Torn from You Read Online Free PDF Page B

recoiling.
    Without a word he nodded toward a door at
the end of a narrow hallway.
    When we reached it, he threw it open and
shoved me outside, and I stumbled down two steps onto a walkway. As
soon as the scent of fresh air wafted into me I stopped and
breathed it in. After days of smelling urine, I felt like crying
just being given this chance to breathe fresh air.
    When I looked around I saw nothing except
fields. No one to help. No one to hear my screams. Movement to my
left caught my attention, and I saw them ... horses off in the
distance. The thrill of freedom beckoned to me, and I knew nothing
could stop me.
    I ran.
    I heard his scuffle of feet as he dove for
me then cursed when I slipped through his grasp. He shouted behind
me as I kicked off the flip-flops and ran as fast as I could. My
legs wobbled, and I stumbled as I raced across the gravel driveway
toward the cedar fence. My mind roared with panic, adrenaline
keeping me from falling flat on my face.
    He was right behind me, swearing and
cursing. I could hear his footsteps and knew if he caught me it
wouldn’t be good. He was mean ... cruel. It was in his eyes; I knew
he would hurt me if he got hold of me again, and that thought
pushed me to run faster.
    If I could make it to the horses and get on
one, ride it to wherever the stable was ... Someone had to be there
to help me. Anyone. No way could he catch me on a horse. I could
make it. I knew I could.
    I felt his heavy breathing on the back of my
neck as I dove for the fence. My hand touched the cedar rail, and
then I had the wind knocked out of me.
    His body trapped me against the fence, hand
wrapped in my hair and yanking backward. I screamed out in pain
then shot my elbow back, but this time he was ready and ducked to
the side.
    He retaliated with hooking his arm around my
throat so tight I couldn’t breathe. “Not this time, bitch.”
    He started walking, dragging me toward the
van. I fought, kicking and writhing against his hold, but his
locked arm around my throat squeezed harder until I was struggling
for each breath. I was about to pass out or die when suddenly he
let me go, and I fell to the ground sucking in air.
    He slid the side door open on its metal
tracks and kicked me hard in the stomach. “Inside.”
    I wheezed as I crawled to my feet,
struggling to move, but knowing if I didn’t he’d kick me again. He
shoved me hard in the small of my back, and I fell forward, abdomen
pushing into the metal edge of the van.
    As soon as I was all the way inside he
slammed the door shut.
    There were no windows in the van, and the
back door was chained with a heavy padlock. I heard a key turn in
the lock of the side door and then the handle being tested. I felt
like an animal being shipped for transport. A sharp, gruff laugh
emerged from my throat—I was an animal. Actually less than that. A
carcass, a piece of dead meat being hung up, cut, tasted, and
thrown about.
    I bounced around in the back of the van for
what I guessed was an hour until I heard the tires slow, and crunch
along a gravel road. The van stopped, and the door slid open.
    “Out.”
    I was huddled in the back corner of the van.
Too scared to get out and yet wanting to, but knowing whatever
awaited me couldn’t be good either.
    “If have to come get you, bitch, you won’t
like it.”
    I knew he meant it. It was like he enjoyed
seeing me in pain. I slowly crawled to the door, and Alfonzo
grabbed my arm and yanked. I didn’t have time to gain my feet, and
I landed hard on my knees on loose gravel.
    I looked up, flinging my hair out of my eyes
and came face to face with ... Oh God, Logan. It took me a second
to register his face as he stood looking down at me. Steady.
Composed. Almost as if five days ago he hadn’t made love to me. As
if he didn’t even know me.
    All the contained anger shot from my feet up
to my skull and exploded.
    “You fucking bastard,” I screamed and went
flying for him. My fist managed to connect with his face