Delivered (The Monster Trilogy Book 3) Read Online Free PDF Page B

her, and that she would try to buy herself some time.
    “Okay,” he relented, even as his eyes pulled shut. “Twelve hours, but that’s it. Then we go and find Lily.”

 
     
    Three
     
     
     
     
     
    Lily froze as the back of the Land Rover opened with a clunk.
    She tried to get Jess’s attention, but the other girl was still staring at a spot on the bottom of the SUV, acting as though none of this was happening. For some reason it felt vitally important to connect with Jess—they’d never both make it out of this alive if she didn’t.
    Hands grabbed her calves and yanked her from the vehicle so she hit the ground with a bone-jarring thump. A body thudded down beside her, Jess barely giving a whimper as she hit the gravel.
    “Untie them,” said Rodriguez.
    Lily tried to hide her surprise as hands worked at the rope around her wrists, freeing her poor, strained arms. She groaned as she brought her hands to the front of her body, rolling her shoulders and massaging the sore muscles around her wrists. She remained silent as the man got to work on Jess, untying her as well.
    The two women pushed themselves to sitting on the ground, but remained hunched and suspicious of what would happen next. Lily noticed Jess, at least, had started to cautiously peer around, and she was relieved the girl had lost the distant look in her eyes, for the moment, anyway.
    “Get up,” Rodriguez told them, motioning with his fingers.
    Lily and Jess exchanged a glance.
    “It’s okay, you are free to move around now.”
    Slowly, Lily got to her feet. “Why did you untie us?”
    “Because there’s no need to keep you tied up while you’re here. I’m not going to promise I will never restrain you—especially if you displease me—but if you behave yourselves, I will allow you that small amount of freedom, at least.”
    “Why would you do that?” Lily asked.
    “Because there is nowhere you can go. You might think you can escape, but in this heat, you’ll simply die of heat exhaustion and dehydration before you reach any sign of civilization. Don’t imagine for a moment that you might happen upon someone foolish enough to save you. This property is mine for hundreds of acres, and there are warning signs that anyone stepping onto private property will be prosecuted. You can take your chances with the heat and snakes, if that’s what you choose, or you can remain here and accompany me as I see fit.”
    Lily thinned her lips. “I’m struggling to see much difference between you and the snakes.”
    His hand shot out and caught her by the jaw, angling her face so she looked directly at him. Beside her, Jess whimpered. One side of his lips quirked up in a smile and he leaned in closer. “You’re right, little lady, and I intend for you and my snake to become acquainted very soon.”
    “Creep,” she snapped.
    He released her jaw and slapped her hard across the side of her face. Her head rocked on her neck, fresh heat and pain blooming in the shape of fingerprints where he’d hit her.
    “You’re going to have to start learning some manners,” he said.
    Lily bit her lip, holding back on the retort about how he should be the one who needed to learn manners, considering he went around slapping women, but she managed to hold off.
    “Are you going to rape me?” she said, instead, wanting to know exactly what she had in store. Where previously she would have shied away from the idea, probably doing much as Jess was doing now, and pretending none of it was happening, now she felt like she could be stronger if she knew what was to come.
    He fixed her with those black eyes. “I can only rape you if you don’t want me to touch you. But if you’re begging me to push my cock inside you, I guess we couldn’t call that rape, now, could we?”
    She shivered. “You’re crazy. That’s never going to happen. I don’t like anyone touching me.”
    “Except our friend, Merrick, is that right? Is that what made you so special to him,