The Wild Page 11

  As I trek through the darkness, my ears are aware of all sounds, my mind drifts to earlier. With each passing moment, I fall deeper in love with Devon. It’s an infinite fall with no bottom. Just gets deeper and deeper. I can’t explain how fucking terrifying the feeling is but I’m obsessed with it nonetheless. I’m madly consumed by her. I’m not fulfilled unless I’m buried inside of her. I’m not whole unless our mouths are mating like our bodies do so well. I’m not happy unless she’s happy. Her smiles are my sustenance. I don’t need food or water. I just need to see her blue eyes shining with love and adoration and joy.

  They raped her.

  Stole so much from her.

  Her sense of security. Her child. Her mind.

  And yet she wades through that darkness and finds me. Unlike Sabrina ever could, my strong, fierce girl finds me. Seeks me out as though she thirsts for me. I’m fucking ravenous for her too.

  Each day out here in the wilderness, I feel my sanity slipping. We grow up learning norms and behaviors that are deemed acceptable. Yet when all of life’s easiness is stripped from us and we’re thrust into something arduous, those norms get forgotten. They get shoved to the side as instinct guides the way. The mind is no longer needed. A useless organ. It’s the heart that grows wild. It forges the way. It makes decisions that defy reason and instead break rules that don’t exist out here.

  The heart becomes a hungry, selfish beast.

  It devours the mind and feeds the desires.

  My heart is free.

  No longer caged by the world but released by love.

  I’m not sure how long I’ve walked for, but I can no longer see or smell the smoke from our cabin. If I had to guess, it’s been a couple of hours. The wind picks up and I get a whiff of smoke. I clench my jaw because I’m close. I can practically smell the enemy.

  People.

  They are my nemesis.

  This shack may not hold the rapist but it holds others who may try and steal what’s mine. And for that, they will pay with their lives. No one will come onto my property and touch my love.

  Something growls and I halt. My eyes dart over to the shadows. It could be a wolf—the sound is most definitely of the K9 variety.

  “Easy there,” I mutter as I lift my .45.

  The animal stops growling and whimpers. The sound is familiar and niggles at my long shut off brain. Now curious, I approach the shadows. The whines grow louder. I kneel down and pat my thigh.

  “Come here,” I order.

  With his head lowered and a rope tight around his neck, my goddamned dog Buddy creeps out toward me. I’m so overcome with joy that I leap forward and hug the dog. He licks my face as if he’s happy as hell to see me. I quickly cut through the rope around his neck with my knife and massage away the dent in his skin from how it gripped him. He practically attacks me. His tail wags as he licks my face all over. When his nose nuzzles against my hand and he lets out a small bark, I know he smells Devon.

  “She’s back at the cabin, boy,” I coo. “I’m going to take you back home. Just gotta take care of something first. I’m going to make him pay.”

  The dog, loyal as fuck, runs a circle around me. When I point back toward the cabin, he looks that way and sniffs the air. I let him go as he starts sniffing along the pathway I’ve come from. The scent of Devon has him eager and on the hunt. I stand and make my way to the front of the shack.

  I push the door open slightly and notice a fire going in crumbling river rock fireplace. Sleeping on the floor in front of it are two guys close to Ezekiel’s age. Bearded. Toothless. Dirty. They’re ruffians with dicks in their pants. Dicks that could guide them to my daughter. I suppress a growl as I pull out my knife. The stink of sex is thick in the air. In the back room of the shack, I can hear sounds. Fucking.

  I kneel down beside the bigger guy and dig my blade deep into his throat before slashing past his carotid. Blood spurts out, spraying my face, and then he’s gurgling, eyes wide in confusion as he clutches his throat. The man beside him stirs and I attack him next. He rouses just as I slash for him and blocks my hit. His eyes are filled with terror and surprise. He’s weak compared to me and I pin him down quickly. The knife plunges into his fat vein. I rip it back and forth destroying it, soaking myself with more blood, before I yank it out. My heart hammers in my chest.

  Nathaniel.

  I know he’s in there. I can practically feel it.

  The door creaks open when I push through it.

  “Not now, John,” Nathaniel grunts, his bare ass flexing as he drives into someone. “You promised she was mine tonight.” Another fireplace is in this room lighting it up for me.

  His thigh has a red gnarly scar from where I got him with the bullet. I bare my teeth before pouncing. Grabbing a handful of his greasy hair, I yank him away from his fuckfest. His dick pops out with a vulgar noise. One quick glance at the makeshift bed and my heart stills in my chest. A girl with wild, messy brown hair and tears streaming down her face lies there with her legs spread wide open. She has no tits to speak of and is bare between her thighs. If I had to guess, she’s no older than eleven. Twelve max.

  “Don’t hurt my sister!” he pleads, dragging me from staring at the horrific scene.

  I snarl with rage and slam him to the floor. He puts up a fight. Just a fucking youngster but filled with so much evil. In another life, a kid like this could have been friends with my Rowdy. But in this life, he’s the villain. The fucking monster.

  I stab him in his chest hoping I hit a lung. He doesn’t get off easy like those other fuckers. I stab him again, this time lower in his fleshy abdomen. Gurgles and screams escape him. I snarl at him and plunge the knife into his side. He howls and cries and fucking begs like a pussy.

  When he was making my daughter scream as he raped her and stole her baby, he didn’t award her a pardon. He just took and fucking took.

  So I take and fucking take.

  His blood soaks my hands and I slash him over and over again against his chest. I want to steal his heart like he stole hers. I want the motherfucking thing in my fist. The girl on the bed sobs and I briefly wonder if I should kill her too. But then I recall the terror and despondency in her eyes. She didn’t ask for this. They took from her too.

  He stops squirming as he vomits up more blood that makes him choke. I can’t stand the look on his face. So goddamned helpless. With rage that consumes me, I drive the knife into his face.

  Again.

  Again.

  Again.

  My knife gets stuck between bones in his face and I yank so hard I hear his neck snap. I manage to free my knife and land on my ass with a thud. When my gaze sweeps over him, peace settles around me like a refreshing fog. The one who hurt my baby is dead. Brutally ended.

  I smile.

  Like a fucking maniac.

  The girl whimpers and I stand to my full height. She scrambles far away from me. My knife is clutched tight in my grip. I should just cut her throat and put her out of her misery. Her lip wobbles as she drags the blankets to cover herself.

  “Thank you.” The whisper from her lips has my soul calming.

  “Can you survive on your own?” My voice is gruff.

  She nods.

  “I’m taking my fucking dog,” I snap.

  Her body trembles and she nods once more.

  “If you so much as come near my home and try to steal from us or hurt us, I will gut you like a goddamn fish.”

  She widens her eyes as tears spill out.

  “But if you need help,” I growl. “We can help.”

  Her head shakes back and forth. “I-I don’t need help.”

  I grunt because I don’t believe her.

  “They deserved it,” I mutter. “They hurt my girl.”

  Tears stream down her cheeks. “I’m glad you killed them.”

  I reach into my pack and pull out a can of fruit. A whimper escapes her when I kneel beside her and place it on the floor next to her. I pat her head and then stand again.
Before I’ve even left the room, I can hear the can rip open and slurping behind me.

  That girl will be dead by the end of the week.

  I’m almost to the cabin when Buddy trots over to me. I forgot about the spiked fence and gate. He waited patiently until I got back. His tail wags wildly as I approach.

  “Good boy. Your momma is going to be so happy,” I tell him as I scratch behind his ears. I open the gate and walk onto the porch. “Devon, it’s me!”

  I hear footsteps inside and the lock slides out of place. She answers wearing nothing but my sweatshirt. Her long bare legs are on display and fuck how I’ve missed them.

  “Oh,” she gasps as her mouth parts upon seeing my gruesome appearance. I’m covered in other men’s blood. For her. Always for her.

  Buddy pushes past me and a scream of surprise escapes her. But the moment she realizes it’s her beloved pet, she falls to her knees sobbing. I think she’s more excited to see the dog than me. He kisses her all over and she squeezes the life out of him. In this moment, I’m transported to the past.

  “Who’s a good dog?” Devon coos as she holds up a treat.

  Buddy whines but remains seated. He knows the drill.

  “You’re a good dog,” she praises and gives him the snack. He chomps on it and happily runs off to one corner of the backyard to eat it. When she stands up, her hands on her narrow hips, I frown.

  “Did you leave work early to come swimming?” she asks, her smile wide. I can’t see her bright blue eyes behind her glasses but I know they’re shining with hope. I can hardly deny her a thing.

  “I came home early so we could take Mom to the movies but…”

  She lowers her head and frowns. “She doesn’t want to go.”

  I clench my teeth and nod. “Did you want to call some friends over?”

  “Seth asked if he could come over but you said no boys, right?” Her teeth bite down on her bottom lip.

  My gaze rakes down her too-womanly body in a black bikini. The triangles barely cover the small swells of her breasts and her tiny nipples are erect beneath the wet fabric. Her bottoms are even smaller. She has hips that flare out and a narrow waist. Every teenage boy’s wet dream. Hell, she’s cost me one friendship already because I overheard one of my golf buddies talking to another guy at the club that he’d like to be her sugar daddy.

  Boys are a bad idea.

  The only man she gets is me because I can protect her from them.

  “No boys,” I agree with a growl.

  She laughs. “I heard Seth was a bad kisser anyway. You just saved me, Dad.”

  “I’ll always save you,” I vow.

  I get a sweet smile before she turns and gets ready to dive in. I was right. The material barely covers her ass. Anger swells inside of me that men and boys everywhere are beginning to notice my sixteen-year-old daughter. Soon we’ll be off to the Alaskan wilderness and nobody will look at her.

  She leaps into the pool and submerges her body under the water. Effortlessly, she swims to one side of the pool. I’m still staring after her deep in thought when she climbs out on the other end. Water sluices off her body as she makes her way over to the hot tub. After the helluva day I’ve had, including the part where I yelled at Sabrina just now for being a selfish bitch, I could use to unwind in the hot tub.

  I quickly head upstairs to change. Sabrina lies in bed naked, a silent invitation to make up, but I’m too angry still. I ignore her like she always ignores me and put my swim trunks on. Before heading outside, I grab a beer and make my way over to the hot tub.

  Devon is singing with her back pressed up against the jets. She’s so fucking cute with her wet hair now piled up messily on top of her head. Her head moves to the beat that plays in her head as I climb into the hot water. Once I’m seated, I tilt the beer back and take a cold swallow.

  “No fair,” she pouts as she makes her way over to me. I don’t even argue when she takes the bottle and drinks a swallow. She’s been stealing drinks of my beers for as long as I can remember. “Do you think we’ll swim a lot in Alaska? Doesn’t it, like, snow all the time?”

  I laugh and take the beer back. “What? Miss I-Know-Everything hasn’t checked the temperatures?”

  She sticks her tongue out. “I did. Summers can be warm there. I just want to make sure. I love swimming.”

  When she reaches for my beer again, I switch hands and hold it away from her. She’s playful as she lunges for it. Her breasts brush against my chest and I freeze. No dad wants to feel their daughter’s tits. I’m still so weirded out that when she grabs the bottle, I release it. Instead of moving away, she settles in my lap. Like a thousand other times. But unease flits down my spine this time. Maybe it’s the fact that we’re both in our swimsuits. Maybe it’s the fact I was just worrying over the fact that she looks like a woman now. Whatever it is, I’m afraid to move. I don’t want to hurt her feelings. She’s so sensitive because of her mother’s blatant neglect. We’ve always been close. I’ve never pushed her away. I’ll be damned if I start now.

  “I read up on how to tan pelts. There are oils and stuff you can buy but you can use nature’s supplies as well. I wonder how Buddy will feel if we ever skin an animal around him.” She laughs and sips the beer. “I bet he’d think we were barbaric.”

  I laugh, my arms wrapping around her middle like always. “You think you’re going to be out there tanning hides? What in the world would you ever need animal furs for?”

  She shrugs and leans against my chest. “To pet.”

  Snorting, I steal my bottle back and take a long pull. “That’s silly. That’s what you have Buddy for.”

  “But rabbits are so soft,” she says, a smile in her voice. Then she looks up at me. When the hell did she grow up on me?

  “They are. Are you really ready to leave all this behind? No more hot tubs or pools or bad kisser Seths.” My growl at the last part makes her giggle.

  She takes the beer and downs the rest. Then she wiggles her ass against me as she leans forward to set it on the ledge. The movement causes a physiological reaction that I wasn’t expecting.

  A motherfucking erection.

  I shove her away from me and clear my throat. “I have to get another beer since you drank mine.” My voice is husky and I feel as though my face is red with embarrassment.

  She stands up out of the hot water and puts her hands on her hips again. Her swimsuit is slightly off kilter on one side and the pink of her nipple is showing.

  Tearing my horrified gaze away from her, I rush out of the hot tub careful to keep my stupid, disgusting erection away from her line of sight. “I’ll be right back,” I bark out.

  I don’t fool with a towel, just rush into the cold house. My dick is throbbing and I’m pissed about it. This is all Sabrina’s fault, I decide. Had she just gone to the movies with us, I wouldn’t have had a creepy moment with my daughter. Fucking sick.

  I storm through the house ready to give Sabrina a piece of my mind. When I barge through the bedroom, she’s still lying there like a lazy ass. Naked. With a growl, I shove down my wet shorts and prowl over to her. I smack her thigh causing her to yelp. Then, I grab both ankles and drag her to the end of the bed. She cries out when I flip her onto her stomach. My erection is aching for release. I slip it past the crack of her ass to her cunt. With one hard thrust, I drive into her. Reaching forward, I tangle her hair in my fist. I fuck her hard and without apology. Several times, I slap her ass so hard she screams. When I get ready to come, my mind slips from this moment. To a tiny sliver of forbidden nipple. I nearly gag in disgust at myself. And yet I come harder than ever before. Pulling out, I shoot my cum all over Sabrina’s now red ass.

  “That was so good,” she moans from the bed.

  “Are you going to come to the movies with us now?” I bark out, anger still surging through me.

  “You exhausted me,” she says with a small laugh. “I’ll sit this one out.”

  I grit my teeth. I want to slap the shit out of her
to knock some goddamn sense into her. She’s singlehandedly destroying her family.

  “Of course,” I snarl.

  Once I’m showered and dressed, I come back outside. Devon perks up when she sees me. She climbs out of the hot tub and saunters over to me. Jesus. Who taught her to walk like that—hips swaying and shit? I’m irritated at myself for being weak. Infuriated at Sabrina for giving up. And bothered by Devon that she’s seducing male parts of me that are strictly off limits to her.

  “Are you mad?” Her bottom lip pouts out. “It was only a few sips, Dad.”

  I scrub at my smooth jaw and shake my head. “I’m not mad at you, Pip. Let’s go see a movie just you and I.”

  She beams and stands on her toes to plant a wet kiss way too close to my lips. “You’re the best. I’ll be ready in thirty minutes.”

  With shame surging through my veins, I watch as her ass bounces away toward the house.

  I’m losing my damn mind.

  * * *

  * * *

  “I’m so happy!” I cry out as I stand and search Dad’s eyes. He’s frowning and his scowl is in place. As handsome and as fierce as he looks with blood splattered all over his bearded face, I like him better clean so we can kiss. “Go sit in the chair.”

  He blinks away his daze and offers me a small smile before doing as he is told. With haste, he strips out of his outerwear and sweatshirt until he’s wearing nothing but his jeans and socks. I feed Buddy some leftover rabbit pieces and make him a bowl of water. He seems content to lie on the bearskin rug, gnawing on the meat.

  When I turn to look at Dad, he’s seated wearing a predatory glare that makes me shiver. I boil some water and then prepare to clean him. My eyes skitter over his chest every chance they get. His muscles are a work of art. I set to washing the blood from his face and hair. His dark brown eyes bore into mine. He’s extra intense tonight. I mean, he did kill someone. I’m guessing that would make anyone intense. Instead of feeling frightened, I feel relieved. He’s living up to his promise to protect me no matter the cost.