Rose for Rose: Book Two in the Angels' Mirror Series by Harmony L. Courtney Read Free Book Online Page A

least twelve-fold in the many mirrors reflecting around them in the bright light of the bulb dangling above the bed.
    “I guess you try t’ scream iffen I leaves you here like dis, so…”
    He opened the bottom drawer on his dilapidated dresser and pulled out a hefty roll of duct tape, along with a box cutter. Panic settled even further into her chest as she tried not to imagine what Arthur had in mind to do to her.
    It was evident he’d planned the whole thing.
    Before Andrea could stop it, a scream ripped itself through her lips, and the sound frightened her.
    Had she ever been so terrified in her life?
    Bile rose in her throat again as Arthur dropped the tape and knife and backhanded her not once but twice, then resumed unrolling tape and slicing it off the roll.
    Not wanting to watch, she closed her eyes, praying she wouldn’t drown in her own vomit. Within moments, she felt Arthur backhand her a third time.
    “Open dem eyes, girl. I want you t’ see what ya brought me t’ do sos we can git t’ the truth,” he shouted. “You think you’s so smart, so clever, so beau’ful and irresisable… but you not.”
    As he shouted, Andrea could feel the spray coming from his mouth and cringed. After a few more moments, he started screaming again.
    “Didn’t you done hear me? Open dem eyes. Now!”
    Finally forcing herself to do as he said, Andrea watched as he grinned at her, grabbed a piece of the duct tape he’d cut and placed it over her mouth. He layered four more pieces at various angles over it, then carefully untied one wrist, wrapping tape around the bed bar and her upper arm. Then he did the same on the other side.
    She couldn’t even imagine how much more her arms could ache than they did at that moment.
    How long is he going to keep me here , she wondered, tears forming again at the corners of her eyes, trickling down and rolling into the soft creases of her neck. How long before anyone reports that I’m missing… and will they even find me? I did all he asked and kept things quiet. I didn’t tell anyone we were back together, so only his family knows, and now this?
    Fear rising to the surface, Andrea tried to scream one more time, in spite of the duct tape… but nothing came except for a muffled sob.
    With a satisfied-looking smile, Arthur glared down at her a moment, grabbed his clothes, turned out the light, and headed upstairs again.
    God, what am I going to do , she silently screamed with her mind. How could I get into such a mess? And will You see me through this to the other side, whatever that is? Keep my baby safe; deliver us from this evil, Father… please! Be with us… come what may.
     
     
     
    Andrea awakened from her nightmares only to find they’d come true.
    She struggled in the dim light to find a way to free her wrists and ankles from their tape and ropes. Her bladder was talking to her, telling her it was high past time to go to the restroom, and there was nobody in sight.
    She strained to hear voices, and there were none.
    The house was quiet, and the only sounds she could hear were from light traffic on the street before and behind the house. Occasionally, there was the riffle of a bird, but it didn’t last more than a few moments, and was gone.
    Despite her parched throat and over-full bladder, Andrea continued to struggle. “Is anyone there? Can anyone hear me? I need help,” she screamed over and over, until the light dimmed even further.
    How had the tape gotten loose from her mouth? Not that she cared; she was just thankful she could speak.
    “God, please,” she finally prayed. “Please, God, help someone find me. Watch over me. I can’t do this… not alone. Not without Your intervention.” She tried to relax, but her muscles were sore and her limbs were tight. She did all she could to keep her bladder in check, to no avail.
    “God, how could this be happening? I finally have the one thing I want in life, and it’s being stripped away from me moment by moment by