The Four Stages of Loving Dutch Owen - Debra Kayn Page 0,10

home."

"Damnit, Marla Marie." He caught her arms and held them down.

She arched her back, trying to get away. "You're mean. I don't like you."

He pulled her to his chest, squeezing her too tightly. She couldn't breathe. Flinging her head back and forth, she wanted to hurt him. She wanted to get away. She wanted to hide.

Chapter 5

RACHEL KNOCKED ON THE open bedroom door and strolled inside, carrying two large trash bags. Marla looked out the window, not ready to talk with the woman who kept doing things for her for the last four days.

She wasn't going to change her mind.

She wanted to go home.

"Some of the women in the club got you new clothes." Rachel touched Marla's shoulder. "They're not brand new, but new to you. Let's go through them and see what fits now and what we can put away until you're bigger."

She ignored her.

"Come on, sweetheart. Let's pick out something you can wear to the clubhouse this evening. There will be other kids there you can play with. There's a room with a game system kids like to play on the television. Doesn't that sound fun?"

She got up from the chair at the desk and sat on the other end of the bed. Maybe Dutch would be at the place they were going.

Rachel removed a pair of jeans. "Try these on. You're such a tiny thing. I hope we find something you can wear now."

Removing the sweatpants Rachel had bought her yesterday and keeping on her new pair of underwear, she tried on the jeans and snapped them.

"Those fit you good." Rachel pointed to the chair. "Everything that fits put over there. We'll use the sack to hold everything else. Skull can put them in the attic later when he gets home, and that way, when you grow a little, you'll have more clothes."

Over and over, she tried on shirts, shorts, sweatshirts, and dresses until she was tired of trying on clothes. She'd liked the jeans and the yellow shirt that belonged to her, but they disappeared after Rachel forced her to take a bath and sat all evening brushing her hair.

She rubbed her head. The top was still tender from all the pulling.

"One more." Rachel held up a shirt. "What do you think about this one?"

The blue shirt had a kitten on the front chasing a butterfly. It was the same shirt she'd seen Beth Ann wear to school.

"It's okay," she mumbled, breaking her silence.

"You can wear this one today if you want and pick out a pair of shorts from the pile. It's supposed to be a warm day." Rachel continued watching her. "How old are you, Marla?"

"Ten."

Rachel raised her brows. "Do you know your birthday?"

She slipped the shirt over her head. "February second."

"That's a long way off, but I'll remember, and we can have a birthday party for you. I can get one of those pretty cakes and ball—"

"No." She backed away. "I'm going home. I want my mom."

"Okay. Okay." Rachel held her hands out. "We won't talk about birthdays anymore. Are you hungry? You barely touched your breakfast."

Her chin quivered. The longer she stayed here, the more she thought it was impossible to get back home. She'd need to find her way back on her own. Her mom wouldn't have any way of finding her.

"How does a tuna fish sandwich sound?"

All she could think about was tonight. They were going to a place called the clubhouse. If Dutch was there, she could beg him to take her home. If he wouldn't help her, she'd tell another adult that Rachel and Skull weren't letting her go back to her mom.

Chapter 6

THE MEETING ADJOURNED. From the back of the room, Dutch headed for the door. He was free to move on.

Maybe he'd head to the Spokane Chapter, take a couple weeks to drink, dip his dick, and enjoy himself before the next run.

A WAKOM member walked past him, knocking into him with his shoulder. He turned and stopped. His temper riled.

"You have a problem?" he asked.

"You." The guy stepped forward, chest first.

Glancing at the patch, he faced a guy named Buck. Because he was on the road most of the time, and there were more than nine hundred members spread out between three chapters, he couldn't remember if he had a problem with Buck.

He refused to back down. The slight movement from Buck's right side had Dutch removing the knife at his side. He put the blade under Buck's jaw, stopping the MC member's fist from