Total pages in book: 154
Estimated words: 142764 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 714(@200wpm)___ 571(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 142764 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 714(@200wpm)___ 571(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
Then comes the part I’m a semi-professional at: gluing and bandaging myself up. Bel helps by handing me each item and helping me clean up and toss all the wrappers out. Then I carry her over to the bed, hit the remote for the lights and fireplace, and climb up onto the mattress. I circle her waist with my arm, tucking her into my chest. Facing me, she stares up at me, a mixture of satisfaction and wariness in her eyes. “I guess I’m an idiot tonight because I’m too tired to hate you right now.”
Gently, I stroke her hair, the music from the party downstairs a low hum that becomes background noise. I stare into her sparkling green eyes, my chest tight, and I’m overcome with emotions that I’ve never felt before. I can’t lose Bel. I can’t. I won’t let my dad take anything else from me. I brush a piece of wet hair off her temple. "You're so beautiful, Maybel."
She gulps and shakes her head. "So are you."
A tear slips from the corner of her eye, and I catch it, flicking it away. "What's wrong?"
She sniffles. "Nothing. I'm fine. Just overwhelmed with everything, I guess."
Another tear falls, and I pull her closer, resting my forehead against hers. "It's okay. I promise I will never hurt you again. If anyone else dares to try, I'll be there to rip their hearts from their bodies. I don’t expect you to trust me today, or even tomorrow, but eventually, you’ll know that I won’t let anyone hurt you ever again."
She releases a heavy sigh. "I'm scared."
I nod and tug her by the waist so her body lines up with mine. It's fucking decadent to feel all her bare skin against mine. I had no idea how much I craved it until this moment. It feels so fucking good. And I realize it's not sexual. It's an intimate connection I’ve never experienced before.
"Bel," I whisper and kiss her lips tenderly, wanting to tell her all the things.
"I know," she whispers in reply.
I nod and continue staring at her, waiting until her eyelids drift closed before I dare close my own eyes. All the while thinking I have a promise to keep now. And the only way I can keep that promise is to get rid of my father… and soon.
16
BEL
Voices. Yelling.
The combination is nails on a chalkboard rattling around in my brain. Slowly, so I don’t disturb the force field, I crack my eyes open and catch sight of soft light filtering through partially open curtains. It’s difficult to make out the color without my glasses on, but I know immediately that those curtains are not mine.
There’s a pause, then the voices again, roaring in my ears. Moving my hands, I slide them across the silky sheets and up my bare thigh.
Bare thighs.
Oh shit.
Memories from the night before filter back through my mind. The woods, the shower, Drew chasing me, vodka, and kissing someone else. Jesus.
Who let me do all these things? I don't do stuff like this.
Guilt slices through me, followed by a wave of nausea that climbs up my throat. I grab the top sheet and jerk it back to untuck it from the end of the bed. I barely manage to wrap it around myself and rush past Drew and Sebastian and into the bathroom, slapping the door closed behind me. My only focus is not throwing up all over myself right now.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
My already battered knees hate me more as I fall to the tiled floor and secure my death grip on the toilet just in time for the entire contents of my stomach to spew out of my mouth.
The velocity to which the vomit escapes my stomach burns my nose and throat. My vision blurs, tears leak from the corners of my eyes, and once I’m certain I won’t leave out anything else, I tug the sheet up around my shoulders and huddle into it.
The cold from the floor seeps into my knees, and it feels nice. Fuck. There’s an incident throbbing at the back of my head, like an annoying person who won’t stop kicking a ball at my brain.
That’s it. I’m never drinking again.
With a groan, I stand on unsteady legs and cross the room to the brightly lit sink. It's so fucking bright. Even though I can't see much, I swat around the blurry area until I find the taps and twist them on. A moment later, the rush of water fills my ears.
I rinse my mouth out and take a couple of gulps of water. I can’t see my hair all that well, but I run my fingers through it a little bit. I’m feeling better already. Maybe I’m not one of those people who suffers from hangovers? I smile to myself, and then I remember…