Total pages in book: 64
Estimated words: 62056 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 310(@200wpm)___ 248(@250wpm)___ 207(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62056 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 310(@200wpm)___ 248(@250wpm)___ 207(@300wpm)
I growl out loud and release him, then I turn around so I don’t have to look at him any longer. I don’t want to picture any other guy talking to her, let alone touching her. Charlotte is mine, and no one else will take her from me.
“Can I get my reward now?” the guy says.
I blow out a breath through my mouth. Then I snap my fingers.
Nick fishes some money from his pocket and hands it to the guy.
“Now leave,” I say, and the guy immediately runs off. “Nick, check that he’s gone. I don’t want him sniffing around the property.”
“Got it,” Nick says and turns to follow him, leaving me alone with my thoughts once again.
I can’t believe some other asshole picked her up and took her with him. I have to find out where they are … if they’re in his home. Just the thought makes my blood boil.
But maybe he’s only offering her a place to stay without being intrusive. For his sake, I hope he isn’t. No one else but me touches her, and if he does … I’ll make sure he pays.
Charlotte
“Well … go on. Take a look,” Deion says as he points at the tiny stairs he pulled out of the ceiling. Yikes. Do I dare to go up that thing? What if it breaks while I’m climbing? I don’t even wanna think about it.
“I’ll go first then,” Deion says, and he goes up the creaky vertical steps as though it’s nothing. I can’t just stay down here while he goes up there to show me something, so I follow him. My legs tremble a little, but I ignore it as I climb up to where he is. He grabs my hand to help me up onto the hardwood floor. In front of me is a small room, both sides following the pitch of the roof. It’s impossible to walk there, but there’s enough room in the middle for a bed frame and mattress, a comfy chair, and a small cabinet for clothes.
“If you want, you can have it.”
“What? The room?” I mutter, alternating looks between the bed and him.
“Yeah, for a little while,” he says.
“But … I don’t …”
“Don’t talk to me about payment, Charlotte,” he says, cocking his head. “I don’t wanna hear it.”
I don’t even know what to say to this. “So I can stay here for free?”
“As long as you need to,” he says, nodding. “I know you’re in a rough spot right now, and even though I won’t ask, I’m not gonna put you out on the streets like that either.”
Tears well up in my eyes, but instead of letting them run, I wrap my arms around him and hug him tight. “Thank you,” I whisper. My head rises, and when our eyes meet, the sudden realization that I have my arms around this man hits me so hard that I immediately pull back and clear my throat. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay,” he says, smiling. “But I’m glad you like it.”
“It’s perfect,” I reply, walking around the room and running my fingers along the bed. The fabric is so soft, and this room feels as cozy as the whole house. It’s not warm up here, but these thick blankets will definitely help.
“I know it’s probably not what you’re used to, but it’ll have to do. This is the only other bed I have.”
“Used to?” My brows furrow.
“Well, I mean, that dress you were wearing was expensive, so I figured …” He sighs out loud. “I assumed, and that was dumb.”
“It’s fine,” I say, the left corner of my lip tipping up. “But I didn’t buy that dress.”
“Right.” He scratches the back of his head. “You’re not some dangerous criminal, right?”
For a second there, I’m flabbergasted, but then he bursts out into laughter and points at me with both hands. “Just kidding! You should’ve seen your face.”
I shake my head. “A real jokester, I see.”
“Can’t help it.” He shrugs and winks at the same time. “Truly, I honestly don’t care where you came from or what you were doing out on the streets. As long as you’re chill and you don’t steal from me, I’m good.”
“I won’t.” I hold up my hands. “Promise.”
He smiles with shimmering teeth. “Good.”
“So do you always take in homeless girls?” I ask with a smirk.
“Not always … just the pretty ones.” He licks his lip and winks again, and then turns around and goes down the stairs again. “I’m gonna go out for a moment. You’ll be okay, won’t you? Feel free to make yourself at home.”
“Got it,” I say, waving when he does.
When he’s gone, I lie down on the bed and stare up at the ceiling. There’s a window right above me, and I lean up to touch the sky. It’s as though I can hold the entire world in my palm. All I need to do is take it.