Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 64751 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 324(@200wpm)___ 259(@250wpm)___ 216(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64751 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 324(@200wpm)___ 259(@250wpm)___ 216(@300wpm)
She smiles. “I’m Lisa.”
“I can’t thank you enough, Lisa. You’re literally saving me right now.”
A small laugh. “I always wanted to be a hero. Come on, let’s get you somewhere, so you can rest.”
Her eyes move to my blood-soaked shorts, and I’m reminded of the situation I’m in. I swallow the thick lump in my throat and stare out the window as we disappear down the road. Only ten minutes later, we’re arriving at the address Fury gave me. Of course he knows someone in a town this far away, the man probably has women everywhere. Shaking the thought from my head, I thank Lisa once more before getting Hope out.
Then we walk up to the front door of the ground level apartment.
Before we reach the door, it opens, and a woman steps out.
She’s stunning.
Of course, she’s stunning.
Long blond hair falls around her shoulders and her eyes are a beautiful chocolate brown. Her body is to die for, full breasts and curvy hips. Don’t get me started on her perfectly shaped lips and petite face.
“Oh, you must be Alexis. You poor thing. I’m Luna. Come in, let me get you sorted out.”
Dammit, she’s lovely.
“Thank you so much for helping us,” I say to her, offering my best smile, but I know it’s barely anything.
“Of course. You must be Hope, you’re just as beautiful as your uncle said,” Luna smiles down at Hope, who blushes and hides behind my legs.
We walk inside her neat apartment, and I can see her eyes on my shorts. When they meet mine, she offers me a genuine smile.
“Are you okay?”
Her voice is kind, compassionate, and caring.
Dammit, I like her.
“Not really,” I croak, the emotions bubbling to the surface.
She walks over, placing a hand on my arm. “Let me get Hope settled, and I will get you some fresh clothes.”
I nod, and she asks Hope what her favorite show is. Wearily, Hope follows her, but quickly I see the little girl warming up. Luna places the television on for her, gives her a snack and some water, and then she comes back to me with a glass of water. “Drink this slowly, or you’ll make yourself sick.”
I gratefully take the water and sip at it, fighting with every urge in my body not to gulp it up. I know that’ll only make it come rushing back out. Luna leads me down the hall to the shower, and hands me a clean towel. Then, she goes and gets me some clothes, some sanitary pads, and some painkillers.
“Thank you,” I tell her, my voice so incredibly sincere.
She smiles. “It’s not a problem at all. Are you hungry, I can make you some food?”
“I haven’t eaten for days, but I think I should probably try.”
Her smile falters. “Oh. I’m sorry. How about some soup? I have some in the freezer I can warm up.”
I nod.
“How do you know Fury?” I ask her, taking the items as she hands them to me.
“We go way back. High school sweethearts, but it didn’t work out. We’re still good friends.”
Is she the one that cheated on him?
Jealousy grips my heart, and I hate it because this woman is nothing but kind and sweet. Just knowing that Fury was with someone so incredibly beautiful, makes me feel somewhat inferior. I could never look like her. I know I need to snap out of it, so I offer her a smile once more and then go into the bathroom.
I’m an absolute mess.
The moment my clothes are off, I can see the dried blood on my legs. Turning, I glance at my back where scratches mar my skin from the fence. They’re not deep, but they are bleeding. Turning the shower on warm, I step in. My back stings and I clench my eyes closed, standing under the water until the pain subsides. Then, I wash myself. I’m still bleeding, and I know I’ll need to see a doctor soon, but for right now, I just want to sleep.
Mostly, though.
I want to be alone.
Because I don’t think I can handle the pain much longer.
16
Hope falls asleep on the sofa, and Luna covers her with a soft blanket. I sit nearby, eating the chicken soup little by little, letting each mouthful settle in my stomach before I try another one. The cramping has eased somewhat since I took the painkillers, but with every passing minute, the ache in my heart grows bigger. Luna is kind and caring, her words soft as she speaks to me, and I’m so damned grateful for her right now.
“Fury won’t be much longer,” she assures me, filling my glass of water and handing it back to me. “Can I get you something else?”
I shake my head. “You’ve done enough already. I appreciate it more than you could possibly imagine.”
She smiles, sitting beside me. “I’m glad I could help. You look like you’ve been through it.”