scream, the assailant covered my mouth with his gloved hand and straddled me between his thighs.
“Shut the fuck up,” he growled, pushing against my mouth. “Don’t give me a reason to kill you , bitch.”
M y eyes filled with tears as I stared up at the man whose face was covered by a black ski mask. All I could see were his glittery dark eyes and scowling mouth.
“ I’ve got a message for you,” he whispered, staring coldly into my eyes. Raising a switchblade, he pressed it against my cheek. “A warning. One that will allow you to live should you be intelligent enough to heed it. Keep your nose out of other people’s business.”
I stared into his cruel eyes, unable to breathe.
“Got that?” he asked, his breath hot on my face.
I nodded vehemently.
We stared at each other for what seemed like forever, wh en something changed in his expression. I recoiled in horror, recognizing the look.
“You smell good,” he whispered huskily. He licked his lips and began moving a hand over my body, making me shudder in terror. I wasn’t sure if he was going to rape me, kill me, or both. “If you tell anyone about his,” he breathed, his hand squeezing my breast. “Anyone – you’ll fucking die.”
I closed my eyes and began crying into his glove.
He brushed his lips against my th roat and then moved to my ear, breathing heavily. “You cause any trouble for anyone,” he whispered, “your children will die first, and I’ll make sure you get a front row seat.”
My muffled cries turned to choked sobs and he squeezed my mouth painfully.
“Shut up ,” he spat, “or I’ll kill everyone, right now. Wouldn’t bother me in the least.”
I reached somewhere inside and forced myself to quit sobbing for my children. They needed my courage more than anything at the moment.
“That’s it,” he whispered, loosening his grip on my mouth. After a few more horrifying minutes of being felt up, he lifted himself off of the bed and ran a finger down the sharp edge of the knife. “Just so you know,” he smiled darkly, “I’ll be watching you. You can’t hide and don’t even think about running. I have connections all over.” Then he turned and slipped quietly out of my bedroom.
I didn’t even hesitate; I immediately jumped out of bed and grabbed the metal bat hiding underneath it. Ironically, I’d hidden it there in case of intruders when Scott had begun “working” his longer hours. Breathing heavily, I moved slowly out of my bedroom and down the dark hallway towards the stairs, hearing nothing but the ticking of the Grandfather clock. When I heard a creak from somewhere upstairs, my heart stopped.
If that bastard touches my kids, I’ll fucking kill him!
Fueled now by anger, I threw caution to the wind and rushed upstairs to their bedrooms, ready to fight to the death, if needed. When I found them both alone and safely sleeping, I whispered a silent prayer and then continued my search. When the rest of the house appeared empty, I sat down at the kitchen table and allowed myself to cry.
What do I do? What in the hell do I do?
I was so torn. The man had threatened to kill my children if I reported anything. I was certain that Jerry was responsible, so reporting the incident to the police wasn’t even an option. I also considered calling Jake, but I knew he’d probably go after Jerry, which might provoke another visit from that monster. My gut told me he’d make good on his promise, too, if he returned.
I stood up and began to pace, trying to weigh my options. In the end, I decided to change the locks on all my doors and look into getting a gun.
Frightened and defeated, I stayed up the rest of the night, the bat on my lap and a butcher knife in my hand. When the morning sun began to rise, I put them both away and began making breakfast.
Chapter Sixtee n
After the kids left for school, I took a shower with the bathroom door locked and the butcher knife next to my shampoo. I wasn’t sure
C. J. Cherryh
Learning to Kill: Stories
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