Total pages in book: 145
Estimated words: 136731 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 684(@200wpm)___ 547(@250wpm)___ 456(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 136731 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 684(@200wpm)___ 547(@250wpm)___ 456(@300wpm)
Duane squeezed my hand. “Been worried about you, Miss Ana. The state of your room… and you weren’t there… well, Jimmy and I thought the worst.” I chanced a glance up at him through my fingers and Duane’s eyes widened, as he whispered dramatically, “We thought you were dead.”
I couldn’t help it.
Duane thought he was being quiet.
He wasn’t.
A short bark of laughter escaped me as I explained, “I’m sorry about the room. Whatever damage, I’ll pay for it.” A thought crossed me, and I grudgingly removed my shaking hand from his, reaching for my duffle. Unzipping it, I reached in, took out a wad of cash I had originally taken from my home with Dino and handed it to him.
He looked down at the bundle in his hand and blinked in shock. “I can’t take this, Miss Ana.”
With a light sniff, I took hold of his wrist, and told him, “I have no need for that money, Duane. Fix the room and…” I went quiet. “And maybe you’ll lend me another for the night?”
His stunned disbelief turned to anger. “Dang it, girl. Of course you can have yourself a room.” He stood, held onto the money and my stomach went lax in relief. He pulled the young man to his side and told me, “This is Wyatt, Jimmy’s boy. Wyatt, this is Ana.” He pinned his grandson with a light glare. “She needs our help.”
Wyatt’s eyes roamed my form, but not at all sexually. His jaw rigid, he looked angry for the state of me. With a single nod, Duane reached up to ruffle his hair. “Good man.”
The young man stepped forward and held out his hand. I stared at it a moment before I took it, and he helped me up, wrapping an arm around me in support. Duane went behind the counter and took a set of keys off the wall, throwing them to Wyatt, and he caught them without even looking. Next thing I knew, I was being escorted to the room closest to the reception.
Wyatt opened the door and helped me inside to sit on the bed. “Ma’am, is there anyone we can call for you?”
I shook my head slowly and whispered, “I don’t have anyone.”
And I didn’t.
Not anymore.
He stood looking down at me, his eyes hard. “Ain’t no man got the right to put his hands on a woman.”
I agreed with him. “Yeah.”
When Wyatt squatted down in front of me, I saw so much of his father and grandfather in him that I felt like I knew this family better than I knew my own. “You need something? I’ll be happy to get it for you,” he asked.
A reluctant smile spread my lips, and I dipped my chin. My eyes no longer tearing, I finally saw the state of me. My ripped pants and dirt-streaked blouse mocked me. “I need clothes.” My slight smile intensified. “But I wouldn’t torture you by sending you to get them for me.”
He stood, his words firm. “What size are you?”
And I silently knew he needed to do this for me. I peeked up at him. “A petite zero.”
On his way out, just as I was about to tell him to take some money from the duffle, he turned and walked backward, reaching into his pocket and bringing out a wad of cash I was sure Duane had slipped him.
He stood at the doorframe and ordered, “Don’t open the door for anyone.”
This late teen showing the strength of a man made me smile again. “Okay.”
Wyatt looked down at the ground, a frown on his face as he battled internally with himself. “I think we should have a password, ma’am. For when I come back.”
“Sure,” I uttered in a placating tone.
He stood straight and looked me in the eye. “I’ll knock twice and say I have a delivery for Miss Zero.”
“That will be fine, Wyatt,” I conceded. After all, he was only trying to help me.
Reaching out to pull the door shut behind him, he poked his head in. “PawPaw— I mean, Duane wants a word.”
He was waiting for my approval. The sweetheart.
I inclined my head in silent permission, and Duane pushed open the door, striding in, holding a folded bundle of clothing. He looked mildly uncomfortable about his offering, slapping it down on the bed and declaring, “Figured you’d need something to sleep in, darlin’. These are Wyatt’s. His thinner than both Jimmy and me—who, by the way, is proper chuffed to know you’re breathing.”
My smile was genuine, more so when I caught his light flush. “Thank you so much, Duane. You’ve been too kind.”
He was already off, clearly bothered by the praise. With a wave of his arm, he turned away to exit. “Don’t think on it. Now, lock up after me. We don’t want them bad guys coming to get you again.”