Total pages in book: 63
Estimated words: 57943 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 290(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57943 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 290(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
“You RUINED my life!” she screamed back at me through her sobs.
“Lia, please come out. I want to talk to you. Please. You have to forgive me for what I did. I can’t live without you.” I was shakily fighting tears of my own. This was so fucking wrong. “Please, Lia. I love you,” I begged some more.
The door flung open. Lia had hastily pulled her hair into a bun and was completely dressed. Her green eyes were blazing with fury, hurt, shock. “I fucking HATE you,” she snarled as she shoved past me. I grabbed her arm in an effort to stop her which caused her to spin around and smack me hard against the cheek once again. Quickly, I released her. “Don’t FUCKING touch me EVER AGAIN!” she shrieked before stalking out of the room, bag in hand.
I was hot on her heels as she bolted into the kitchen, snatching up her purse and keys. “Lia, please don’t leave. Please. God, please, Lia.”
She ignored me and headed for the door.
Knowing this might be the last time I’d ever see her again, I hauled her to me and kissed her with all the passion and love I could convey. She hesitated for a second before coming to her senses, shoving me away.
Calmly, she seethed, “Do that again and I’ll mace the shit out of you.”
Turning on her heels, she ran out the front door and out of my life.
ONCE I MADE it to the safety of my car, I yanked my phone from my purse and dialed Mom.
“Hey, sweetie. How are you?” she chirped into the phone.
“Mom!” I wailed.
“Honey? What’s wrong?”
“I need you. Where are you? Can I come to you?” I cried into the phone.
“Get to the airport, honey,” she spoke calmly. “I’ll have a ticket to New York waiting for you.”
As I drove toward my house to pack a bag, I called Pops. It took everything in me to calm my voice.
“Hey, Lia. What’s up? Everything okay?” he questioned when he answered, knowing I never called on a Saturday.
“Um, yeah. My mom is actually in the States right now. I thought I’d fly to New York to see her. I know this is short notice, but do you think I could schedule my vacation for next week?” I asked, hoping he’d say yes since my mom was already getting me a ticket.
“Of course, hon. Anj and I can handle things while you’re gone. I know you miss her. Is Cale going with you?”
I cringed at his name, tears welling in my eyes. “No,” I whispered.
His silence let me know that he knew I was upset about something. Probably assuming I was upset from a breakup, he sighed. “Lia, take care. I’ll see you when you get back. Tell Cathy and Rich I said hello.”
After hanging up with Pops, I checked my phone to see who had texted me while I’d been talking to him.
Mom: Sweetie, the flight leaves in four hours Central time. Take your time and grab some breakfast. I’ll be waiting at the airport when you get here. I can’t wait to see you, baby girl.
I smiled at my mom’s text as I parked. I hadn’t been alone at my house in ages. It stood there looking neglected. Once I got inside, I took in my surroundings. Yesterday, I hadn’t even noticed that Cale had cleaned up the glass and remnants of the fire. My heart burned in pain at the thought of him.
I quickly packed a bag for the week and hopped into the shower. There was no way I could make it all the way to New York with his scent on me. It was too conflicting. The hate I had for him was intense, but a part of me still loved him.
What a shitty weekend.
After getting ready, I locked up and went back to my car, throwing my things in and stepping inside. When my phone chimed, I cringed. And just as I feared, there was a text from Cale.
Cale: Lia, please talk to me. I am not that person anymore. You have to believe me. Please, let’s try to talk this out.
Ignoring his text, I drove to the airport, which gave me too much time to think about everything.
How could this have even happened?
It was impossibly ridiculous to think that the one man who’d been my savior throughout this whole ordeal and had pulled me out of my self-imposed terror was the one person who’d started it. Fresh tears filled my eyes as I forced thoughts of Cale from my mind.
After going through the rigorous motions of security at the airport, I found my gate and sat down to wait for my flight. My mom would comfort me and tell me how I was going to survive this. I was going to tell her everything from the abduction, the attempted rape, and now the horrific situation with Cale. Moms were good at that sort of thing. If anything, she’d hold me while I cried. God, I missed her.