Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 155903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 780(@200wpm)___ 624(@250wpm)___ 520(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 155903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 780(@200wpm)___ 624(@250wpm)___ 520(@300wpm)
“I’ll get it back for you tomorrow,” Reuben said.
She waited for Cammie to argue. Why would Alejandro or one of his men take her phone?
But Cammie said nothing, and Faith decided now wasn’t the time to ask.
Reuben reached over and grasped hold of her hand, placing it on his thigh. There was a strange tenseness to his body. She guessed he had a right to be tense after everything that happened.
Faith could only imagine how he’d felt getting that message from her, rushing to her, not knowing what was going on.
She had the feeling that he didn’t want to stop touching her. That he needed to know she was all right.
And she needed that too.
Finally, they were home.
They’d stopped at Alejandro and Cat’s house so a doctor could look both her and Cammie over.
Now, Faith was exhausted.
Reuben parked in his spot and then turned off the car. After he helped her out, he opened Cammie’s door. Cammie climbed out on her own while Reuben got their bags.
Faith reached for Cammie, but the other woman shied back and she had to hide her hurt. Faith was trying to be understanding.
Even though Eric was a dick, he was still her husband. This had to have been a shock.
As they climbed into the elevator, she winced as she took in Cammie’s face. “I’m sorry, I should have found you some ice to put on your face. We’ll get something up there.”
“Don’t bother,” Cammie replied. “I don’t want it.” There was a haunted look to her that was making Faith twitchy. “What will happen to Eric? He might need medical care. He’s going to need me when he wakes up.”
“You . . . you can’t want to be with him after what he did,” Faith said.
Cammie made a scoffing noise. “He’s my husband, Faith. I love him.”
“We’ll speak about this tomorrow. For now, we’re all going to bed.” He led them into the apartment. “Baby, go to bed and I’ll get Cammie settled.”
Faith nodded, feeling really unsure about all of this. Eric was firmly the bad guy in her head. Was he not the bad guy in Cammie’s?
How could he not be?
49
Rule Nine: Health
Faith rubbed her forehead as she stumbled her way into Reuben’s bedroom and through to the bathroom. She desperately needed a shower.
Reuben had her luggage, but she didn’t want to wait for her toiletries.
She needed to get these clothes off. To scrub any feel of Eric off her skin. So, she turned the shower on and stripped, throwing her clothes in Reuben’s hamper. She’d do some washing tomorrow. That was the least she owed him for letting Cammie stay here.
Moving under the water, she turned it up hotter as she started washing herself.
It wasn’t enough. His touch was still on her neck.
She turned the shower up even hotter.
Steam rose, and she started to feel light-headed. But she still scrubbed at herself.
Someone swearing drew her attention to the shower door, which was open. Reuben was standing there, still fully dressed. He moved her to one side so he could turn the shower off.
“What are you doing?”
“Having a shower.” She reached over to turn the water back on.
“This isn’t a shower,” he said. “You’re trying to burn yourself alive.”
“I just want to get clean. To get his touch off me.”
Reuben eyed her for a long moment before nodding. “Sit on the bench, I’ll be back. Do not turn that water on, or I will put you over my knee and spank you until you can’t sit comfortably.”
Okie-dokie.
She sat and waited, trying to breathe. It was kind of hot in here and her skin did look rather red.
But she noticed it all as though she was staring at it from afar. She’d distanced herself.
Shock.
You were fine before, though.
When Reuben was with you. Touching you.
When he returned, he was naked and carrying her toiletries. He set her shampoo and condition in the niche, along with her shower gel and razor.
“I . . . I didn’t get my things from the bathroom at Cammie’s place.”
“Cammie grabbed them all for you.”
“She doesn’t seem right. It’s like she’s more worried about Eric than what he did to her.”
“I don’t know a lot about living with an abuser, but I imagine it can warp your perception of things. Of him.”
She blinked at him. “But this is the first time he’s done this.”
“Is it? And even if it’s the first time he’s been physically abusive, has he been emotionally manipulating her?”
That made her feel sick. Had he?
“I should know the answers to those questions. She’s been my best friend since kindergarten.”
“Would a best friend make you sleep in the basement of her house? On a fucking sofa bed with springs poking up out of it. In a room filled with mice droppings and mold?”
Uh-oh.
“You know,” she whispered.
“I know.” He leaned over her, his hands resting on the tiled wall of the shower.