Caleb was concerned, but he has faith that Ava knows what she’s doing.
It’s not that I don’t believe Faith can take care of herself. I know she can. I just don’t like being separated from my family, but I also know I couldn’t ask my men to come out here to help with the cattle and leave their loved ones behind if I wasn’t prepared to do it myself.
I bow my head and pray, “Lord, watch over my family while we’re separated. Keep them safe and protect them from harm. Watch over me and my men and their families. Keep us all safe during this storm and bring us all back to our loved ones safe and sound. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”
“Amen,” I hear behind me.
I look around and see Caleb riding directly behind me.
“I didn’t know anyone was there,” I say, a bit embarrassed.
“I was going to ask you about the head count of the men and the cattle, but then I realized you were praying, so I bowed my head and prayed along with you. You know what they say about two or more agreeing on something. I figured it couldn’t hurt.”
I nod my head and look over the ridge.
“We’ve done everything we can to secure the cattle on this end. The storm won’t be as bad down here, but it will hit. It’s time to head to the lodge before the worst of it hits. I’m sorry none of us will be able to get back to our families by the time it gets here.”
“No worries,” he said. “Most of us have spent time away from our families for work before. This time’s no different.”
I look at him and raise my eyebrows.
“Okay,” he smiles. “Maybe a little different. Ava was hoping Faith and the kids would stay and they’d all have a big blizzard party.”
I look at him and frown.
“You know Ava,” he smiles. “I love her to death, Matt, but she has her own way of doing things.”
“At least my parents had the good sense to leave and head south along with my in-laws. Faith’s parents rented a house on the water in Key Biscayne. I’m sure they’re all going to have a great time while we’re freezing our butts off at the lodge.”
“I bet Jake didn’t like that much. That boy couldn’t be more like you if you’d spit him out.”
I laugh. He’s right. My eldest son is the spitting image of me at that age with an attitude to match.
“He’ll get over it once he’s in that warm Miami sun with all of those international models walking around the beach in their bikinis.”
I check the clouds overhead and notice the snow is starting to fall heavier.
“Hopefully it won’t take us long to get to the lodge. This storm’s going to be a killer.”
“I’m right behind you, friend,” he says. “Hey … there is enough food up there, right?”
I laugh.
“Faith keeps that lodge freezer and pantry stocked with so much food, all ten of us could wait out the entire winter and never go hungry. That’s one thing you don’t have to worry about. We’ve got plenty of food and water.”
“Then let’s head out. I’m hungry.”
I give a quick nod but can’t hide my concern.
“You okay?”
“I can’t shake this feeling that something’s wrong,” I say. “I don’t know what it is, but I’ve felt this way since last night. I’ll be glad when this storm is over, so we can get back to business and back to our families.”
“Me too, brother. Me too.”
Faith
“It’s snowing!” Graham shouts, his gaze directed at the large picture window in the front of the house. Daniel wasted no time in tying each one of us up. Jake was the first to be restrained. I can tell Daniel has taken an intense dislike to my oldest son and that worries me.
He’s also taken an intense interest in Kara. My stomach feels sick every time I see him looking at her.
“Why are you here?” I ask, trying to distract him from his gaze at my beautiful, innocent sixteen-year old daughter.
“To be reunited with my wife,” he says. “You should have waited for me. That’s what a good wife does. She waits for her husband. But you didn’t do that, did you? You faked your death to move to this godforsaken place and marry yourself a rich man.”
He walks over to Kara and lifts a strand of hair to his nose and breathes in deeply before letting the silken strand slip through his fingers.
“Just how rich is your daddy?” he asks her.
She looks at me for guidance, wondering if she should answer him.
“Millions?” he wonders aloud before bending down to put his face directly in front of hers. “How old are you beautiful Kara?”
“Sixteen,” she whispers.
“Are you a virgin?”
“Don’t answer that,” I tell her. “That’s none of your business. It’s not anyone’s business but hers.”
He walks over to me and grabs a chunk of my hair in the back, pulling my face up. He puts his mouth on mine, forcing my lips apart and thrusting his tongue inside as though he was raping me with his mouth. I can hear Kara crying. Finally, his assault ends, and he releases my hair.
“Your mother was a virgin when I took her on our wedding night. That was some sweet, hot sex we used to have together, remember?” he asks.
I refuse to answer him. If I tell him the truth, that the sex was anything but pleasurable for me, that it was painful and degrading, he may take revenge by harming one of the children.
“What’s the matter?” he asks. “Cat got your tongue?”
I can hear the wind whipping around outside and see the snow coming down harder.
“You’re going to have to let us loose at some point,” I tell him. “You can’t just hold us here tied up and helpless.”
“Oh, but I can,” he says. “You think I’m going to trust the four of you loose in this house? A house you all know very well, and I don’t know at all?”
He looks at Jake.
“And this one. This one would take the first chance he got and try to be a hero.” I watch in horror as Daniel takes out his gun and points it at my son’s temple. “I bet your father has guns in this house, right? You’re probably thinking how much you’d love to get to them and blow my brains out.”
He pushes Jake’s head with the barrel of the gun. I can see from here the safety’s not on.
“Why aren’t you with your father? Not man enough to go yet?”
We all remain silent and watch as Daniel walks around our once peaceful living room. He stops at a digital photo album and picks it up. It’s the one with our wedding photos.
“So, this is him? The man you married? The man you committed bigamy with? This is who you prefer to your husband?”
“Daddy is her husband!” Graham shouts.
The rage that crosses Daniel’s features when he looks at my youngest son grips my insides like a tourniquet.
“He’s just a child,” I break in. “He’s just defending his father.”
My hands are shaking, and I try and keep my voice steady and calm.
“Graham,” I begin and take a deep, shaky breath, praying my words will calm the situation down. “Daniel is telling the truth.”
“What?” This from Jake. My eyes flash and meet his.
“I’m sorry,” I say and swallow the huge lump that has formed in my throat. “But it’s true.”
“Finally, you admit that you belong to me.”
I move my gaze to meet his.
“I don’t belong to anyone.”
I can see my words have taken him aback.