Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 74226 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 297(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74226 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 297(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
Like I explained to Dr. Stone, this has been the most relaxed I’ve been in a very long time. Being out of the cell has that feeling of safety disappearing while it’s replaced with an uneasy feeling in my gut. Having Q walking behind me only adds to my discomfort.
When I hear a second pair of footsteps behind me, my instincts kick in, and I spin around to see where the danger is coming from. A few feet behind Q, one of the guards reaches for his gun, while I have nothing but my fists to protect me.
“Calm down, everyone.” Quinton quickly defuses the situation, but I can’t shake the feeling of danger.
It’s odd because I normally don’t fear anything. Quite the opposite. I’m always the first one to run into danger. But this is different because this time the danger is me. I can’t trust myself and that means that for the first time in a long time, I’m scared.
“I think it’s better I stay in the cell until I have better control of… you know… myself.”
I’m not sure if it’s my words or whatever Q reads in my expression, but his eyes go wide, like he’s in shock before something like pity washes over his face.
“I’m not sure if you’re faking it or if you’re really that fucked up in the head right now.”
“I’m really that fucked up,” I answer without missing a beat. “I don’t trust myself anymore. What if I try to hurt someone again?” It’s probably a mistake to confide in Quinton like this, but I need him to understand that I can’t control part of me, and that fucking scares me.
“There’s no one here you can hurt. It’s just me and you and a bunch of guards. If it makes you feel better, I won’t let you get close to heavy weights at the gym. We’ll get on the ring and spar a little bit, and if you go all crazy on me, I’ll have the guards kick your ass,” he half jokes.
“Aspen and Scarlet are really not here?”
“No. they went shopping for the baby,” Q says before cursing under his breath like he didn’t mean to tell me about the baby.
“Congrats, by the way. Scarlet told me about Aspen being pregnant. I hope that was okay. Don’t be mad at her for telling me.”
“It’s fine, I guess. Thanks, now can we go to the gym?”
“All right,” I agree, shoving my hands awkwardly into the shorts pockets.
Spinning around, I continue walking down the hall, surprised when Quinton falls in step next to me instead of behind.
Together, we walk up the stairs and turn toward the in-house gym. Q wasn’t joking when he said Xander upped the security for me because every time we turn into a new hallway, I see a guard standing next to the door, every single one has their eyes on me. If it wasn’t for Quinton walking next to me, I would definitely be more nervous with all the attention on me. When we finally get to the gym, two guards follow us inside and position themselves in the corners of the room while two more block the entrance to the gym.
I don’t think an actual prison has this much security.
Still feeling a little on edge, I take in the smell of sweat and iron and let it ground me. Quinton grabs two sets of tape and boxing gloves while getting into the small boxing ring on the far-right side of the large gym.
Quinton throws the tape and gloves over to me. We both tape up our hands and put on the boxing gloves; I then climb into the ring, and we get into a fighting position.
I can’t count the times Q and I have sparred with each other, but I’ve never actually been worried about it before. This time is different because I’m pretty sure he actually wants to hurt me, and I’m still banged up from my short stay with Rebecca.
Throwing my hands up to protect my face, I start moving around the ring, letting Quinton throw the first jab. He comes at me with a right hook, but I manage to dodge it. However, his left follow-up jab hits me on the side of my head.
I shake it off and throw my hands up in a protective pose. “You taking it easy on me? I barely felt that,” I taunt, and I don’t know what in the world is wrong with me. I should be glad he’s taking it easy, yet my stupid ego is getting the better of me.
“Don’t want Scarlet to be mad at me again.”
“Why again?” I question between jabs. “What did you do now?”
“Oh, you know, the usual, being Dad’s favorite and getting special treatment, has always driven a wedge between us.”
“I always thought Scar was your dad’s favorite.”