Willow by Ronie Kendig

Author:Ronie Kendig [Kendig, Ronie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Task Force Press

In the bathroom barely wide enough to angle her elbows out to put on the pants, Willow winced at the stinging line down her breastbone. It wasn’t deep. More like a paper cut. With lemon juice on it. The pants didn’t fit—they had an extra four inches in length and almost as much in the waistline—and man, they were itchy. She’d need a rope to keep them up.

But they covered her. That’s all she cared about right now.

The cold memory of the blade slicing off her shirt, cutting a line between her breasts ripped through Willow again. With each piece of clothing he’d shredded, her dignity went with it. The last vestige of hope that she could avoid being raped. Even now, remembering the boss’s breath, his stink, the way he looked at her, touched her …

Tears stung as she braced herself against the lavatory wall. It wasn’t like she’d never been felt up before. She’d worked some of the darkest parts of their world over the last decade, seen things she wished she could forget. Really, when she thought about it, avoiding rape this long was unfathomable. Unrealistic. And it made her feel terrible because all the others—male and female alike—were being violated.

Why? Why save her? It wasn’t right.

I deserve it just as much—maybe more!

She pressed the heel of her hand to her forehead, like that could hold back the violent images, memories. The tears.

No. She would not cry. Instead, she pushed herself back into the room and to Chiji, the sharp contrast to the darkness and despair on this boat. Steady, calm. His riveting dark eyes held her, offered assurance. Comfort.

Haunted that he had seen her practically naked, she crossed her arms involuntarily. When he’d suggested coming to his bunkroom, she had just wanted to run back to the hold. Hide in the darkness because the thought of being here, being cold and alone—she hadn’t wanted to face him and let awkward silence wedge between them. Didn’t want to see his—

“Don’t pity me.”

Chiji inclined his head.

“I’m lucky.” Willow heaved words that felt like an anchor in her throat. “Everyone on this ship has been raped. Except me.” She hated it, yet was grateful for it. The conflicting messages in her brain were making her crazy. “Why?” She scowled at him and felt her lower lip quivering. “Why, day after day, do you protect me? It’s jeopardizing everything. If you hadn’t, they would’ve …”

Her anger and words weren’t logical. She was angry … but not at him. Not really. He’d mentioned survivor’s guilt the other night, and man, was it thick now. She dropped onto the edge of the bed and shuddered a breath.

He crouched at her side. “I will get you off this boat.”

The words were likely meant well, but entirely unrealistic and kind of disappointed her. She didn’t think he was the type to offer glib promises. “We are in the ocean. Where would we go if we got off this boat?”

“When we were in the cabin, you heard him speaking to Kalu.

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