The Four Stages of Loving Dutch Owen - Debra Kayn Page 0,42
her lunch hour—which was free.
But it was time for her to move out. She had always imagined that she'd be sharing her life with Dutch, but she was doing it alone.
Rachel and Skull spent most of their time at the clubhouse, and she worked at the feed store full time in the office now. There was no reason why she needed to burden them anymore.
Her life had grown stagnate as if she was having a mid-life crisis, and she was only twenty years old.
She nodded, agreeing to take some money, only to appease Dutch. There was always second-hand furniture that would do until she saved up for new.
"Only three-hundred and fourteen more days." She closed her eyes an extra second and looked at him. "I can't wait until that day comes."
He looked down at their clasped hands. "Don't waste your life waiting for me."
She leaned closer and whispered, "Of course, I'm going to wait for you. I'm yours. We made plans for when we can be together again."
He looked around the room, working his jaw. It scared her when he talked like there wouldn't be a future for them. The closer to release, the more times he'd bring it up. Usually, she talked him through it and gave him something to hang on to.
She understood how hard it was for him to feel connected to the outside. Prison life had done its damage on him.
He met her gaze and pulled her hands closer to his stomach, not letting her go. "I don't know where I'm going when I get out of here."
She shook her head. "Then, I'll go wherever you go."
They'd talked about hitting the open road, but she knew he'd never leave WAKOM. She was fine with whatever he decided to do. She only wanted to be with him.
Their relationship, since admitting their feelings, was not a normal evolution.
She'd loved him since childhood. Though he could finally admit that he always felt that connection they shared, they had never been able to explore their relationship's sexual side. It was something she looked forward to doing because, without it, something was missing between them. A need they both craved and was denied to them.
"God damnit, Marla Marie." His mouth hardened. "You're not a kid anymore. Take a look around. You deserve better than this, waiting around for shit you don't know."
"Don't talk like that. You're worth it to me." She whispered, "I love you."
He stilled, and his mouth hardened. His intense gaze became violent as he looked at her. She pressed her back against the chair. She shouldn't have come.
He was having a bad day. Something must've happened.
He was talking crazy. There's no way he meant for her to move on with her life.
"Open your eyes." He stood, breaking the rules. "You love me because I made you love me."
She shot to her feet, more concerned about what he was saying than doing. "That's not true."
"Go away, Marla Marie. Live your life." He flung his arms out to his sides. "You're free."
"No. Don't do that to me. Don't do that to us." Her voice raised. "You don't know what you're talking about. I don't want to—"
He grabbed her upper arms, dragging her forward, and captured her mouth. She choked as he thrust his tongue into her mouth. Pushing at his chest, she needed to stop him before the guard noticed him breaking the rules.
Hard and violent, he sucked the life out of her body. Her knees bent, and he hauled her up to her toes, kissing her brutally.
A whistle pierced her brain. She pushed against him, needing him to stop. Blatant signs of affection were against the rules.
He was ruining the visit. The guards would kick her out.
If he wouldn't stop, they could ban him from seeing her. She cried into his mouth, begging him to stop.
He pressed her lips against her teeth, numbing them in pain. She couldn't catch her breath. Inside, she screamed. He couldn't do this to her.
He couldn't do this to them.
Then, he was gone. His lips. His hands.
She stumbled backward, bumping into the chair, staring at the horror in front of her as two guards grabbed Dutch, struggling to put handcuffs on him.
Dutch took a step back, his gaze never leaving her eyes.
She scrambled forward. "No...no...you can't. He didn't mean it. He won't touch me. Let him go. Please, don't do that. We'll follow the rules."
"Miss, you must come with me." Another guard pulled on her arm. "Quietly, please."