Total pages in book: 179
Estimated words: 167819 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 839(@200wpm)___ 671(@250wpm)___ 559(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 167819 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 839(@200wpm)___ 671(@250wpm)___ 559(@300wpm)
Elli starts laughing. “Don’t act like you care now, Mom. You’ve never cared before.”
“Elli—”
“You’ve never cared about me at all.” Her voice rises.
“Stop being so damn dramatic.” Her mother rolls her eyes.
I hear the door open behind me and I look over my shoulder to see Chance has followed us to get a view of the show. Giving him my back, I dismiss him.
Laura notices and then looks back to her daughter as well. “I don’t want to see you again until you’re sober.” Her heels clap on the marble as she walks over to her husband. She grabs his arm and starts to drag him back to the party when Elli speaks.
“Why him?” she demands, hands fisted down by her sides. “Why out of all the Lords did you pick him?” Her eyes fill with tears. “He’s nothing like Dad was.”
Laura turns and walks back over to Elli. Hands on her hips. “Your father was a self-absorbed son of a bitch. Just like you,” Laura growls.
Elli’s eyes narrow on her mother. “Father was too good for you,” she states.
I step closer, expecting her mother to slap her, put her hands on Elli in some way. If she does, I’ll break her nose too. I’m not above hitting a woman. Her face will match her husband’s.
Instead, Laura has the audacity to look wounded by Elli’s words. “You’re just like your father. And that’s exactly why you’ll die like him.” A tear runs down Elli’s cheek, her chest heaving as her breathing picks up. “Do us all a favor and get it over with. Take a few extra drugs next time. Just don’t die in this house.” Laura snorts. She storms off but only to turn back after a few steps, deciding she’s not done. “I have given you everything. And this is how you treat me, you ungrateful little bitch?”
Elli throws her head back laughing, the motion making her stumble in her heels, throwing her off balance. I step forward to catch her, but she rights herself. “Seriously? You think I asked to be raped?”
“Raped?” Her mother’s mouth drops. “You think I didn’t know that you sat outside my office listening to my sessions? You think I didn’t know that you tricked James into fucking you?”
Elli’s watery eyes go wide, and she gasps. “Tricked him? I did no such thing—”
“You really think that I wasn’t aware that you were a whore who spread her legs for my husband?” She’s yelling in Elli’s face.
Ellington doesn’t say anything, instead she stares at her mother with tears in her eyes. The only parent she had just admitted that she knew what was happening but chose not to protect her. Not to stop it.
“I saw everything. And you should thank your lucky stars for James. Because when I wanted to ship you off, he was the one who talked me into letting you stay under my roof.” With that, Laura spins around, and her narrowed eyes meet mine before they go to her husband. “Get her the fuck out of my house,” she orders him and then she storms off into the other room, not giving a shit about her daughter.
I watch Elli silently cry, her pretty eyes dropping to the floor, her small body shaking.
“Chance, you heard my wife,” Lincoln growls, wiping blood off his face. “Take her home.” Then he too exits, following after Laura.
Chance moves toward Elli and I step in front of him, blocking his way. “Touch her, and I’ll break your fucking arm,” I warn.
He halts, his eyes going to my girl then back to me. Raising his hands, he nods to me once and starts backing up until he turns and walks back into the ballroom.
_______________
I PLACE HER in my bed and go to step away but she reaches out, gently tugging on my arm. “I’m just getting undressed,” I assure her, and she lets go. I remove my button-up and slacks. Then I shove my boxer briefs and socks off until I’m naked and crawling into bed next to her. On my side, I prop myself up on my right arm and run my free hand over her tear-streaked face.
She hasn’t spoken since her mother turned her back on her and left her standing broken all over again. I walked over, took her hand, and escorted her out of the house. The night was over.
Her heavy dilated eyes open to meet mine. “Lie to me again.”
I frown. “I’ve never lied to you.”
“When …” She licks her lips. “When we were on the boat, and you told me you loved me.” Her eyes seem to soften. “I want to hear that again.”
She thinks I lied? Why would I lie? To get between her legs? I’ve been there for years. Elli has never been the kind of girl who needs to be told what she wants to hear to get in her pants.