Total pages in book: 37
Estimated words: 35751 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 179(@200wpm)___ 143(@250wpm)___ 119(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 35751 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 179(@200wpm)___ 143(@250wpm)___ 119(@300wpm)
“Is there a hotel for my men?” I ask, pointing to them. After today, I don’t know what to expect, and I sure as fuck want as much backup as possible.
“Sure.”
“Why don’t we order some pizza? I’m hungry,” the woman says, rubbing her belly.
“Yes, dear.”
“I could go for some pizza,” Harley says with a blush as her stomach rumbles.
“When’s the last time you ate?” I ask Harley, looking her over and feeling frustration that this is all my fault. She would have been safe in bed if it wasn’t for me.
“I didn’t eat much. It’s been a little hard to eat. The girls bring me food but, well, I haven’t been in the mood to eat.”
“Well, you sure as fuck are eating now,” I growl.
“Damn, he sounds just like you,” Esperanza says, chuckling.
“You missed out on me twenty years ago, my beauty,” Boss tells his woman.
“Same here.”
Boss and his woman look close, but it doesn’t seem like they’ve been together for a long time. “We’ve only just met recently. I’ve been alone a long time, and no, I don’t have any children.”
“We met because my son is married to his former bartender and sister of the man that just left,” Esperanza says.
“The one he said you were like a father to?”
“Yes. I didn’t have any kids, so I looked after those around me. I hope you had a good life.” I scoff and shake my head. I’ve made my life better, and yes, became a multimillionaire overnight with lots of hard work and pure dedication, but I’ve suffered from loneliness that has only now been abated with the help of Harley.
Chapter Ten
Harley
I lead Dylan up to the apartment above the bar, and I’m a bit nervous. We haven’t spoken, but I already understand a lot more about his behavior than I did before. He’s afraid of commitment because of the way he was born, or was supposedly born. We’ll learn more tomorrow. “So, this is it. The other bedroom is over here.” I start moving over there, but he grabs my bicep.
“Harley, can we talk?”
“What’s there to say? You literally took my virginity, treated me like a whore, and tossed me out on my ass while you went about your life.”
“I didn’t. I…”
“Don’t… look, I’m grateful that you came here to find me because you’re one of the only people I honestly believe doesn’t want me dead or off in a trafficking ring, but that doesn’t mean I forgive you. You broke my heart, Dylan. You took something sacred, and you treated it like it was nothing. What’s worse is you made me feel special. It’s one thing if I knew you were just looking to get lucky, but you hurt me, and I’m having a hard time dealing with that.”
“I understand. I respect that. I’ve disappointed you, hurt you, and plain abandoned you when you needed me the most. I thought if I pushed you away, I could keep you safe from the monster in me.”
“What monster?”
“The monster I could possibly be.”
“The only monster you are is the one you became when you told me it was over.”
“You’re right. I’m sorry. There are no words for what I did to you that will make it better, but I can’t give you up again. I thought I was doing it for the best, but it was foolish of me. When I got home, I stood in front of your door for so long that I lost track of time and then I laid in your bed just so I could breathe you in. I wanted you to come back the moment I sent you away. You mean the world to me and if I wasn’t such a fool, I would have understood that a long time ago. I wouldn’t have gone to see a stupid therapist over the past couple of days.”
“You went to therapy?”
“Yes. I wanted to know how to figure out how to be a better man for you.”
“Do you think it helped?”
“She taught me that it’s not my fault for my past and it’s not who I am now, and that she’d like me to join a BDSM club with her.”
“What?”
“I told her to go fuck off and I quit my sessions that second.”
“Seriously, you even get hit on in therapy?” This man is too good looking for his own good. Hell, for my own good.
“I suppose so.” He shrugs his shoulders, and I guess it’s not his fault. After all, I was kidnapped because I was going to be used for the same fucking thing. At least he was strong enough that they couldn’t just snatch him up.
“Will you tell me who did this to you?”
“I don’t know who the guy was that held me captive, but I know who brought me there.”
“Who was it?” He takes my hand, caressing my fingers, and I ache for his touch.