Total pages in book: 151
Estimated words: 139870 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 699(@200wpm)___ 559(@250wpm)___ 466(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 139870 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 699(@200wpm)___ 559(@250wpm)___ 466(@300wpm)
Mom crashes into me as Colton stands at the top of the stairs, leaving us to have this moment. Her arms wrap around me, and for the first time in years, I feel like a little girl who desperately needs her mother's comfort. “Oh, honey,” Mom cries into my shoulder. “Don’t you ever scare me like that again.”
“I’m sorry,” I murmur into her neck, my words hardly audible by how hard I’m holding her. “I had to do it. We’re finally going to get justice for dad.”
Mom pulls me back, holding onto my shoulders, and gives me a pained smile. “I know, sweetie. I just hope getting justice doesn’t mean giving up a part of yourself.”
A single tear rolls down my cheek as I give her a brave smile, her words heavy with their honesty. “I think it’s a little too late for that,” I whisper.
Mom’s hands drop to mine and she squeezes them tight. “Come on,” she tells me. “Let me get you inside, then you can tell us exactly what happened.”
I nod, unsure that I actually have the strength to get the words out. “Okay,” I finally say, allowing her to pull on my hands and lead me up the stairs to where Colton waits for me, more than ready to pull me into his loving arms and never let me go.
Chapter 8
Monday morning comes around far too quickly, and Colton is curling his arms around me, reminding me that if I want to make it to school, now is the time to get up and make it happen.
I curl into his body, hating that I pulled away from him during the night. But after not sleeping for two nights straight, I can’t take responsibility for what I did once my eyes finally closed.
It was just after four in the afternoon when I’d gotten home, and it was well after six before I finally finished explaining everything that had happened. To be honest, I was expecting Mom to be really upset about it all, but she understood and accepted every word I said, almost as though she’d been considering doing the same thing herself. Colton however, still wasn't on board with the plan—not that he has much of a choice at this point. Though, I know he can’t deny that he’s happy I'm home unscathed.
Colton kept his hand on my body from the second I walked through the front door until I fell asleep at the dinner table. I can't explain the power he holds over me with just a single touch, one that both soothes and excites me all at once. When his hands are on me, I feel as though everything will be alright, and I'm more than grateful to finally have it back. It doesn’t matter if the world is falling down around me as long as I have Colton by my side, then it’s all going to be okay.
“What do you want to do?” Colton murmurs, his voice thick with sleep. “I can take the morning off and spend a few hours with you if you need me too.”
I let out a sigh and sink further into him, keeping my eyes closed as I refuse to believe that it’s already morning. “Can’t I just stay in bed all day and forget that anything ever happened?”
“I’m down with that,” he tells me, holding me a little tighter. “I’m sure I could make you forget your own name if you want me to.”
I groan against his chest. “No. I can’t even think about getting naked right now. I haven’t showered in days, and for the record, I’m pissed with you for letting me go to bed without showering last night. Do you have any idea how gross that is? You should be disgusted. How are you even touching me?”
I can practically hear his eyes roll. “Don’t be ridiculous. Besides, what was I supposed to do? You were asleep on the fucking table. The whole house could have burned down around you and you wouldn’t have known. I’ve never seen anyone do that before. Did you even sleep while you were there?”
I shake my head against his chest. “Nope. It was torture. I’ve never been so tired, but I don’t know … I just couldn’t force myself to give in to the tiredness.”
“Shit, Jade. I’m sorry. If I knew you hadn’t slept that whole time, I would have snuck out and let you sleep until you were ready.”
“No,” I groan, rolling out of his arms and stretching, feeling my consciousness really start to come back to me as the fogginess of my sleep begins to clear. “I need to get to school. I’ve missed too much of it over the last few weeks ... and ... well … I don’t know what’s going to happen with the whole college thing, but if this is my last shot at an education, I shouldn’t waste it.”