Total pages in book: 20
Estimated words: 18480 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 92(@200wpm)___ 74(@250wpm)___ 62(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 18480 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 92(@200wpm)___ 74(@250wpm)___ 62(@300wpm)
“You can’t stay in a hotel for too long. Once he checks for you under your own name, he’ll look under mine. If he finds you before you get settled, it will be easier for him to pull you back.”
“I know.” Finding a place should be at the top of my agenda, but I have no clue what I’m doing.
“Well, just know I’m here if you need anything. Text or call. I’ve got your back.”
“I love you.”
“Love you too,” Christy says before ending the call.
I look around the hotel room. It’s beautiful and bigger than the dorm Christy and I used to share. It only makes the loneliness sink in. When I was at school, at least I had her at night. I’ve never truly been alone. Even if at times I’ve felt like I was.
My phone goes off in my hand. I expect it to be Christy wanting to tell me one more thing, but Valen’s name lights up my screen. I’m surprised he’s calling and not texting. That’s what he normally does. Why the heck would he be calling? It stops after a few more rings before it goes off again. Still I don’t answer it.
Valen: We need to talk.
Great, those are the words that no one ever wants to hear. I don’t think he knows about me leaving school yet. This has to be about him and Tia. I drop my phone and dash for the bathroom, barely making it before the small snack I had earlier comes up.
Who am I kidding? This isn’t about the baby. My stomach can’t take the idea of Valen and Tia getting married. How could I ever live with that? I would have no choice now that we’re having a baby. Tia would be my baby’s stepmother. The reality of the situation is beginning to really sink in. I’d lose it again if there was anything left in my stomach.
I get myself together, take a shower, and finish unpacking. I don’t really have much. I can either buy new clothes or I’ll have to go to my uncle’s and clear my stuff out. Honestly, if I showed up there no one might notice. I’d say I was on some break from school, and they’d believe it. They never check in on anything.
Valen: Stop ignoring me
I see another text from Valen as I pack up my purse. I’m not remaining stuck in a hotel room. I’ll go insane. I have to do something.
Me: Why? You’re good at doing it to me.
Stick that in your pipe and smoke it, you big jerk. I can’t help but get a small thrill at pushing back at Valen. I’m always so sweet. It’s what I want to be, but I’m not sure I have that in me anymore.
Valen: I’m not ignoring you I’m giving you space
Me: Take all the fucking space you want.
I shocked myself with the last text. I guess you really can only push a girl so far.
6
Valen
I grip my phone. Her response not only pisses me off, it somehow turns me on too. My little pet is mad. This is not the place or time for me to be getting hard.
I think I might know why. If I was in her place, I’d be saying far worse things. Actually, I wouldn’t be saying anything. I’d be doing something.
If I caught wind that Petal was engaged or about to be engaged, there would be blood spilled. Not hers unless you were going to count her virginity as I took it. No, it would be that of whoever thought they could have her. Petal is mine. It was always going to be this way. It didn’t matter what we had to go through; we were always meant to come out on the other side of it together.
In college, I kept busy with school and learning from my father. I told myself and others around me I didn’t have time to date. I also didn’t care if dumb rumors got out that I had been dating someone. It didn’t matter back then. I was a world away at college, and Petal was too young.
Things have changed. I’m not in college anymore, and Petal could get wind of this bullshit. Going off her text, I’m thinking she already has. My girl is more than pissed. She has no need to be jealous. There never has been or never will be anyone but her. I’m not even going to try to pretend that I don’t love that she’s having this reaction. It shows me she cares.
As for her cousin, I regret ever being polite to her. I’d only done it because she was part of Petal’s family. Before that, she was James' niece. That’s all it had ever been, though. That’s the problem with being nice at times. Especially when it comes to a girl like Tia, one that always gets what she wants, and when she realizes she can’t have it, she’ll only try harder for it.