Blood and muck stained warm shower water, creating a dirty pink pool under my feet. I watched as it swirled across the porcelain floor before sliding into the drain. My muscles ached as I tried to wash what was left of the night before off my body. Though, I knew that no matter how long I scrubbed, I would never wash away everything Isaac and his brothers had done to me.

I let the water run cold before getting out and putting on the oversized hoodie and sweatpants Zach had left for me. Then, I caught another glimpse of her. The girl in the mirror who I didn't recognize before and still didn't. She had all of my features, but she wasn't me. She couldn't be. She looked small and frail. She wasn't an athlete in the honor society; she was a weak little girl who was dumb enough to talk to a strange man on a hiking trail.

She was the girl who got my family killed.

I closed my eyes and swallowed down the debilitating sickness in my throat. I breathed in deep and slow, trying to calm myself before I had another panic attack. I didn't open my eyes again until I had turned away from the mirror. I never wanted to see that girl again.

The silence in Zach's room was deafening, but I was thankful for a moment to myself. My hand slid down his firm mattress and contemplated lying down, but I knew rest wouldn't be possible in a strange bed with a clouded mind. Instead, I went to the bedroom door and twisted the handle. When it didn't budge, I sighed and tried one more time.

Zach locked me in.

I took in a deep breath, frustration filled me again, but I had no energy to react. Instead, I turned and scanned the bedroom; there had to be something in here that could help me get out. I looked through his dresser, nightstands, and closet and found nothing but clothes and useless keepsakes.

When I finished my unsatisfying search, I decided to try to relax, the best a girl being held hostage by her family's murderers could. I dragged a rocking chair that sat in a corner across the wooden floors so I could sit in front of one of the windows. I brought my legs up to my chest as I looked at the beautiful mountain view.

I watched as the sun slowly began to set almost perfectly between two mountain peaks and tried to let my thoughts melt in the pink and orange pool in the sky. It didn't work. I could only think of my family and the horrible things that had happened and would soon happen to me in this home.

I stayed in my trance, eyes locked on the beautiful view before me until I heard the door handle click as someone unlocked it from the outside. I looked over in enough time to see Zach come inside, his clothes dirty, and sweat glazed his skin. Then I returned my focus to the world outside the window.

"I'm glad you're awake," He said as he walked further into the room and hung his hat back onto a hook in the wall.

I didn't respond.

Zach crouched beside me, and I could smell the outside world and sweat on him. His dirt-covered hands rested on the arm of the rocking chair, and I looked down at them, counting the small scars that marked his fingers and hands; I counted seven.

"We're going to have some visitors," He said, and my eyes trailed up to his.

"Who?" I questioned, though it didn't matter; I could see the excitement on his features, and I knew that whoever was coming wasn't going to be someone I wanted to meet.

"My cousins, Ray's sons. They're coming over for dinner to meet you."

I sighed, my eyes trailing down to my hands resting on my lap. I picked at the skin around my nails, an old nervous habit I thought I had beat. I wanted to scream at Zach again, to tell him and his family to just leave me alone; I didn't need more of them gawking at me. Though, I knew that screaming at him would only result in me getting hurt again.

"I'm really tired, Zach," I said, my eyes looking into his again. I decided I would try making him feel sorry for me. "I think I need to just rest for tonight."

I could see his face drop slightly, but he smiled at me. "You haven't eaten anything today. All you have to do is come downstairs and share a meal with your new family, and then you can come back-"

"What did you just say?" I swallowed, trying to keep calm, but I could feel heat rising to my face. My idea of having him sympathize with me was clouded by my anger.

Zach furrowed his brow at me. "What?" He asked.

"'Share a meal with my new family.' Is that what you said?" My voice rose, and my fingernails dug into my palms as I made tight fists. He had no right.

He nodded, and I watched his jaw tense with nerves. "My family is your family now."

My knees fell away from my chest, and I sat up straight so that I sat higher than Zach. "I'll never be able to eat with my family again because your family murdered them," I said through gritted teeth. My eyes stared deep into his. "I would rather die than share a meal with those psychotic animals."

"Hey!" Zach shouted. "You don't ever talk about my family like that!" His voice sounded a lot like Isaac's when he yelled, making my body freeze and slump into the chair; my confidence again drained.

One of his hands gripped the chair's arm tighter as he moved his body in front of me. His other hand moved to grab the other arm, trapping me in the chair. He bent down so his face was level with mine. His face inched towards mine and his features hardened.

He began to talk, his voice low and threatening. "This is what you're going to do, Kinsley; you're going to stop acting like a stubborn little brat, and you're going to learn to respect me and my family. Because whether you like it or not, your old family is gone, and you're stuck with me and mine. Do I make myself clear?"

My heart was beating hard in my chest as I looked into his angry eyes; I felt my body shake as I took in slow breaths, trying to hide my fear from Zach.

I wasn't going to do what they said without a fight.

I squinted my eyes at him and brought my face closer to his to show I wasn't afraid. "Is that what I'm going to do?" I asked, my voice taunting.

"Yes." His tone was low, and dared me to say one more thing that might upset him.

I scoffed at him. I would never forgive his family for what they did, let alone respect them. I shook my head at him, and before I thought about what I was doing, I spit at him.

He closed his eyes as my saliva landed on his cheek, and I could feel his grip on my chair tighten. He inhaled through his nose and let out a small chuckle. When his eyes opened again, my blood ran cold. They were narrowed and dark; he no longer seemed like the nervous, weak man I had met; now, he was like Isaac, a monster.

I barely had time to process his large hand colliding with the side of my cheek before he grabbed me by the neck and pulled me out of the chair. My body slammed onto the ground as he pushed me down by my throat, then swiftly kicked me in my stomach.

I turned onto my side and crumbled into the fetal position as I gasped for air. I had barely taken in a full breath before Zach kneeled down and rolled me onto my back. He pressed his knee into my sore abdomen and his hand back onto my neck, robbing me of any more air. I struggled under him, my hands trying to pull his away from my neck, but it was no use.

"If you won't listen to me, I have no use for you. So, I need you to decide right now; are you going to listen, or will I have to replace you?"

Tears poured from my eyes, and I could feel my consciousness wavering; I tried to find words, but none came. All I could do was nod my head. Zach released my neck, but his knee still dug into my stomach, making me gag on what little air I could fit into my crushed abdomen.

"I want to hear you say it," He said.

"I'll listen," I wheezed, and he finally stood, relieving me from his weight.

I choked as my lungs were finally filled with the air they craved, and my ribs burned as I heaved in deep breaths. My body curled back into itself, and I watched as Zach grabbed the sundress off of the boxes in the corner and threw it toward me. "Put that on. We're going down for dinner after I shower."

***

Zach's grip on my hand was painfully tight as he led me into the living room filled with men. Isaac and his brothers sat on one couch, Zeb sat in a recliner, and Mat sat on the other side of the room with two men I didn't recognize. My eyes met Zeb's; he smiled reassuringly as he nodded at me. The other men, who I didn't recognize, began to whistle and cheer Zach on when they saw him with me.

I gave them a good look. They must have been Ray's sons; they had the same dull blue eyes as him, though they had sandy blonde hair that set them apart from the rest of the family with black or brown. They must have been twins because they were nearly indistinguishable. The only difference I could find between them was that one was missing two fingers on his left hand. I stared at it for a moment.

Isaac got up from his seat and stood beside me with a grin. "That's enough. You boys are embarrassing her," He said, and the cousins stopped cheering but kept wide grins on their faces. "Isn't she beautiful?"

Isaac's question made heat rise to my face and ears. I was embarrassed standing here, having Zach's cousins inspect me like some prized pig. "She looks pretty beat up," One said with a chuckle.

"Yeah, but I'm sure she's real pretty under all those bruises," The other added.

"She wouldn't have them if she wasn't such a brat," Liam spat from the other side of the room, making Ray's sons laugh.

Brat. I had been called that more in the time I'd been in this house than I had my entire life, and I hated it. I wasn't a brat; I just didn't want to do what those psychopaths wanted. Tears stung my eyes, but I tried to hold them in and keep my composure, swallowing down my disgust and shame.

"No need for name-calling, Liam," Isaac scolded. "It's only Kinsley's first day here; she just needs some time to adapt, and I'm sure with Zach helping her, it won't take long at all. Will it, Kinsley?"

My lip quivered as I tried to hold back tears. I didn't want to 'adapt' to living here or being with Zach; I just wanted to go home. I shook my head at his question, but Zach still squeezed my hand like I had done something wrong. I looked up at him, but he was looking at his father.

My eyes trailed down to Zeb. He had his hand on his cheek so the rest of the family couldn't see him mouth the words 'no sir' to me.

"No, sir, it won't," I repeated, and Zach's grip loosened on my hand. I looked back at Zeb and nodded my head in appreciation; he gave me another smile.

Isaac smiled down at me and rested his hand on my shoulder, making me cringe. "Good, now I'd like you to meet Ray's twins. This one here is Derrick," He said, referring to the one that still had all his fingers intact. "And beside him is Declan."

They both nodded their heads at me, and I forced a smile and nod. Zach squeezed my hand harder again. "What do you say, Kinsley?"

I furrowed my brows as I looked up at him. His eyes were serious, and his jaw was tensed as he looked down at me. He was treating me like a timid child. The tears that had filled my eyes threatened to fall, and my lips twitched as I contemplated telling him to go to hell again. Though, I remembered my surroundings and decided it would be in my best interest to play along.

I turned my eyes back to Ray's sons and cleared my throat before forcing out the words I decided Zach wanted to hear. "It's nice meeting the two of you."

Zach released my hand and nodded his head at me. "Good," He said. "Go on to the kitchen. We'll catch up later."

I walked out of the living room as fast as I could and barely entered the dining room before the tears in my eyes began to fall. I leaned against the wall beside the archway so the men couldn't see me as I succumbed to my tears. I had never been so humiliated in my life.

I covered my mouth, trying to suppress my sobs, which only made my breathing more sporadic. I made a tight fist with my hand and took the other off my mouth. I bit the inside of my cheek, hoping not to make too much noise as I tried to regulate my breathing. I didn't think the men would hear me anyways; I could still hear them talking to one another, but I couldn't decipher their words until I finally calmed myself down.

"I never thought I'd see the day Zachariah got a girl," One of the twins teased.

"What do you think about her, Zachy?" The other asked.

Zach sighed. "I don't know," He said. "I mean, she's gorgeous, and I'm sure she'll be great after she settles. She's just really difficult."

"They all are, but all that trouble is worth it when you finally get a piece of ass."

The men all began to laugh at the twin's words, but my stomach had risen to my throat. They were sick.

"What do you mean 'when?' I'm sure Zachy's already gotten a taste. Isn't that right?"

Zach laughed. "She hasn't even settled yet, Dec."

"And? I didn't wait for Brook to settle," Declan said.

"That's what makes them settle," Derrick added. "You asked us before you got her if we had any advice. Well, this is the best you'll get; get her pregnant as soon as possible. They'll risk their own lives trying to get out of here, but not their baby's."

I felt like I was going to vomit as the realization of why I was really here hit me. I should have known. What else would these misogynistic pigs want from a 'wife?' I realized I would have to escape as soon as possible. Who knew how long it would be before Zach took their advice.

I didn't want to listen to their disgusting conversation anymore, but my body wouldn't move. I felt like I was going to pass out, my heart was beating hard and fast in my chest from nerves, and tears continued to fall down my face.

"Kinsley?" A feminine voice pulled me from my trance, and I looked to see a woman standing next to me. She had soft hazel eyes, and her beautiful face was framed with golden brown curls. "I didn't mean to scare you. I'm Sarah, Derrick's wife."

I didn't know what to say to her. I knew she was like me because of the awful things I heard Derrick say. I had so many questions, but none would find their way to my mouth. She smiled at me and held her hand out. "Come on, you can help us cook."

I took her hand without another thought; she was the first person I actually trusted in this house. She led me through another archway that led to the kitchen.

There we were met with a girl, who I assumed to be Declan's wife. She had fiery red hair that stretched to her hips and swayed as she danced around the kitchen, softly singing a song I didn't recognize. There was a little boy with her; he looked to be only three or four. She would occasionally put her cooking utensil down to grab his hands, spinning him to her song and making him laugh.

"Brooklyn," Sarah said, making the girl stop singing and turn towards her. The girl's green eyes lit up when she saw me.

"You must be Kinsley!" She exclaimed as she wrapped her delicate arms around my neck. I winced as she touched my bruises, and she backed away, a smile still on her face. "Right, sorry." Her finger trailed the hand mark on my neck, then went to the spot on my cheek where Zach had hit me. "Hm," She said, then turned around and continued singing as she cooked.

I didn't know what to say or do. I stood, looking in her direction with my eyebrows knit together. What a weird interaction, especially from someone in the same situation as me; when she looked at my wounds, she almost looked contented, happy with them. She should have been disgusted.

Sarah's touch took me from my thoughts. "Kinsley, this is my son, Cain," She said, holding hands with the small boy Brooklyn was dancing with.

I offered the boy a smile; he was the first boy I was happy to meet here. "It's good to meet you, Cain."

He smiled back at me before wrapping his arms around his mother's legs. "He's shy, but I'm sure he'll warm up to you in no time," She explained before handing me a spoon. "Here, help me get this ready."

Sarah, Brooklyn, and I prepared the food and set the table before all the men came to join us in the dining room. Some had to sit in the living room to eat, but who was left in the dining room was still enough to make me uncomfortable with their small talk centered around me.

All that was nothing compared to how uneasy watching Brooklyn with Declan made me. Her bright green eyes never left him, and a small smile stained her face every time he talked. Her fingers stayed intertwined with his, and she snuck small kisses in every time the rest of the family looked away. I wondered how they brainwashed her. If they killed her family in front of her like they did me. If they beat her.

Sarah, on the other hand, didn't seem so in love. She kept a smile on her face all throughout dinner, but her eyes gave her away. They were beautiful deep hazel that stayed in a different world. I longed to be with her wherever she was.

It seemed she was going to be my only hope.

When dinner was over, the men returned to the living room and the women to the kitchen. Sarah and I silently washed and dried the dishes, and Brooklyn hummed as she scurried around, putting it all away.

My focus was broken, and my nerves shot back up at the sound of a man's voice. I turned to see Declan. "A blonde, a brunette, and a redhead," He said with a smile. "I think I've heard this joke before."

Brooklyn giggled happily as she put down what she was working on and went to the other side of the room to wrap her arms around Declan's shoulders. He planted a kiss on her forehead and placed his large hand on her stomach. "How's our baby?"

She was pregnant?

Brooklyn was petite, to put it lightly. She was far skinnier than Sarah and I; it was hard to believe she was pregnant. "I think he's doing fine," She answered.

"Good," Declan beamed. "Come on, sweetheart. You shouldn't be working this hard; these girls can handle it."

Without another word, Brooklyn and Declan walked out of the room hand in hand. My eyes were stuck on the archway they had just left from. "It's hard to watch, isn't it?"

Sarah's words sent chills through my body. I was right! She wasn't like Brooklyn; she wasn't brainwashed. "What happened?" I whispered back. "How did they do that to her?"

Sarah shrugged her shoulders. "That poor girl has lost more than anyone in this family," She started as she drained the water she used to wash dishes, then dried her hands off with a dish towel. "She used to have this fire in her when we were brought here; she fought like I had never seen anyone fight before. Every time Declan tried to get her to submit, she came back stronger. It took almost a year for her to get pregnant, but she started to calm down when she found out, then she miscarried. She came back a little bit after that first time, but then it happened again and again, and each time it was like she lost a piece of herself. She's had seven miscarriages in the five years we've been here."

"Oh my god," I whispered. There was a pit in my stomach as I listened to Brooklyn's story; it was devastating.

"Yeah, I hate Declan and this family for continuing to do that to her when they know what the outcome will be."