Chasing Moon by HJ Stallard

Author:HJ Stallard [Stallard, HJ]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-07-09T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 26

Tuesday

August 23, 2022

The rain finally over, the wet humidity created a mist that lingered over the treetops. With the sun setting, the blue sky clashed against the pink and orange hues picked up by the fog. Birds chirping in the branches, the air was scented with the earth freshly cleansed. A cool breeze wafted by, lifting my hair from my neck, a few strands tickling my jawline. It was so peaceful out here. When I looked past the kidnapping and endless rapes, Maximus’s home was quite beautiful and pretty much everything I used to dream of having one day.

The door creaked open, Maximus joining me on the porch. As naked as I was, he came up behind me, wrapping his arms around my stomach. Resting his chin on my shoulder, his fingers splayed over my belly, a middle finger making small circles around my navel.

“What’s wrong, sis?”

“Why’s something gotta be wrong?”

“Because you just laid there again and didn’t react.”

My teeth grinding, I focused on the woods, my insides tightening. Ever since the last chase, I had had no choice but to give up the act and admit I enjoyed sex with my brother. It may not have been my intentions, and had he not conditioned me over the last few months, it never would have happened, but it was something I could no longer deny. In fact, I was pretty sure if I ever was free of him, I suspected sex with anyone else would be ruined. He groomed me specifically for him.

And yet, earlier, when I was upset, my mind switched back to when this saga first began. Whereas I didn’t fight or struggle like I had in the beginning, I hadn’t involved myself in the act, opting to lay there until he was done. Was that something else that was forever groomed into my mentality? Whenever I got mad or upset, my brain clicked, and he was once again my captive rapist?

How the hell were we supposed to build a future like that? For the rest of our lives, every argument we had, would I stop seeing my husband and my rapist, instead? Or would the first few months of our relationship eventually fade over time?

If I was stuck with Maximus, I didn’t want that. I wanted a perspective of my forced reality where there were no internal battles, guilt, dread, or resentment. My future chosen for me, all I could do was pick how I lived it, and I wanted peace.

“Why did you kidnap me?”

He tensed, his hold hardened, and his breathing ceased. Coughing, he stood upright, combing his fingers through my hair. His tone coarse, he stated, “Because I love you.”

“Why?”

He snorted, shrugging his arms out. His palms slapping to his thighs, he stepped away to begin pacing. “What kind of question is that?”

“A pretty simple one.” My arms crossing, I turned to face him, my weight to one leg.

His brows furrowing, he grew angry, his lips taut. “No, actually, it’s not.”

“Actually,” I mocked, bobbing my head side to side.

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