Page 129 of Truck Up
“I’m sorry it took me so long to come around. That should have been my first reaction. I guess I was hoping you would break up with him if we continued insisting.”
“It’s okay. I knew it would be hard for you to accept him. Do you think Dad will be okay with this?”
She smiles at me and kisses my forehead. “You let me worry about him.”
“What’s going on?” Linden asks as he enters the kitchen.
“Nothing,” Mom says as she releases me to get back to cleaning up the kitchen. “Just some mother-daughter time.”
“I’m going to get cleaned up and run to town. I need to do some grocery shopping before I head to the cabin,” I say as I head out of the kitchen.
“The hell you are!” Linden calls out. “We still haven’t found Badger.”
I stop and turn to face him. “I’m just running to Williams’ Market in Beaver. Nothing’s going to happen there in broad daylight.”
“Let me go with you.” He insists.
“No.” I furrow my brows. “I’m not hiding from him. I’m done giving him power over my life. I’ll be fine.”
I run upstairs and slam the door shut behind me, the sound echoing through the house. “Nothing will happen in broad daylight.” My voice trembles slightly as I whisper. “Badger isn’t that stupid.”
But the words offer little comfort, a flimsy shield against the rising tide of fear. I repeat them like a mantra, a desperate attempt to convince myself of their truth.
I refuse to let him torment me any longer, to be his prisoner, or his victim.
I wander aimlesslythrough the aisles, the fluorescent lights buzzing overhead. I should have made a list—a simple grocery list—but my mind is a whirlwind of anxieties.
Now, I’m paralyzed by indecision, overwhelmed by the sheer volume of choices and uncertainty. What do we even need?
To answer that question, I’d have to be at the cabin.
The thought of returning and reclaiming our sanctuary puts a smile on my face. Just the idea of waking up beside him every morning, of sharing our days, our dreams, fills me with a joy I haven’t felt in days. It makes me question my decision to run away from our problems.
If we’re going to make this work—truly make it—we need to learn to face our challenges together, to weather the storms instead of running from them. That’s what he did to me when I told him I was pregnant. He disappeared without a trace, leaving me to face my fears alone.
I made him promise he’d never do that to me again, and now, the irony of my own actions hits me with the force of a tidal wave.
Couples who weather the storms, who learn to navigate the rough waters together, are the ones who truly find happiness. And I want that with him. More than anything.
My gaze sweeps across the final aisle, searching for the familiar loaf of sourdough. I reach for it, a sense of unease prickling my skin.
Suddenly, a strong arm snakes around my waist and drags me into the storeroom. A hand clamps over my mouth, stifling my scream. I’m lifted off the ground, weightless and terrified, before being slammed against the cold, unforgiving wall.
The impact jolts through me, a searing pain exploding behind my eyes. My vision blurs. I’m disoriented and lightheaded, my body trembling with fear. If it weren’t for the heavy weight pinning me against the wall, I would crumple to the floor.
“You’re a mouthy little bitch, aren’t you?” I cringe at the sound of Badger’s voice. “Spreading lies about me to your family.”
“They’re not lies,” I mumble behind the clamp of his hand. The pain radiating from the back of my head doesn’t help.
“They are!” He slams me against the wall again, the impact jarring my teeth. The rough concrete digs into my back, pain exploding through me, a searing, agonizing fire. Tears prick the corner of my eyes as fear clamps around my throat.
“Don’t. Pl … please.” I beg. “My baby.”
He snorts. “That baby should be mine. Would’ve been if I had fucked you like I wanted to.”
I shake my head, refusing to give into his torment. “Never.”
He presses his nose to my neck and breathes in. It’s creepy and sends a chill down my spine. “Maybe I’ll fuck you right now. Teach you a lesson.”