Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 124451 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 622(@200wpm)___ 498(@250wpm)___ 415(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 124451 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 622(@200wpm)___ 498(@250wpm)___ 415(@300wpm)
I’m taken aback, her words slamming right into my chest and spreading the vilest of poison through my heart. Guilt lingers in her eyes and she can barely look at me, and if it weren’t for Tanner at my back and his hand on my hip, I’d probably have crumbled into a million pieces by now.
I shake my head, staring back at her in the worst internal agony I’ve ever felt. “You don’t really mean that.”
“Don’t I?” she argues before indicating the grand home behind her. “Look at this lifestyle Orlando has so generously offered us. Your schooling, this home, your clothes, the goddamn brand-new Maserati that you’ve left wasting away in the garage. He has given us the world, and you repay him with these hurtful allegations and nasty behavior. I tried to turn a blind eye, hoping you were just adjusting to the changes, but this has gone on long enough, and now I see that you are simply being ungrateful. Is it really that hard for you to be happy for me?”
I inch forward, trying to get closer. “He hurts you, Mom. What did you expect? I can’t sit back and watch as you allow this to happen. Is he … is he holding something over you? Are you too afraid to leave? Too ashamed to admit you made a mistake? Because if that’s it, I don’t care. Screw your pride, that’s what you always told me, right?”
Mom steps closer, and I flinch as she raises her hand to press it against my cheek. Her expression overflows with such love that for a moment, I could have sworn I saw the woman she used to be. “I love you, Brielle. I love you so, so much,” she whispers, giving me a sad smile, “but if you don’t vacate this property, I will have no choice but to file trespassing charges against both you and your boyfriend.”
My brows furrow in confusion as Orlando just stands there and smirks like he just won some prize I didn’t know we were competing for. “Mom, no, I—”
“Come on,” Tanner says, pulling at my waist. “Whatever you and your mom need to sort out, it isn’t going to happen here. Let’s go.”
“But—”
“No, Killer,” he says, a strange understanding in his tone that sends a wave of betrayal slicing right through to my soul. “Your mom needs us to go.”
He says the words with such intensity that the fight fades out of me, and despite everything that’s been left unsaid, I allow him to pull me away. We cross back over the small hedge toward Tanner’s front door, and I can’t help but glance back over my shoulder, watching as Mom walks away.
My gaze shifts, finding Orlando standing right where we left him, not moving a single muscle as he stares after us, the poison in his eyes sending shivers down my spine. For the first time, I truly fear for my mother inside that house. Surely nothing will happen while Jensen is there. Orlando couldn’t be that stupid … Right?
Orlando catches my eye and his stare is like taking a shot of lava, burning everything in its path. His lips kick up into a wicked grin and rage rocks through me as my nails dig into Tanner’s hand. Tanner glances back at me, sees what has my attention, and pushes me past him into the house.
The door slams between us, locking me inside, and as I scramble to open it again, Tanner holds it from the other side. I hear muffled words through the door and the bite in Tanner’s tone suggests that whatever he’s saying was never intended for my ears.
I bang on the door, demanding Tanner open it, and when he finally does, I prepare to break past him. Only Tanner’s reflexes are like lightning, catching me before I even get one foot out the door.
Tanner lifts me off the ground as I try to break free, but his arms are like two steel bars across my chest. He moves into the house, getting far enough inside to slam and lock the door behind him. Before I even know what’s going on, Tanner’s already halfway up the stairs, carrying me right along with him.
“Put me down,” I cry, the desperation in my tone dragging me into a raging, neverending fog of despair.
Tanner doesn’t respond, just clenches his jaw and keeps walking. He reaches the top of the stairs, and with each step he takes down the hallway toward his bedroom, I take a breath, my emotions growing wilder by the second.
By the time he’s pushing into his bedroom and closing the door behind us, tears are welling in my eyes. The soft thud of the door sounds through the room and Tanner releases me, gently lowering me to my feet and pulling me into his chest. His arms close around me once again, only this time it’s a warm embrace, and I fall into him, my tears already soaking through his shirt.