Total pages in book: 41
Estimated words: 38483 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 192(@200wpm)___ 154(@250wpm)___ 128(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 38483 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 192(@200wpm)___ 154(@250wpm)___ 128(@300wpm)
“He was different.” She burrows deeper into me and fists her hands in my shirt like she’s holding on for dear life. “But not in the way you think. I didn’t know who he was. I was out with friends, trying to have some fun, and he was just some guy who didn’t seem to understand what the word no meant.” My gut twist and my muscles bunch, but she continues. “The girls and I joked about it when he finally backed off, but I should’ve known it wasn’t over. I should’ve left. I should have gone home where I would’ve been safe.”
I pull in the strength I need to comfort her and not go out and commit murder then stroke my hand down her hair and kiss the top of her head. “Whatever happened, you can’t blame yourself. It wasn’t your fault.”
“That’s the worst part, I think. The not knowing,” she whispers. “One minute, my friends and I were laughing and ordered another round of drinks. The next, I was waking up in the hospital with no memory of the time in between.”
“You don’t remember what happened?”
“No, between the drugs he gave me and the blows to the head I’d taken, the doctors said there is only a small chance I’ll ever get that time back.” Jesus. “He left me for dead, and I tried telling myself that’s all it was. I wanted believe I’d pissed him off, so he tried killing me. I wanted to think the doctors were wrong about him raping me.” Her shoulders start to shake as she sobs, and my blood heats, making it almost impossible to stay where I am, not when all I want to do is kill the man who hurt her.
“When I turned up pregnant, I couldn’t deny it any longer. He took my virginity and left me with an innocent life growing inside me.” Her hand covers her belly. “My brother wanted me to get rid of her, but I couldn’t do it. It didn’t matter to me that my baby could rip apart what he’d built in Vegas. I didn’t even care who’d gotten me pregnant. The only thing that mattered to me was protecting my baby. Mine, not his. I might not have any memory of what happened to me that night, but I knew my baby was the only good thing that had come out of whatever he did to me.”
Vegas. I fucking hate that city and the metric fuck-ton of bad stuff swirling around it. The hit Autumn witnessed before she came to Tennessee, met Kenton, and fell in love, the shit that went down with Kai and Myla, which lead to me pulling the trigger and killing Paulie Jr., and now this. They say what happens in Vegas stays there, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. “Do they know where you are?”
“My family?” she asks, tipping her head back to meet my gaze.
“Yeah.”
She shakes her head. “No, I didn’t tell anyone. I couldn’t risk telling my brothers or my parents. I needed to make sure my baby was safe.” A fresh wave of tears fills her eyes.
“Shhh.” I run my fingers through her hair. “Please don’t cry, sweetheart. It’s okay. I’ve got you. I won’t let anything happen to you or the baby.”
“I know,” she whispers, then between one breath and the next, she falls asleep in my arms as though sharing her secret with me gave her the peace she desperately needed.
But my world will never be the same, not until I find vengeance for her.
Chapter 7
AUBREY
IT’S DARK WHEN I wake, unsure what pulled me from my sleep. My eyes are still tight and dry from crying earlier, but I feel more rested than I have in a long while. I guess that’s what happens when you confess your darkest secret before passing out.
I lift up on my elbow and look down at Justin’s gorgeous face through the dark. I can’t believe how easy it was to tell him what Paulie Jr. did to me. Nobody in Tennessee knows about my past, not even Shelly. She and Johnny only know I’m pregnant and on my own. Even if they had suspicions, they’ve never pushed me for details.
Justin didn’t push either, but I knew letting him touch me the way he had was a turning point in our relationship, and it was only right to open up about what happened. I’m relieved it’s over and I don’t need to worry about it anymore. I feel like the ever-present weight in my stomach is gone. He knows the worse of me, and instead of running away, he held me in his arms and proved once more I’m safe in my feelings for him.
I start to lay my head back against his chest but stop when a wave of pain hits me so hard my breath catches. My belly tightens again, and I realize I must be having contractions.