I Was His Wife, Then His Widow, Then No One's But My Own novel Chapter 95

The man had the tent erected in no time, his movements undeniably practiced.

Clapping the dirt from his hands, he turned around and boldly dragged his gaze up and down Seraphina's figure.

His eyes stopped at her face, a predatory smirk playing on his lips. He took a step closer, brushing the back of his hand against hers, pretending it was an accident.

"All done, gorgeous."

Seraphina frowned sharply, immediately pulling her hand back. She forced out a tight, "Thanks."

Her voice was strained, her expression hardening by the second.

The man tilted his head, his small eyes gleaming with undeniable malice. "Is that all the gratitude I get?"

Seraphina instinctively glanced around. There had been a few other families setting up camp nearby earlier, but they had somehow all vanished. The distant sounds of children laughing echoed from the cedar grove, but they felt miles away.

Her heart leaped into her throat, a sickening tightness gripping her chest.

"What do you want?"

The man rubbed his hands together. "I'm not an unreasonable guy. I saw you struggling with your kid and figured I'd lend a hand. We're both parents here, right? I understand how tough it can be."

Seraphina's face turned icy. She pulled Cassie behind her, shielding the girl with her body. Her tone turned lethal. "What exactly are you after? You want money?"

The man stroked his chin, his sinister intentions practically spilling over. "I don't want your money. I'm not that shallow. I want you."

Seraphina's heart dropped, an awful buzzing filling her ears.

The man glanced down at the little girl, an irritated sneer curling his lip.

He reached out, grabbed Cassie by the arm, and violently shoved her aside. She tumbled into the grass, her knee slamming hard against an exposed rock.

She sat stunned for a second before bursting into a piercing wail, the sound echoing across the desolate lake.

"Cassie!" Seraphina screamed, lunging toward her. She barely took a step before the man grabbed her from behind.

His arms felt like iron bands clamping around her waist, dragging her backward. His hot, heavy breath blasted against her ear, reeking of stale cigarette smoke.

Seraphina thrashed wildly, digging her nails into his arms and slamming her elbows into his ribs. She kicked and fought with everything she had, screaming, "You lunatic! Let go of me! Don't touch me, you creep!"

The man chuckled darkly. "There are no cameras here. I brought a condom. When I'm done, I'll take it with me. You won't have a shred of proof."