Total pages in book: 29
Estimated words: 26698 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 133(@200wpm)___ 107(@250wpm)___ 89(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26698 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 133(@200wpm)___ 107(@250wpm)___ 89(@300wpm)
“So, if, and I mean if, I do stay with them…” I turn to him, crossing my legs Buddha style. “What do I do? I mean, I don’t have money or anything like that.”
“Monster is a good guy. He’ll give you a job in the bar, or he’ll find somethin’ fer ye ta do. He’ll make sure ye’re taken care of. I’ll explain yer situation, and ye’ll be kept safe. There are no arseholes. The men respect all the women who walk into the club.”
It sounds too good to be true. Nothing in my life has ever been easy, and this is on par with all the other shit I’ve been promised all my life.
“If ye can’t stay with yer uncle, then let me know,” he says. “So, what’s your favourite movie?” I watch him lean back against the wall again, all seriousness evaporating as if he knows I need the light and the dark.
“Well, that depends.”
“On?” He tilts his head to the side, and he watches me once more.
There are moments I wonder if he’s trying to decipher something from my answers. Perhaps trying to find the secrets I hold by just staring at me.
“I’m a fan of romance,” I tell him, watching him roll his dark eyes at my response, which in turn sets me off in giggles. “I’m serious.”
“Ye believe in all that Prince Charmin’ shite?” He cocks a dark brow in question as he regards me with curiosity.
I suddenly feel like a naughty girl when I think about it. A teenager who didn’t get to grow up. Who saw too many bad things to ever believe in a happy ever after. But then I shrug.
“Sort of. I’m not saying there’s a perfect man in the world, but as a girl who’s been through the ringer, I just think there has to be something good out there. If not for me, then for others who deserve it.”
“Be careful, Clover. Ye’re soundin’ a lot like someone who has hope.”
I want to laugh, but he’s right. “It’s not really what I would call hope. I mean, it’s more just believing that good things can happen.”
“Which is hope,” he throws back easily, then chuckles. His smile creases the corners of his eyes, but the darkness sparkles. Even as the rain pours outside, I realize I haven’t jumped or felt scared since he started talking to me. He’s been distracting me from my fear. “And someone who has even just a smidgen of that will go far. Ye’ll get stronger, wee lass, and when ye do, ye’ll find yer own fairy tale.”
I shrug, unsure what to say because he’s right, not about the fairy tale, but I actually do have hope I’ll be happy one day. Perhaps I won’t have a happily ever after, but I pray I’ll find someone I can talk to, even if it’s just as a friend.
Maybe not a husband and kids, but someone who’s there to keep me company when I need it. Someone like… I look at him and shake my head.
“What?”
“Nothing,” I whisper. It’s stupid. I’ve only just met him, and here I’m considering him a friend. He’s a stranger who’s been friendly to me. That’s all it is. As he said, he’s leaving in a few days. And then I’ll be left on my own. Which is probably something I need. I have to grow on my own before I can even consider anything more.
I don’t remember a time when I was truly alone—when I was single and did something for myself. Granted, I did work before things got really bad with Rogan. But once that stopped, I don’t even remember a day when I was independent.
This was meant to be a fresh start. And it’s time I lived up to that decision. I made it in the heat of the moment, but it’s a good one. Once I’m out of here, I can find myself again. The girl I once was. It would be healing to shed the skin of the past and step into a future that’s bright with possibilities.
Those were taken away from me. The image of Rogan’s angry glare shatters through my mind with another crack of thunder that makes me jump. And I have to fight back the tears that threaten to fall.
“Hey,” Sully says, snapping me out of my reverie. “No sad thoughts,” he admonishes me.
Once again, it feels as if he’s reading my mind. As if he’s already delved behind the armor, and he’s burrowing himself deep into the recesses of my mind. If he has, he’ll see the darkness that resides there. He’ll note all those pained thoughts that eat away at me. I never wanted anyone to see them, to get that deep into my mind, and yet, it feels as if Sully’s done it so easily.