Total pages in book: 139
Estimated words: 134133 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 671(@200wpm)___ 537(@250wpm)___ 447(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 134133 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 671(@200wpm)___ 537(@250wpm)___ 447(@300wpm)
That doesn’t feel like an “it’s all right” to me, but he said the same thing about his friend the other night. I don’t think Silvan’s “it’s all right,” means “those men aren’t dangerous.” Just, “those dangerous men are under our control, so you don’t have to be afraid unless I want you to be.”
What have I gotten myself into?
I guess I didn’t really get myself into it.
All I did was go to a stupid party.
I knew going to parties was a shitty idea.
I’m never going to a party again.
I get into the car where at least I feel safe. Silvan joins me and wraps an arm around me, pulling me into his arms. As soon as the door is shut, he asks, “Are you okay?”
“Yeah.”
“What did he say to you?”
“That he’s a murderer. Some other stuff, but… that part stuck.”
“Jesus. Well, I didn’t want to share anything I shouldn’t, but if he told you himself, I guess it’s okay. I’m sure this goes without saying, but…”
“I won’t say anything. I’m not trying to get your murdery dad after me.”
His lips curve up faintly and he brushes my hair back. “Good. I also don’t want my murdery father after you. No way that ends well.”
Tell me about it.
His threats echo in my memory. He doesn’t even know me, and somehow, he zeroed in on my biggest fears to tailor threats around them.
Silvan is observant, too.
Like father, like son, I guess.
Silvan asks if I want to go to my dorm or my mom’s house. I don’t feel like there’s a right answer.
I don’t want to have to talk to my mom right now, but I want to be alone most of all and while there’s a chance she could be out or I can slip by her with an excuse about homework or being tired, I share a bedroom with three other girls. There is no shot in hell I’ll be alone in my dorm.
He takes me to my mom’s house. My car isn’t there, so he tells me he’ll send Hugh to pick me up for school in the morning. I don’t want him to come inside because I’m not ready to introduce him to my mom, but he insists on walking me to the door.
We stop under the porch light. He pulls me in for another hug, and when we part a bit, he still cradles my head in his hand and looks down at me.
“I’m sorry my dad traumatized you.”
I shrug. “I’ll get over it.”
He shakes his head and caresses my face with his thumb. “I hated the way you looked at me back there. I wasn’t handing you over to fend for yourself. I hope you know that. I just know our life will be a lot easier with his approval, and he needed to see for himself that you’ll…”
“Cover your ass?”
He nods. “Yeah.”
“And what if I wouldn’t?”
“Well, then I wouldn’t have left you with him.”
Those men outside resurface in my mind. The call at dinner. The threats he made.
Would he have handed me off to them right there?
My chest starts to feel tight as my imagination travels further down that road. I picture myself ripped from Silvan’s arms, ripped from life as I know it in a much scarier way than when Silvan was the one stealing me.
Maybe he’s a lunatic, but it sure could be worse.
I hug him again. He’s surprised I’m the one initiating, but he must know I need it because he hugs me tight. “I’m safe with you, right?” I murmur against his chest.
His grip on me tightens protectively. “Always,” he rumbles. “As long as you’re mine, no one else will ever hurt you.”
There it is.
An echo of what his father said.
I’m safe, as long as I’m his.
As long as I cooperate.
I swallow, pushing the thoughts away.
I don’t want to think about it anymore tonight. I’m too numb to know how I feel, anyway.
When I lean back, Silvan tucks a lock of hair behind my ear and leans close so I can feel his breath on my lips. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”
I guess so.
There’s an “or else” that hangs over my head making me wonder if I’ll ever feel free again.
If I’ll ever be free again.
I guess the only way out of this that doesn’t go badly for me is if Silvan changes his mind and lets me go. His father already said that would be okay.
He gives me a goodnight kiss, then takes a step back.
He stays on the porch until I’m safely inside the house with the door locked.
I watch out the window as he walks back to the limo.
Seeing those two guys at his dad’s house has made me paranoid, so I watch for another minute or so after the limo pulls away to make sure no other cars pull up.