Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 85183 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 426(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85183 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 426(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
I freeze when I hear footsteps. I can't see anything, so I have no idea where they're coming from. A heavy click reverberates around the room, and a door creaks open, smashing against the wall. I hold my hand up, shielding my eyes from the sudden bright light. Spots dance across my vision as a pair of heavy boots come into view, stopping in front of me.
"Get up," a gruff male voice barks at me. My head is still spinning as I struggle to scramble to my feet. A rough hand wraps around one of my wrists, yanking me forward. I bite back a scream as pain shoots up my leg. I glance down and find it's bandaged. Why do that? Why not just let me bleed out?
"Walk." He shoves me through the open door, and I stagger, falling against the wall in the hallway. I'm half dragged, half pushed down the hall, and up a short set of stairs. There's a doorway on the left; he pushes me through it into an office. There's barely any furniture: a desk and chair, a window on one wall, and an open fire on the other side of the room.
There, sat at the desk is Joe. He appears to be a normal guy, smartly dressed in a suit, clean shaven. His slightly greying hair and a chiseled face lend him towards looking quite distinguished. He looks very respectable until he glances up at me with eyes so dark; they're almost black. There isn't an ounce of mercy or kindness to be found within the dark depths of his irises, only cold, feral depravity.
He watches me for a moment, like a wolf eyeing up a newborn lamb. "You should know that this isn't personal." He flashes me a nasty smile.
"What isn't?" I breathe, as it feels like icy water is creeping through my veins.
Joe rises, moving around the desk to stand in front of me. His eyes trail over my body, and I want to douse myself in bleach. He reaches out, taking a piece of my hair in his hands and leaning in to smell it.
"Everything," He snarls, before throwing his fist into my stomach. I double over, coughing violently as my knees slam into the ground. I hold my stomach, trying to drag air into my winded body. He drops to a crouch in front of me and grabs a fistful of my hair, yanking my head back. I cry out as my scalp burns.
He pushes his face to mine, his smoky breath blowing over my skin. "I'm going to destroy you, and he's going to listen to it." He says coldly. "He's weak, and his weakness will lead him to you, and in turn me. I'm going to kill him slowly. By the time I'm done, he will beg me to kill him," he spits in my face, before throwing me to the ground violently.
No. He can't. My heart splinters at the thought of anything happening to Jude. I made my choices, but I still love him.
"We're going to call dear old Jude." He smiles. He puts the phone on loudspeaker, and the rings echo around the room.
The phone rings and rings until the machine picks up. Joe grabs a handful of my hair again, yanking me to my knees. "Leave him a message," he growls in my ear.
As soon as the beep rings out, I shout, "Jude..."
Joe slams his hand over my mouth, silencing me. I fight against him. I have to warn Jude. He can't come after me, he'll be walking into a trap, and for what? Some misplaced loyalty for a girl he didn't even want.
The phone clicks, and then I hear his voice. "Tor?" He sounds controlled, but I know him. I can hear the edge of panic in his voice.
Joe laughs, clearly thrilled with this little moment. "You fucked up, Jude, and now I'm going to fuck her up, just like I fucked up your whore of a mother." He slams the receiver down and releases me. I fall forward onto my hands, tears streaming down my face.
"You know..." He stops right in front of me, his shiny shoes in my line of vision. "I couldn't have planned this better if I tried. When I told Euan to get you into Jude's house, I never thought it would actually happen. That his guy would be stupid enough to take you, and then when he did, I assumed JP would send you right back because he's Jude Pearson; chivalrous, lover of women." He turns and paces in front of me. "I thought he would send you back to Euan, and I could pluck information straight from your pretty little head." He laughs and drops to a knee in front of me, grabbing my chin roughly and forcing me to look at him. His cold eyes trail over my body. "But then he was stupid enough to fall in love with you. I commend you, I really do. You must have a pussy of gold," he sneers.