Page 22 of Falcon

“Here,” I whispered, handing them a bottle each.

“Rawson reckons you can dance,” Dawson drawled. I froze. What was this? Rawson eyed me with a nasty glint as he looked me up and down.

“No, I’ve no rhythm,” I denied.

“Liar,” Dawson crowed. “I’ve danced with you.”

“Dawson, I was younger then,” I murmured. “Want me to get some snacks?” I attempted to leave, but Lawson stopped me.

“Don’t fuckin’ move.” Like a terrified lamb, I halted in the middle of the room. My hands shook as I held them against my dress.

“Dance,” Rawson ordered.

“Rawson, I can’t…”

Rawson leaned forward and slapped me so hard I tasted blood. My heart was pounding. This was bad. Very bad.

“Fuckin’ dance,” Dawson said, leaning forward in his chair and smirking. Terrified, I looked at my husband and wondered how the hell we’d come to this.

I began jerking back and forth stiffly, and Lawson roared with laughter as Rawson threw a bottle at me.

“Call that dancing?” he yelled.

“I…” I fell hard to the ground as Rawson didn’t slap but punched me instead. I saw stars and held my jaw.

“Dawson,” I whispered, terrified. Rawson leaned over me, grabbing a handful of my hair and yanking me up.

“Dance like we’re at a titty club. Strip, bitch,” Rawson ordered. Lawson stopped laughing and sat up, his eyes suddenly alert. Dawson didn’t even bother coming to my defence.

“No.”

Three punches later, I was too dazed to defend myself when Rawson ripped my dress clean off. I held my hands up, trying to cover up, and glanced blearily over at Dawson.

Oh God, Dawson was staring at me with hunger. He’d not touched me for five years, and now he was hard. The violence his brother was committing was turning him on.

“Dawson, stop this,” I begged. Rawson laughed and bent down and grabbed my breast, squeezing until I screamed, bringing tears to my eyes. Lawson licked his lips as he looked me up and down.

“Unlock that basement of yours,” Rawson ordered Dawson.

Dawson chuckled as Rawson fisted his hand in my hair. I began screaming and kicking as he started dragging me backwards. Lawson turned the TV up and followed us.

No. No. No. Not this. Please God. Not this.

Falcon

I acknowledged Sheriff Cates as Calamity, and I headed into Aurora-Victoria’s psychic shop. Klutz said she’d had a doozy of a vision and I was needed.

“Calamity!” Cates called, and we stopped.

“Can I help, Sheriff?” Calamity asked.

“I wondered how things were ?” she inquired, looking slightly unsure.

“Fine, thanks for asking,” Calamity replied, letting it drop.

“Calamity, look, I had to pull you in, but I didn’t believe you were connected to it,” Cates said. She grabbed his arm, and Calamity looked down at her hand, and she removed it.

“Cates, I’m not angry you pulled me in,” Calamity responded.