Total pages in book: 120
Estimated words: 109976 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 550(@200wpm)___ 440(@250wpm)___ 367(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109976 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 550(@200wpm)___ 440(@250wpm)___ 367(@300wpm)
I couldn’t help feeling some guilt because I’d known what he and his son were. From the time I met her and knew that she was different, that she was an innocent compared to them I should’ve taken her away.
Kev knocked on the door and opened it, sticking his head in. “The team’s half an hour out, you need anything?”
“I’m gonna need someone to make a run to the store. I’d have it delivered but I don’t want strangers coming to the house right now.
“I’ll take care of it.”
“Check the kitchen and see what we’ll need. Since your guys are going to be here for the next couple of days we’ll need to stock up. Maybe you should head over to the next town just to be on the safe side.”
“I love it when you talk to me like a newbie.” Asshole! He looked behind him before walking in and closing the door. “You decided yet?”
“Decided what?”
“How you’re gonna do him.” It sucks having someone know you that well sometimes.
“I’m waiting to hear what she has to say first then I’ll know. You’re not to move without my say so. And tell the other one to stay put.” I wouldn’t put it past him and Dave to try something. In their fucked up minds they’d see it as protecting me from dirtying my hands. Like the shits aren’t already tainted.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. It’s not like we’re on the frontlines watching your six.”
“That’s never stopped you before. I mean it, that fuck is mine. His asshole son got off easy but he’s not.”
“You know he’s not gonna stop don’t you. The way he looked at her, talked to her…”
He shook his head before sighing deeply. “If you’d been there you would’ve done him right there and then. Sick fuck!” If he’d come in here to calm me down his words weren’t helping. “The day isn’t over yet.”
Giselle
I hid out upstairs for as long as I could before I heard his tread on the stairs. I’d been standing at one of the upstairs windows looking out at the serene beauty of the estate, lost in thought and wishing things could be different.
He entered the room and stood behind me in silence, making my anxiety rise to the max. Until I heard him walk across the room after closing the door and felt his arms come around me from behind, and his lips on my neck. I closed my eyes in relief but it was short lived. “Time’s up.”
Why did those words spoken softly against the flesh of my neck sound so ominous? I went stiff as a board and words failed me and became lodged in my throat as my eyes filled with useless tears again. He turned me gently in his arms and looked into my eyes as if he would find the truth written there.
I was surprised when instead of a barrage of questions he drew me in slowly and covered my lips with his. All that I’d been holding back until now was released in that one kiss. It wasn’t a kiss of passion but something more. Something soft and sweet and I felt it in the deepest part of my heart.
When our kiss ended and he held my shoulders, putting me slightly away from him the look on his face warned me that I wouldn’t be able to keep the truth to myself any longer. But I still didn’t know where to begin. It was all so bloody awful.
“You’re shaking again. Are you really that afraid to tell me the truth?” He reached into his pocket when I didn’t answer and removed his phone. “I sent my guys to your old home to get your stuff, they just arrived downstairs. I didn’t go through it. I thought I’d respect you enough to let you tell me yourself. But this, I need an explanation.”
He held the phone out for me to see and I recognized the door on sight. If I was shaking before it was nothing compared to what I felt now. Even if he didn’t know the whole sordid tale, that door alone said more than enough. There was no way to hide it from him now, but I still couldn’t bring myself to put it into words.
I eased out of his hold and walked over to the chair where I’d dropped my purse. Reaching in, I ran my fingers over the journal I kept there before turning back to him. I held it out to him with my head down in shame.
“Here, it’s all in there, everything from the last four years of my life. I’m too much of a coward to say the words to you out loud.” I took a deep breath when he took the book from my trembling hands and turned to leave. He held onto my hand and pulled me back to him.