Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 73963 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 370(@200wpm)___ 296(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73963 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 370(@200wpm)___ 296(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
“Thank you,” I tell her, taking her hand. “I’d like that.”
We sit in bed, both of us lost in our thoughts when a knock on my window has us both jumping. We find Blake’s face in the window, crouched down so he can see in. “What the hell are you two doing? School starts in ten minutes.”
Shay glances down at her watch and gasps as I throw myself out of bed. “Holy shit,” I shriek. “We’re going to be late.”
Chapter 8
I walk out of the police station with my head held high and a sinking feeling in my stomach. We did exactly what we said we were going to do, but there are far too many what-ifs. What if he comes back for Daniella and hurts her again? What if he comes back for me? What if he comes for Slade? I don’t think I could handle it if he hurt either of them because of my need to have him locked up.
Shay walks out beside me while Daniella follows up behind. We stop by Shay’s car and she instantly pulls Daniella into a tight hug, knowing that what she just went through couldn’t have been easy. “It’s going to be okay,” Shay promises. “He can’t hurt you anymore.”
“Let’s hope,” Daniella responds, her voice shaky as shit.
After sitting down with a few police officers and giving our statements, Daniella was offered to have a police officer sit outside her home overnight. She regretfully declined, not wanting to scare her girls and while I respect and understand her decision, it’s not the one I would have chosen.
She’s going to be alright. I have to believe that because without that belief, I don’t know where I’d be.
Daniella pulls away and gives me a quick hug. “I’m proud of you,” she reminds me for the millionth time since meeting me on Sunday morning. “You did well in there. It wasn’t easy.”
“No, it certainly wasn’t,” I agree, “But it’s going to be worth it to see him behind bars, exactly where he belongs.”
She steps back and gives me a small smile but the confidence is missing from her eyes. This man has skipped out on rape charges once before and I don’t doubt that he could do it again. In fact, a shitload easier this time. He now has a reputation and stacks of money behind him. If anyone could get away with shit like this, it’s him.
We were hoping for a quick turn-around, but when we asked how soon we can expect this to be over, they had no idea. Due to the complexity of our situation when you take mine and Blake’s kidnapping into count, it could be months before we see any progress. That naturally puts the fear of God into Daniella and I don’t doubt that she’s going to be locking every door, keeping her children bubble wrapped, and purchasing a gun.
With Lucien’s reach, I’m sure he’s going to hear about this by the end of the day, and if not by then, at least within a few days. We need to be ready for a threat and what’s more, I need to warn Slade. He needs to know if there’s a risk of Lucien coming here as it might just mean bad news for him.
Daniella pulls away and hastily says her goodbyes. She hurries up to her car and drops down into it, leaving me wondering what her game plan is and how she’s going to make it through this. She’s strong. She has a husband who loves her and four children who adore her. Besides, I’m sure Slade’s recklessness would keep her mind off it at least a little.
Shay and I get in her car and the whole way home, she reassures me that I‘ve done the right thing. I just wish I knew what it cost me.
We get home and I’m not surprised to find Blake nowhere in sight. Shay walks in with me and heads straight for the kitchen to figure out what we’re going to do for dinner while I go down to my room to get my homework over and done with so I’m not left with it over the weekend.
As I push open my bedroom door, I come to a screeching halt. “Where the hell have you been?” Slade questions, scrolling through something on his phone as he lays back on my bed with his arm propped behind his head, looking like the most delicious kind of treat.
“Umm…what are you doing in my bed?” I question before flicking my eyes toward my window and finding it locked, just as it was when I walked out of here this morning. “Better yet, how did you get in here?”
Slade’s attention falls away from his phone and his deep eyes slice toward me. “I was under the impression that you liked me in your bed.”