The Daughter In the Corner

Never Again *R18: S*xual Assault*

Hunter searched around frantically until he noticed a hunched figure on the balcony through the large bay windows. He dashed straight over and threw the doors open.

Amara’s head jolted up in surprise. “Hunter? What are you doing out here?”

She tried to subtly turn her red face away from him, but Hunter saw the red mark on her face. Stooping down, he lifted her chin gently to look at her slightly puffy face.

“Who hit you?”

Amara felt a chill run down her back. This was the second time she heard the Sinclair brothers use a voice that was unfamiliar to her.

“... it’s fine.”

“No, it’s not. Who hit you? Was it Derrick?”

“NO! No… it was Jenny.”

Hunter’s eyes drew to slits. “Why did she hit you?”

Amara chewed her lower lip, feeling aggrieved but unable to say anything. Although she disliked Jenny she wasn’t planning on making good on her earlier threat. She was merely speaking out of anger. Ruining someone’s engagement was a class-A b***h move.

She sniffed. “Come to think of it, I probably deserved it. I was so angry I said things I didn’t mean.”

Hunter sighed and took off his jacket. Draping it over her shoulder, he sat down next to her and leaned back on the wall. “You want to talk about it? I’ll lend you an ear and a shoulder.”

Amara pursed her lips, unsure where to begin.

“I think I have to start from the beginning. My dad always felt apologetic towards his children from his first marriage because he wasn’t there for them when they were young. From what mom told me, he did some pretty mean things to Jenny and Peter’s mom. Before mom and I came into the picture, he would spend every Saturday at the Farleys to spend quality time with my siblings. That was their bonding time. Then dad married my mom and had me but that didn’t change his schedule; mom and I would tag along with my dad because we wanted to spend time with him too. When I was young, my siblings didn’t play with me because of our age difference and dad was always trying to spend time with them that I was pretty much left alone. I didn’t really understand his mentality until I was much older. I know…I know it’s not really anyone’s fault, but I was… no, I still am resentful.”

Amara’s eyes started to water as she blubbered, “I was just a kid, Hunter. I wanted to be loved too. I wanted to fit in and be friends with everyone, but no one paid me any mind. I mean they would check that I had food and water and talked to me every once in a while, but they all congregated around their own kids and grandkids. I was just the odd one out and it felt awful.”

Hunter patted her back as she leaned on his shoulder continuing her story.

“When we moved to the countryside, Dad promised to make mom and me his priority. That was when I felt like I was truly loved. I met you and Derrick, and we became friends around that time. I feel like I fell in love with Derrick because he was the first one to make me feel… special, you know? Now I feel like an i***t! He never liked me. I had my head in the clouds imagining how we were fated mates like some stupid werewolf novel. Ugh!” She buried her face in her hands. “I am so stupid!”

Hunter muttered, “If I was the one you met first, would you have fallen in love with me?”

Amara froze; her hands still, thankfully, hiding her face.

Hunter quickly cleared his throat and spoke loudly. “Uh, it’s getting cold out here. Do you want to go in?”

Amara nodded and got off his shoulder. Hunter got up first and offered her a hand.

Amara looked at the large hand before her and her eyes trailed up to Hunter’s handsome cherry red face.

‘If I met Hunter first…, would I have fallen for him instead?’

She blushed in response.

***

The Sinclair couple awkwardly glanced across the dining table at Dustin and Amanda. All the children were absent, and it was crystal clear they had broken out into pairs.

George smiled and tried to break the mile deep ice with a toothpick of a joke. “Hey, we might become family twice over… just think Hunter with Amara and Derrick with yowch!” He squirmed with a look of pure agony as Nina put on a fake smile.

Amanda noticed Nina’s arm was slightly extended towards her husband under the table. It wasn’t hard to guess why George screamed all of a sudden. Nina glanced at Amanda in a silent plea for help.

Amanda sighed softly and glanced at Dustin; he looked as if he was about to kill someone.

Amanda shook her head softly and turned her attention to the Sinclairs. “I do hope you like the food our chef has prepared. I personally made a rum pineapple cake for dessert. Please try some later and let me know your thoughts.”

Nina blinked gratefully at her friend. “It all looks delicious. Thank you again for inviting us to your lovely home.”

Amanda nudged her husband with her knee. Dustin glanced at his wife and sighed, discarding the notion of bloody murder. “You have been so gracious to us when we first moved out to the countryside, this is the least we can do. I don’t think the kids are coming back so let’s eat before the food gets cold.”

Everyone put on a polite smile and silence in the room was replaced by clinking silverware.

Dustin glanced at the dining room entrance once more before taking a bite of his wagyu steak. For some reason it felt like he was chewing leather.

***

“Jenny! Wait!”

Derrick ran after Jenny as she stomped towards her red Ferrari. Something felt off when he saw the cold look in her eyes in the dining room and he knew instinctively that if he didn’t catch up to her now, he’d lose her forever.

“Wait!”

Before Jenny could open the door, she felt his hard body press up against her back caging her between her car and his body.

“Get away from me before I scream,” Jenny whispered angrily. “I can tell my father has a good relationship with yours and I would hate to ruin that for them.”

“Just let me talk to you. I won’t do anything.”

Jenny pushed off her car and tried to wiggle out, but his muscular arms wrapped around her in a tight embrace. His scent was intoxicating, but she fought it with all that she had.

“GET OFF N–!”

Derrick spun her around and forced his lips on hers, trying desperately to draw her base nature out. He could tell she wanted him. Jenny was not like any woman he had before; she was different. She was like the sun, something he could feel but something he could never hold. He needed her to want him. One hand wrapped around her head, his fingers twirling around her long blonde curls trapping her in a passionate kiss.

Jenny pushed and pounded his firm chest with her dainty fists, doing nothing more than to spur Derrick on. Frightened, she tried to knee him where it hurts but he caught her thigh and pulled her in further. Off balance, she had no choice but to hold his arms for support.

Tears poured from her eyes and their kiss was broken by a guttural cry.

Derrick stopped and pulled off slightly to look down at the small creature that trembled in his arms… not from pleasure but from fear. His hazel eyes widened in shock.

“Jenny? Darling? Are you…”

Jenny ripped herself from his hold; pushed off him and stumbled backwards, hitting her car. She winced in pain but maintained eye contact with Derrick.

“Get away from me. Don’t you dare touch me again. Never again! If you do, I swear you’ll have all the Farley men coming after you.”

She pulled open her car door and jumped inside. The car engine roared to life and sped off the lot like a bolt of red lightning.

Derrick stood shell-shocked. He looked down at his hand that had held her beautiful crown of sunshine and found himself holding a few parting rays.