Total pages in book: 23
Estimated words: 21317 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 107(@200wpm)___ 85(@250wpm)___ 71(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 21317 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 107(@200wpm)___ 85(@250wpm)___ 71(@300wpm)
Shaking my head, I squeeze his hand back. “No. It’s fine. I’ll just buy a couple of foods and go to the bathroom. There’s no one else here.”
His eyes dart around us, lines of worry on his forehead. “Okay, but I’ll be watching you the whole time, and I’ll go to you once I’m done.”
I nod and step out of the truck, grabbing his spare clothes and pulling the jacket tighter around me. Glancing over my shoulder, I see him sliding the nozzle into the gas tank, his eyes on me.
I give him a small wave and head inside the store, the rusted screen door creaking as I enter. Its shelves are mostly empty, so I grab whatever isn’t expired and check out the beverage section, where I take a few bottles of water and iced tea.
Making my way to the checkout counter, the cashier is a young boy wearing a vest and watching a show on the small TV beside him. He looks up at me, stands up, and starts ringing my purchases.
“Total’s $27.15.”
I give him three ten-dollar bills. “Keep the change. By the way, where’s your bathroom?”
He hesitates for a bit. “Uhm, it’s not really clean.”
“That’s fine.”
Nodding, he points to the side of the store. “Small white door. It’s unlocked.”
He wasn’t kidding when he said it wasn’t clean. But beggars can’t be choosers, and it’s a better option unless I want to pee in my dress. Besides, I need to change. I was so surprised when I looked in the rearview mirror and didn’t recognize myself.
No wonder Damien doesn’t really want to touch me. I’d be disgusted with myself too.
Damien…
When I remember the way he kissed me, my knees go weak. I want more, so much more. I want him to touch me in that urgent way of his. There’s nothing hotter than Damien losing his control and claiming my mouth. Well, I want him to claim every part of me. I want to be completely his.
I finish washing up and cleaning myself as much as I can, changing into his t-shirt and sweatpants. They’re way too big for me, but they smell like him. And I like it.
The door closes with a soft click behind me, and I almost bump headfirst into what I first assumed was a wall.
Stepping back, I’m caught off guard when I see it’s a man—a massive man. My breath catches in my throat, my ears ringing.
He’s as broad and as tall as Damien, with a thick, unruly beard framing his face. He stretches his mouth into a sinister grin, and a cold shiver runs down my spine. Damien was a stranger too, but I’ve never felt anything remotely close to this with him. This guy, on the other hand, is bad news, and it doesn’t take a genius to figure that out.
My muscles tense, feet rooted to the spot.
“Whaddya got there?”
My head swings to the voice behind him and I see another man emerge. My mouth turns dry, and my limbs feel heavy and almost uncooperative. What should I do? Where’s Damien? Can he see me? Can he take on these two? Or should I run away? Can I outrun them? Will I make it to the Jeep in time?
“Oooh. I see you found yourself a little toy.” Another voice. Another man. How many are they?
I take a step back, putting as much distance between us as I can. My breath is coming in frantic, shallow gasps. I continue until my back hits the wall.
I’m trapped. Oh god. There’s no way out. I refuse to believe I escaped Father only to run into more of the same kind.
“Don’t look so scared, girl. We’re not bad men. Not really.” One of them snickers and I’m one breath away from fainting.
“You know, someone who looks like you shouldn’t be out here alone. I mean—”
“She’s not.”
My head follows the voice and seeing Damien almost makes me slump to the ground with relief. He stands there with a look on his face I’ll never forget.
His mouth has gone hard, nostrils flaring, eyes turning cold. His fists are clenched on his sides, knuckles white. A vein bulges on his forehead, and even all the way from here, I see a muscle ticking in his jaw.
Danger oozes from his pores as he glares at the men with blazing heat that can melt steel. If they have common sense, they’ll run as far away from him as possible. Then again, I don’t think they have much substance between their ears.
“Step away from her.” Damien’s voice is menacingly low, but maybe the other men assume they can take him because of their number.
One of them laughs and says, “Or what?”
“Or I’ll bash your head against the wall. Maybe break your hand if you dare to touch her.”
“Well, shit. I’m quaking in my boots.”