her hands moving to splay across her belly protectively as silent tears tracked down her cheeks.
I will find a way to free us, little one.
CHAPTER TEN
N ora was giving Shadow his morning workout before helping the other ranch hands round up the cattle when she spotted Gabe’s truck pulling into the lane. Stroking the soft fur of the horse’s mane, she whispered in his ear to settle him. “I know, I know, I don’t want him coming and going as he pleases either.”
Kicking him into a trot towards the stables, she called a good morning to a few of the workers that were just stumbling out of the bunk. It wasn’t usual for her hands to stay the night but with the busy cattle season around the corner, Nora wanted to start new processes and traditions. It was all part of her grand plan to build Jacobs’ Ranch into the place she knew it could be.
Reaching the stable, she dismounted and walked Shadow the rest of the way inside. She felt Gabe’s presence before she saw him, the heat coming off his body was like a goddamn furnace. Seriously, was the man hot all the time?
“Ah, there she is.” Gabe wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, taking Shadow’s reins from her hands.
“Good morning, baby,” he whispered in
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