“Will you stay with me?”

He tangles his fingers into my hair. “Always, little one.”

That night, I sleep more deeply than I have since I was a little girl.

CHAPTER SIX

THEN – Pippa

“Pippa, just keep your head down and keep working,” Rainer urges, putting his hands to my back and pushing me deeper into the crops.

My heart is pounding.

This is because Artreau is on a rampage. He’s angry, and he’s taking it out on us. I don’t know why he’s angry; he mostly leaves us alone, but today he is making us suffer. He’s storming through the crops, hitting, kicking, punching and shoving. Rainer is trying to keep me out of his way, but it’s proving to be harder and harder.

“If he asks you a question, answer him politely and keep going. Don’t argue.”

I swallow and nod, pushing my hands into the crops and doing what I have to do to look as if I’m doing the best job I can.

“If he sees we’re bonding, he’s going to tear us apart. Whatever I say or act like, know I don’t mean it.”

I look to him, and his black eyes study my face. I nod, and he gives me a jerk of his head to let me know he gets me. Then we both quietly go back to work.

Artreau appears about ten minutes later, his suit covered in dirt. His fists are bloody as he stalks towards us. His eyes flash to me, and he growls, “Come here.”

I turn to him, and Rainer is forced to walk behind me. When I stop in front of him, my heart is pounding.

“Did you enjoy your clean up the other day?”

How the hell do I answer that politely?

“No, sir.”

His face cracks into a big smile and he steps forward, curling his fingers into my hair. “No, sir? You always were the fanciest girl I ever took in. You think you’re too good for the rest of us.”

“No,” I say softly.

“No. You’re not. You’re as pathetic as the rest of these”—he flicks his hands around—“trashy fucks. I should just kill you all, but then I would have to pay someone. However, I do enjoy killing just for the sake of it. Would you like to clean up again, Pippa dear?”

I shake my head quickly.

He laughs. “And your partner here, did he enjoy it?”

Rainer sneers at him. “Didn’t fucking bother me.”

My heart pounds as Artreau steps around me to glare at him.

“No? You a tough one, are you?”

Rainer shrugs.

“We’ll see how tough. I’m in the mood for some entertainment. Hit her.”

My eyes go wide and Rainer’s gaze hardens. “No. She’s pathetic. I’m not going to hit someone pathetic. If I’m going to raise a fist, it’ll be to you, sir.”

Rainer. Please stop.

Artreau laughs. “But that wouldn’t be nearly as entertaining for me. So, you either hit her, or”—He strokes the gun in his jacket—“you’ll have another mess to clean up.”

I want to vomit. Fear is climbing into my chest like an angry snake.

Rainer looks to me, and he knows he has no choice.

“Three seconds, boy, or I’ll make you drag around her headless body until she rots off.”

Rainer straightens and looks me in the eye, and then he raises his fist and punches me. I stumble backwards with a cry, falling to the floor. I cry out in pain and the sound of Artreau’s laugh fills the space. A sharp pain shoots from my eye to my temple and I have to bite down hard on my lip to smother the sobs. My vision blacks in and out, and my eye feels as though it’s three times too big for my head.

“Well, I guess you’re right. She really is pathetic.”

Then, happy with himself, he walks off to torture someone else. The moment he’s gone, Rainer drops to his knees, cupping my face in his hands. “I’m so sorry, God, I’m so sorry.”

“It’s okay,” I croak, even though my head is pounding and blood is running down my cheek. “I didn’t want to die; you did me a favor.”

His face, God, his poor broken face. His eyes study mine, and they’re completely devastated. I reach up, curling my fingers around his wrists, because he’s still holding my face. I bring our foreheads together and whisper, “It’s okay, Rainer.”

“One day, Pippa, I’m going to get us out of here and make this up to you. I swear it.”

I hope he’s right. No, I pray he’s right.

Everyone has a breaking point, and I think I’m at mine.

~*~*~*~

NOW – Pippa

I wake in the morning wrapped in hard arms. My eyes flitter open and I turn my face to see Tyke, sound asleep with his arm around me. One arm is underneath me, and the other is up behind his head. His mouth is slightly opened and his breathing is soft and deep. I reach over hesitantly, and gently swipe away a soft piece of hair falling over his face.

He stirs and I drop my hand.

Looking at him like this, seeing him dreaming so peacefully, makes me realize just how much I care about Tyke. I’ve only cared for one other man in my life, and that was Rainer. My mind travels to him, and I wonder where he is now. He spent a long time with me, but he disappeared before I was saved. I don’t even know if he’s still alive. Shivering at the memory of that awful night, I push back to Tyke.

He stirs, and then his eyes flicker open. He looks even more amazing sleepy. He gives me a drowsy half-smile and then reaches out, cupping the back of my head. “Mornin’ darlin’.”