Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 61900 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 310(@200wpm)___ 248(@250wpm)___ 206(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61900 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 310(@200wpm)___ 248(@250wpm)___ 206(@300wpm)
The bell above the door jingles and Hugh walks in, stopping when he notices Doris. “Great,” he mutters.
“I might be old, but I can hear better than most, dear,” Doris tells him.
He gives her a look. “Sorry, Doris.”
“Don’t be, I enjoy the fact that you bunch are afraid of me. It gives me some power around here.”
I smirk.
Hugh glances at me. “You ready?”
“Yeah, I’m ready.”
I stand, placing Star back in her stroller. Hugh walks over, taking it and pushing it toward the door. I say goodbye, pick up my bag and Star’s, and follow him.
“See what I’m saying,” Doris says as we reach the door. “Those two are far better suited.”
Hugh glances at me.
“Say nothing,” I murmur. “Just say nothing.”
He nods.
We leave.
Bloody Doris.
“NO, GOD DAMMIT,” I mutter, staring at my phone.
It’s late, probably eleven in the evening and my phone is ringing in my hand, the familiar number flashing across the screen enough to make me want to run and jump out of the nearest window. That’s the easiest way to deal with this, mostly because I know for a fact it won’t go away by me simply pressing the red button to end the call.
He’ll keep calling.
Over and over, until I finally cave.
That’s how he works.
That’s what he does.
He’s clever and knows how to play me.
I changed my number, so what I want to know is how the hell he got this one.
I am finally moving on, finally getting somewhere, and now this. I don’t know if I can handle this again. I have to stand my ground. My therapist went through all of this with me, and when I finished up with her, I felt strong enough to be able to confront this with strength and courage but seeing his name has me wondering if I’ll just fall back into that old trap. The one where he tangles me in his web and I’m helpless.
I take a shaky breath in.
I can do this.
I have to do this.
I simply need enough money to be able to save and get out of here, then, he’ll be gone forever.
Out of my life for good.
I answer the phone, my voice strong.
I can’t imagine it’ll stay that way for long.
“How did you get my number, Dion?”
“Fuck, it’s good to hear your voice, baby. I thought I’d never hear it again.”
Baby.
The way he says that word makes my stomach do a little flip.
No, Maggie. Be stronger this time.
“I changed my number because we’re over. I thought I made that clear. Now, I ask again, how did you get my number?”
“Your friend Miranda isn’t the best at keeping secrets.”
Fucking Miranda. I don’t even talk to her anymore, but I called her once off this new number to get some stuff I left at her house when I got this job. I never thought she would give it to Dion. God, of course she would be the one to ruin this for me.
“Well, Miranda is going to get a talking to,” I mutter.
“Don’t be like that, baby. I’ve been trying to get a hold of you for months now. Fuck I’ve missed you.”
I bite my lip, hard.
“I thought I made it clear the last time we talked that this relationship is over?” I say, my voice a little less strong. “I don’t want to be with you, Dion. I need you to leave me alone.”
“You’re just angry, that’s how you get when things don’t go your way. Luckily for you, I’m a patient man. Don’t be silly, Maggie. We both know you’re in love with me, just as much as I’m in love with you. What is it going to take for you to take me back?”
“I won’t be taking you back. You need to move on. You did enough damage, I’m not stupid enough to come back to that.”
He laughs, softly. “Baby girl, are you doin’ okay? You get so upset over things that have nothing to do with me. I never meant to hurt you, you know that. You just make me so mad sometimes, and I can’t help but upset you.”
God.
This is what he does.
He never gets angry, he doesn’t feel enough for that.
He’s calm, calculated, and precise.
He knows what to say to make me feel like everything is my fault. He can turn the worst scenario around to make it look like it was me who made a mistake. He can make me think I’m absolutely crazy, to the point where I actually act crazy. I have followed him to work, stalked through his phone, lost it when I thought he was cheating. And all the while, he remained calm.
The only time I saw him cry fake tears was when I finally got the courage to actually move out.
And ever since then, he has been on a mission to get me back.
That’s how people like him work.