Chapter 3

The scars on her back told the awful tale of Tippin's life in the camp. I cringed at the sight but schooled my features for when she turned back. I couldn't allow her to know how guilty and angry the abuse made me feel. I wanted to race from the tent and find Harland. I wanted to let my beast free and then I wanted to take out my fury on every man in camp. I knew that Tippin had been passed from one to the other, used as each saw fit. It sickened me.

Instead, I took a deep breath and then dabbed carefully at the blood around her nipples, quietly apologizing when she flinched away from my touch. "We have to get you better, Tippin. You have to be stronger before we can leave this place."

Tippin's laugh was harsh and bitter. It sounded nothing like the carefree, playful kitten she had always been. "We can't leave, Rhys. They will kill us when they find us."

"That's why we can't let them find us, sister. We have to be smart and we have to not give them any reason to doubt us. Can you do that?" I hated having to ask her that. It felt as if I was betraying her in a way too terrible to think of. But I had to know; I had to be sure of her. I rose, going to the bucket of cold water and rinsing the cloth, watching as the water turned red with her blood.

"I ... I don't know." Tippin cringed once more when I started cleaning off her raw and bloody pussy. I hated that I was hurting her even more but I was afraid if I didn't clean her off, in her weakened state, she might become infected.

It took too many minutes out of the hour that Sal had allotted me for lunch and I quickly tossed the rag into the bucket and unwrapped Tippin's sandwich and brought it to her. "Eat, sweetheart."

"I'm not sure I can." She sighed, stiffening in pain as she sat up.

"Try." I took a bite of my own sandwich. It was thickly sliced ham and baby swiss cheese. There was the bite of spicy mustard on my tongue. It was an intriguing combination and I urged Tippin to try a bite. "It's really good, sweetheart."

Tippin picked up a half of her sandwich and took a bite, moaning as the split on her lip tore open. I rose, handing her the cloth so she could hold it against her mouth. A drop of blood escaped her and slid down her chin to drop to her breast.

The sight of that one drop of blood, despite the grievous wounds that I'd cleaned up when I'd come in, broke my heart and I felt tears welling in my eyes. "Tippin..." I couldn't finish.

For the first time, Tippin smiled. "Rhys, I'll be fine. You were always the strongest of us. Where's that steely backbone now?"

I knelt down next to her, dropping my head down to her lap. Her hand stroked over my hair. "I would handle it better if it was me that was bleeding. Seeing you ... like this ... it's eating at my soul."

"I'll heal." She brought her sandwich to her mouth, taking another bite, her other hand still stroking my hair.

"I hate that I couldn't help you ... that I didn't stop them when they first came into the jungle. I wish I could kill them for you now."

"But they are using me against you." Tippin didn't need me to tell her yes or no, she knew. "Rhys, if you find a way out, you take it." She glared at me until I nodded. But I think she knew it was a lie because she sighed and closed her eyes. "Dammit, Rhys."

"You need to eat, Tippin. I have to get back or Sal will have the entire camp out looking for me. Eat, please. I'll try to come back tonight." I brushed a kiss against her cheek and rose, sending her a smile before I left the tent.

I hurried back through camp, knowing I was pushing the time limit that Sal had given me. All I could do was hurry and pray Sal would understand. The men I rushed past stared at me and I saw lust in their eyes. It was scary, especially after seeing what that man had done to Tippin.

I rushed through the door to the camp kitchen, skidding to a halt. Sal had his back to me. "Sal, I'm sorry. My sister needed me..."

The man that I'd thought was Sal turned around and for a moment, I was speechless. I felt my cheeks flush and I had to force myself to hold still and not run out. "I thought you were Sal."

He laughed and a shiver shuddered through me. "You aren't the first who's thought that way. You have to be Rhys. My father's been raving about you since I got here."

"Raving ... Wait, father?"

"Sal is my father." He grinned again. "My name is Bernardo." He reached out and took my hand, kissing the back and squeezing my fingers gently. "I'm the oldest of Sal's kids."

Rhys was tongue tied. It wasn't just the fact that he was handsome, there was something in his eyes, a kindness, a goodness that she hadn't seen in any of the men she'd come into contact with since her capture. "I ... I..."

I was saved from having to try to make sense by Sal's entrance back into the kitchen. "There you are, Rhys. I thought I was going to have to get Harland involved in looking for you."

"No, my sister..." I glanced back at Bernardo and couldn't finish my thought. We weren't the type to let anyone know when we were hurting. I dropped my eyes and felt my cheeks heat when I saw his eyes on me. There was a curiosity in his soft hazel eyes and I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks. "My sister needed me."

"Do we need to send for the camp doctor?" Sal's voice was rich with concern and I found it much easier to meet his gaze than that of his son's.

"I ... I took care of it." I glanced back at Bernardo and then dropped my eyes again. There was just something about him, something that had me flummoxed.

Sal seemed to notice and he took a step toward his son. "You go see your mother, Bern. If you don't and she hears that you are back, it's not going to be pretty." He slapped his son on his well shaped back, the sound so loud that I flinched.

"Bern?" Half the names that I'd heard since my arrival at the camp had sounded strange to me. This one I found fascinating.

"It helps distinguish me from my twin sister, Bernadette. If she can get passed Mom, I don't doubt she'll be down here to snitch a piece of apple pie." He reached out and lifted my hand once more, brushing one last soft kiss upon it. When he let go, I wrapped that hand with the other, covering the spot that he'd kiss. I watched as he left the trailer and I turned back, just in time to see Sal's smiling gaze meet mine.

"Bern is my oldest. He and his sister have been away at school. Bern wants to be a doctor."

Before their deaths, my parents had always schooled us, we'd never even thought of going away to school. The idea fascinated me almost as much as Bern did. "He seems nice," I said and turned from Sal to go to the deep sink that was filled once more with dishes. I quickly started washing and rinsing the dishes, setting them carefully in the big draining rack. It surprised me when Sal stood next to me, a towel in his hand. I guess he noticed my surprise.

"I'm not too bossy that I can't dry a dish or two." He chucked me gently on the chin and I couldn't help the smile that crossed my lips. Maybe everyone in the camp wasn't the horrid monster that I'd thought at first.

"I like working with you, Sal."

He smiled and settled another plate on the drain board. "You ain't so bad either. It's not easy to find good help out here, so when you find someone, you do everything in your power to keep them. I think when we get some muscles in these arms, you'll be a hell of an assistant."

I glanced down at my slender arms. I'd always thought of myself as strong but after watching Sal and the way his huge arms had flexed as he worked the biscuit dough, I knew I had some work to do to catch up.

"Of course, when the Boss comes, you won't be in here anymore."

I looked his way again even as I felt a thrill of fear. When the Boss came, I wouldn't be much more than what Tippin was now. I hated the thought. It scared me more than I was even willing to admit to myself. Instead of allowing myself time to think, I attacked the dishes with a ferocity that shocked Sal.

"Hey, girl, whoa, slow down a bit. We have time to finish dinner yet." He dropped one big hand on my shoulder. That touch was enough to break me and I turned, an otherworldly sounding growl coming from me. I dropped the cloth I'd been using and backed slowly away, my hands up as if I could ward him off in this weak form.

"Don't touch me, don't ever touch me."

"Rhys, I'm sorry, calm down." His tone was soft, sympathy in his eyes. He held out one hand, not touching me. It was as if he was willing me to take it, to accept what I could see in his eyes. He took another step toward me and then a loud, chaotic sound came from just outside the trailer. The door popped open and I jerked back even further as a tall goddess of a woman walked in, her arm around an older version of herself. Bern was behind them and I saw his eyes search the trailer before landing on me.

Sal stepped in front of them, keeping them from coming any further into the room. I felt their eyes land on me, curiosity rampant in them. I ducked my head, turning my back. I was ashamed of how I'd reacted toward Sal's concerned touch and even more embarrassed by being caught out the way I was. I felt a touch on my shoulder and I spun, my mouth opened to apologize but it wasn't Sal.

"He feels bad," Bern said softly. "My father is a good man, but there are times when he doesn't realize that what he says can injure. I hope you can forgive him."

"No ... no, he didn't do anything wrong. I'm the one that should apologize. My ... my sister..." I couldn't say anymore. He'd picked up my hand, playing with my fingers as I spoke. He looked up as I searched for both the will and the air to finish the comment.

"Is she ill? I am only a medical student but I've seen what Harland hires as camp doctors. I'd be more than willing to help if you'll let me." His eyes, more green than hazel now, met mine. There was an honesty there as well as something else, something that had my heart rushing and a strange itch starting in my lower belly. I felt a swelling there, between my thighs, that was maddening and I wanted to press my legs together, to try to get relief.

"She's not ill. She's..." I closed my eyes and then opened them quickly. I could see Tippin in my mind's eye, see the torn pink flesh and the rawness in her pussy as well as the bite marks on her breasts. I was worried about her getting sick from the open wounds, knowing that in her weakened state, it would probably kill her. "She's been raped." I spoke the words quickly, glancing up at him to see his reaction.