Dark Destiny by Avelyn Paige

Delilah

The familiar,ear-piercing repetition of dogs barking inside of their kennels echoes off the high ceilings as the last member of today’s class slips out the door. I nod at the guard that had stayed back to wait for me as I step into the enclosed kennel section of the room to do one last check on the animals.

Today’s class had been surprisingly good, considering Rhett had been away for his court date. Mostly because he wasn’t the only inmate missing. Chad hadn’t been here today, either. Did the sheriff have second thoughts after our rather heated conversation?

A girl could dream.

“Good night, sweet pea,” I call into Penelope’s kennel and smile when she yips out a goodbye of her own. My smile grows when I recall the folded note I’d found in her collar this morning.

Don’t go finding some other criminal to fall for. I’ll be back tomorrow.

My heart feels a little lighter, knowing he was thinking of me, and had found a way to communicate, despite not being here in person. He did care about me, even if he didn’t say it aloud.

Not that we had the chance to really talk. I haven’t laid eyes on him since our very hot and steamy closet rendezvous. That conversation I’d been desperate to have with him is still lingering.

On the bright side, though, him being away from the jail means there’s distance between him and Chad. Distance between Chad and me had been an added bonus.

I toss a few loose toys into the toy bin and check the supply levels in the storage room. Everything looks good and ready to go for tomorrow.

“I’m going to just check the dog run outside,” I call to the guard as I pass.

He pushes off the wall and follows behind me toward the outer doors. He calls over the radio to the control room, and the door buzzes open. Reaching for it, he allows me to go ahead of him before stepping out behind me.

“I won’t be long. Just checking the progress on the new fence.” He nods and stays near the door as I walk out into the sunny yard.

With the state of the old fence, Ashley had closed down this section until work could be done. The sheriff, of course, was against spending any money on it, so we had raised the funds to pay for it ourselves. It took a little longer than we had hoped, but with a large donation to the program, we were able to fully fund the repair, as well as buy extra outdoor kennels with sunshades. The kennels had already been constructed, and the fence was almost done. I hated that these poor dogs had been cooped up inside for the last several months, but that will be ending soon.

After ensuring that all is coming along nicely, I turn around and head back toward the door where the guard was waiting. When an arm wraps around my chest, tugging me into a dark corner of the construction area, I panic at first, but then smile, remembering how wonderful our last secret encounter had been, so I lean into the embrace.

“Court didn’t take long,” I whisper, spinning around. My blood turns to ice when I realize this is definitely not Rhett, but Chad.

“My hearing is still a few days away, sweet cheeks,” Chad says, his hot, rancid breath hitting my face. My stomach churns. Where’s the guard? How did Chad even get out here? Oh, God. We’re alone.

“Chad,” I say, trying to keep the trembling out of my voice. “What are you doing here?”

“I came to see you. I figured you might miss me after the sheriff had me removed from the program, and from Missy.”

Fuck.

“You shouldn’t be out here.” Frantic, I look around the outdoor kennels. No guards. No other inmates. We’re truly and utterly alone.

“Looking for the guard?” Chad sneers. “Got a friend dealing with him, so he’s a little busy at the moment.”

No, no, no. This can’t be happening.

I have to get to that door and hit the button to get back inside. That’s the only way I get out of here. Think, Delilah, think. How do I get away from him without him catching me? I could try to run for it, but I’d never make it.

Fighting my way out is also off the table. Chad has at least four inches and sixty pounds on me. He could overpower me without even trying. That leaves me with only one option until I can think of a better idea. Get him talking, and pray someone comes along and catches him before he hurts me, or worse.

“Fear looks good on you, Delilah.” His lips graze my neck and I shudder. Rhett had showered kisses on that same spot just a few days ago, and I had felt nothing but heat and desire. Chad’s lips make me want to curl up inside myself and disappear into darkness.

“You need to let me go, Chad.” A single tear escapes and races down my cheek. It’s quickly followed by another, and another.

“Why?” he breathes, his arm around my chest moving as he slides his hand across me, cupping my breast.

“Your parole hearing,” I whisper. God, I can’t breathe. “You’re getting out, remember? You’re going to be free. If you get caught with me, they’ll never let you out.”

“Nobody’s going to catch us.” His confidence in that statement sends my heart plummeting to my feet. “My cellie has the guard. I’d be surprised if that prick is still alive at this point.”

Suddenly, he spins me around and grasps my wrists, pressing me against the chain-link fence. “Why don’t you just admit it, Delilah? You think you’re better than me. I’ve spent all this time trying to get your attention, and you think I’m some worthless piece of shit.”

Goose bumps break out along my scalp. I know if he wasn’t holding me up, my knees would give out completely. “No, Chad. That’s not true at all.”

“Bullshit,” he spits, shoving me harder into the fence, his nose just inches from mine. “That’s fucking bullshit, and you know it. That’s why you had the sheriff take me out of this program. That’s why you turned me down when I asked you for a date. You’re a snotty little bitch who probably has her pussy sewed shut just to torture men like me.”

He pulls me forward and slams me back again, causing the fence to jingle and quake.

“But you’re not better than me, Delilah. You need to learn you can’t come in here and get us guys all worked up, then leave us with absolutely nothing. You’re a cock tease. A stupid, dirty fucking cock tease.”

His eyes drag up and down my body, and my heart lurches. With just that one look, I can tell he’s done talking.

“Chad, please.”

“Chad, please,” he mocks, his voice high and screechy.

I try to move, but there’s nowhere to go. He has me backed up against the fence, and his body dwarfs mine. But his hands are on my wrists, which means…

With a roar of frustration and exertion, I bring up my knee and slam it into his groin. Or, at least, I try to. Anticipating my move, Chad brings up his leg and shields his front.

Pissed off now, I kick, scream, bite, and flail, doing everything I can think of to wrench myself away from him, until finally, he’s had enough.

He spins me around, shoving his hand into the back of my head, cramming it against the fence, his other hand coming down to fumble with my belt.

Still screaming at the top of my lungs, I continue to fight. I almost get away too, but Chad’s fingers tangle into my hair, and he’s on the move, dragging me behind him like a dog on a leash, all the way to a closed off supply shed next to the kennels.

He wrenches the door open and throws me inside. I dig my heels in, trying to stop him. or at least slow him down, but it’s useless. I crash against the far wall and Chad steps inside, closing the door behind him.

“Cozy. Not even that big bastard you like so much can stop me now.”

“He’ll be mad if something happens to me,” I blurt out, shoving my back up against the wall until I’m almost standing.

Chad’s brow furrows. “Who fucking cares? You think I care about that motherfucker?”

Chad grips me by the elbow and jerks me back to him. My face is only inches from his. “You’re fucking him, aren’t you?”

With every last ounce of breath I have left inside of me, I hold his stare and scream out as loud as I can, “Fuck. You!”

Chad’s fist slams into my cheek, and I would swear it almost came out the other side. Stumbling back, I clutch my face and scream again. “Somebody, help me!”

This time, he grabs me by the throat and shoves me down on the ground. His fingers squeeze, and I can’t catch a breath as he climbs on top of me. All I can do is plead up at him with my eyes.

And this is how I’m going to die.

He leans over me, his forehead pressing mine into the concrete floor. “Answer me! Are you fucking him?” Reaching down between us, he forces his hand beneath the waistband of my jeans and directly between my legs, groping me with his thick, stubby fingers. “Has he touched you here?”

“Yes,” I snarl through gritted teeth.

His open palm splits my lips, and I can taste the blood as it runs from my nose.

I can’t hold my tears any longer. “Please,” I sob. “Just let me go.”

His wicked grin tells me he’s getting off on this. My fear turns him on.

His erection grows against my leg and he thrusts it against me. “You feel that, baby? That’s for you.”

Grunting with the effort, I struggle against his grip, lifting my hips and kicking, doing anything I can to knock him off of me.

“That a girl,” he coaxes. “Keep fighting.”

His mouth covers mine as he grinds against me, and the position I’m in, lying on my back, prevents me from jerking away. So instead, I suck his lip in deeper and bite down as hard as I can.

The metallic taste of his blood floods into my mouth as he hisses in pain. He tries to pull away, but I have his lip locked tight between my teeth.

He rears back and punches me in the stomach once, twice, three times, before I finally release him.

“Stupid fucking bitch!” he roars. His hands come up and again wrap around my throat. I can’t breathe. I can’t talk. I have no doubt I’m going to die for real this time.

Closing my eyes, I prepare myself for what’s coming when I finally slip away.

But then he’s gone. My head throbs as I struggle to breathe from the lingering pressure around my throat. The room spins as I force myself up into a sitting position.

That’s when I see Chad on his knees before me, his eyes wide and bulging out, his face blue. Behind him is Buddy, who’s screaming words I can’t make out. And around Chad’s throat is Rocco’s leash.

Chad claws at it, desperate to get a taste of oxygen, but Buddy pulls it tighter. “Don’t hurt women.” He yanks the leash again, and then we hear a sickening crunch.

Chad’s lifeless body slumps to the ground in front of me. Buddy remains motionless, staring at the leash in his hands before he tosses it onto the ground next to Chad, slides down onto his knees, and cries.

“I promised Mama I wouldn’t hurt nobody again,” he sobs. “She told me to be a good boy, and to keep my hands to myself.

“It’s okay,” I whisper, crawling a little closer to my giant savior, my voice painfully raw.

“No, it's not.” He rubs his hands against both sides of his head. “Stepdaddy was mean to my momma. I tried to save her, and I killed him. Mama told me not to do it again before she died.” He goes silent for a moment before breaking into sobs again. “I broke my promise.”

“You saved my life,” I rasp.

“Mama’s gonna be so mad.” I scoot closer to hug him, but a crowd of guards come rushing in, flooding the outdoor kennel. One of them grabs me by the arm, dragging me out of the space, while the others surround Buddy and Chad. Buddy yells when they throw him to the ground. A guard jams his knee into his back, keeping him down. They wrestle cuffs onto him and force him upright. Buddy shakes with fear when they walk past me.

“No,” I try to yell, only for it to come out as a forced whisper. The exertion makes my head pound harder. They can’t do this. He saved me. They drag him away from the scene, and he watches me until they take him around the corner, out of sight.

My pleas fall on deaf ears before the world spins and turns dark around me.