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ADAIR

I ’m pretty sure I can find my favorite trail, even in the dark. There’s enough moon that I can see the double birch tree marked with the blaze as I crash into the forest. It gets dense before long, dipping into a low-lying patch of blueberry bushes where I stop. When I stifle my heavy breathing, I realize it’s dead quiet, save the sounds of the leaves and branches I crashed over settling back into place.

I’m an idiot. Jack — jackass — is probably still sitting on that picnic table, laughing his ass off at what a gullible moron I am. He was right. My shoulders slump, and I start to feel the sting of scratches on my arms from crashing through the brush. My big toe throbs where I stubbed it on a root a little ways back.

I hate that there’s a lump in my throat and tears of shame burning at the corners of my eyes. A gust of breeze hits the sweat drying on my skin and I shiver. I’m too miserable at how stupid I feel even to enjoy the gentle sound of the wind ruffling the trees above me.

Something heavy crunches the leaves. I stiffen, a bolt of fear shooting through me. I know there are actual bears out here, along with bobcats and coyotes. I’ve even heard rumors of mountain lions.

One of the shadows near me moves, and my heart jumps into my throat. It’s either Jack or the biggest fucking bear I’ve ever seen. I’m not sure which one I’m more scared of coming face-to-face with right now.

I take off again, but I must have turned myself around while I was standing there feeling sorry for myself, because I’m disoriented — I should be back to the trail by now, but I’m just heading deeper into the woods.

When the brush crackles behind me, I don’t even have time to turn. I get the wind knocked out of me for the second time tonight as I hit the ground, facedown and underneath Jack. Sprawled out on a not-entirely-uncomfortable bed of damp leaves, I’m pinned down by his weight, my heart jackhammering against my ribs. My hands and feet are free, but I don’t have enough leverage to push against the ground and free myself.

I try anyway, grunting and squirming in what I can quickly tell is a futile effort.

“You’re going to regret this,” he says, still breathing hard. “Because you’re mine now.”

“You don’t even know who I am!” I protest.

“I don’t have to know your name. I might not even bother to learn it. You’re just a bunny who, for whatever reason, is dumb enough to run.”

I turn my head, trying to spit out fragments of leaves without him noticing. He brings his mouth so close that his breath is hot against my face — so close that I think for a brief exhilarating, terrifying second his lips might touch my skin. God, what is wrong with me?

“Or maybe you just like being caught.”

His hand lands on my hip and drifts down to my ass. When he palms one cheek and gives it a squeeze, my entire body tenses.

Maple. Maple. Maple. It’s in my head if I need it. I don’t say it.

“I didn’t even have to set out a snare to catch this dumb bunny,” he murmurs, talking about me like I’m not even there before addressing me. “You don’t have any tattoos, do you?”

“N-no.”

His beard tickles the shell of my ear. “That’s perfect. Do you know why?”

I shiver as he continues. “Because I could tattoo Jack’s Slut absolutely anywhere I wanted on your skin. March you straight into the grungiest tattoo parlor in town and turn you into my property.”

I squirm underneath him, which makes him laugh.

“I love the idea of a tramp stamp… nothing too crazy, you know? Just some delicate script, maybe a few hearts on either side.” He’s got both hands on me now as he taunts me, and when he spreads his hands across my lower back where a tattoo like that would go, they span nearly my entire width.

My brain is horrified; my stupid cock apparently finds it hot.

“What do you think? Property of Jack has a nice ring to it, don’t you think? And then I’d take you hiking, wearing a cute, feminine crop top and sexy low-cut shorts so I can see my property when you’re on the trail just ahead of me.”

When I squirm again, Jack grabs me roughly by the back of the neck, holding me in place. Everything about this sick fuck’s mannerisms say he’d have no problem doing just what he says he would. I’m shaking like a leaf, overwhelmed at being turned on and terrified in equal amounts.

Jack’s mouth is right next to my ear again. “I can’t have a mutt like you roaming around loose, just jacking off or humping someone’s leg whenever you get the opportunity. You’d make this park look bad, which makes me look bad, and I’m not about to let that happen. If it was up to me, I’d just keep you on a shock collar and a leash.”

Once again, my body’s arousal overrides my brain’s fear. My hips buck, thrusting my ass back against him. Jack delivers a fast, stinging slap to my ass cheek, making me yelp.

“Shut up, slut,” he grunts. “You’ll take what I give you and fucking like it.” With that, he flips me over. The instant I’m on my back, I flail at him. I make contact with something and he curses.

He grabs my arm and twists until I howl. “What did I tell you about challenging me?” I can’t tell if he wants an answer or not. I beg him to let go, stop hurting me, don’t twist my wrist so hard — but of all the words that pour out of my mouth, there’s one that doesn’t: maple .

I realize, too late, that Jack has undone my belt. He pulls it loose and rolls me onto my belly again, shoving my face straight down into the thick leaf litter. By the time I’ve spat and blown out the forest detritus in my mouth and nose, he’s used my belt to bind my wrists together.

He flips me onto my back again. I can’t offer any resistance when he yanks my pants and my underwear down to my knees. His eyes narrow in a contemplative squint before he abruptly reaches down and hikes up my T-shirt, exposing everything from my nipples to my thighs to the chill of both the wind and his scrutiny.

He pauses to take stock of my body and my predicament. Goosebumps prickle on my skin. On his knees, he towers above me, thick thighs spread and straddling my own.

I whimper, but my cock gives me away, fully erect and leaking a slick of precum onto my lower belly. I’m terrified at the way my body is responding. It’s bringing me somewhere inside my mind I’ve never been before, and I’m as lost and disoriented as if I was wandering an alien planet.