Total pages in book: 225
Estimated words: 218500 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1093(@200wpm)___ 874(@250wpm)___ 728(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 218500 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1093(@200wpm)___ 874(@250wpm)___ 728(@300wpm)
He extends his hand, offering me his phone. “Please take the call or he’ll issue another order. He needs to speak with you urgently.”
I stare at it.
“An order for me to bring you to him,” he says low and in a way that’s chilling.
I take it and shakily put it to my ear.
“Hello?” I snap.
Ken walks down my driveway as Derek starts talking.
“Chloe!” He sounds winded. “He does not fucking touch you. It was bad enough watching him put his mouth on you. Come to me. Now.”
“What the fuck?” I snap. “How about you stop watching?”
“Now, Chloe. I mean it. Make up a reason. Come here now or I’m coming there.”
“Fuck you,” I spit.
Ken flinches, looking over his shoulder at me briefly as if he’s concerned I’m putting myself in peril.
“You will not fuck him, Chloe. Do you hear me?” Derek is yelling now. “You come here to me right now or else you’ll force my hand.”
“One more time, fuck you,” I snap, then hold the phone out. “Here!” I call. “Take this and go away.”
“Sweetie?” I hear from behind me.
Damn it! Adam has opened the door. His eyes are on me with concern.
When she passed the phone to Kenny and he told me Hallman had come out, I told him to keep them inside until I get there with a gun pointed at Hallman. Only at Hallman.
No way would I have anyone point a gun at Chloe.
I also told him I want them six feet apart and not to let them talk.
My impulse control is holding on by a thread here as I drive the short distance to her, flexing my trigger finger the entire way, reminding myself she’s not far, that nothing’s gonna happen until I get there. Kenny has the gun pointed at Hallman. He won’t touch her. He better not fucking touch her, or I’ll be taking Kenny’s gun and…
I fly through a stop sign. Shit.
I will my pulse to normalize, counting backwards from a hundred.
When Hallman put his mouth on her, I wanted to come out of my skin and rip his fucking head off his shoulders. When he explained what he had in that cardboard box – and I’m kicking myself in the ass for not paying close enough attention to what he was doing when he was out of town – I knew I was about to expedite my plan. She refused to come to me so now my hand has been forced.
Strategy gets tossed out the window and instead of continuing to show this girl why she should pick a life with me by my wining and dining her, by my showing her how much she matters, by making all her dreams come true, I’ve now tossed it all out the window. It doesn’t matter. Fuck the plan. I’m getting what I want. My queen. Because I’m done with this long-game bullshit. She’s coming home with me tonight. I only lasted a week from the moment I first fucked her. I wanted to take at least a month while showing her all she’ll be to me, wanted her to willingly pick me after seeing the difference between what I give her and what she gets from him. But… it is what it is.
I park and rush inside, finding Kenny on a chair, a gun in his hand but resting on his knee. My eyes devour Chloe, ensuring her wellbeing. She sits on the couch, arms wrapped around herself, eyes full of terror. I have to stop myself from physically lifting her into my arms to comfort her. Because I have to deal with this first.
The asshole in the wheelchair is at least twelve feet from her and staring at me. Pale. Confused brown eyes on his pale face bounce between me and Kenny.
“Thanks, man. You can go now.”
Kenny puts his piece into the back of his waistband while shooting me an angry look. I know he’s displeased with me making him pull a gun and hold people. Probably unhappy I ordered he point it at a guy in a wheelchair. He prefers to be in the shadows.
“I’ll make a deposit in the morning for your trouble,” I say.
He scratches his clenched jaw before he looks to the captives in the room. “My apologies, Miss Turner. Mr. Hallman. Nothing personal. I hope you won’t hold it against me, should our paths cross again.” He nods at them and leaves, closing the door behind himself.
Chloe is staring at me with terror in her eyes. Hallman’s forehead is wrinkled as he watches Kenny go, then looks at us, looking absolutely lost.
“Have you said anything since Kenny told you two to sit and wait?” I ask her.
It’s only been twelve minutes.
She shakes her head. “He told us to both stay quiet and say nothing until you arrived. Derek, please…”