Total pages in book: 157
Estimated words: 155900 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 780(@200wpm)___ 624(@250wpm)___ 520(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 155900 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 780(@200wpm)___ 624(@250wpm)___ 520(@300wpm)
And the fury of that all came rising to the surface. Erupting in a strength that I didn’t know I possessed.
Little Warrior.
Kane’s murmured praise echoed through my mind, and I fought the monster with everything I had.
Refusing to let this happen again.
Kicking the heel of my shoe back, I struck him in the shin. It was enough to make him stumble a step. I used it to my advantage, jerking the arm he had bound around my waist.
It set him off balance, and I threw my weight forward and fully broke out of his hold.
A rabid growl of frustration heaved out of him.
I started to run.
I had to get away. I had to. I had to.
I made it two steps when a violent hand fisted in my hair and yanked me back.
Agonizing pain seared across my scalp.
I screamed, but the pain wasn’t enough to stop me.
I still tried to run, willing to endure the torture of ripping out the mound of hair from my head if it meant getting away.
“Shut the fuck up, you cunt.” He jerked hard.
I lost my footing, and the soles of my shoes scraped along the ground as he dragged me toward the woods.
Fear spiraled.
Consuming.
Stifling.
The memories penetrating.
No.
God, please, no.
I battled with everything I had all while hopelessness taunted at the edges of my narrowing sight.
“Hey, stop right there!” Another man’s voice cut through the air, far across the lot. “Hey!”
A pounding of footsteps clamored in the distance.
A shout of a man and then another. “Someone stop that creep! He’s trying to drag that woman into the forest!”
“You little bitch.” The monster spat it at my ear. “Looks like you get one more day.”
Without warning, he tossed me to the side, and my body flew without will, no way to stop myself before the top of my head slammed into the front-passenger door of Kane’s SUV.
Pain splintered with the crack against the metal.
Rushed and overcame.
Blinding.
Deafening.
No way to stand as the ground came up below me.
THIRTY-NINE
KANE
“I found it!” Maci howled with laughter as she lifted the second eight of hearts into the air.
“Are you kiddin’ me! You got another match?” Okay, she might have had to peek under six different cards to find it, but I was convinced my kid was brilliant.
We were on the rug on the floor in her bedroom. Warmth from the natural sunlight spilling in and saturating the space, though I thought what really was filling it was the type of ease and joy that I’d never before felt.
“What do you even fink, my Mr. Kane? I told you my mommy said I was really extra smart. I bet it’s even time for me to learn how to read because I know all the letters.”
She shrugged as she piled her new match onto the stack of the other fifteen she’d already uncovered. Blonde pigtails swishing around her cherub, chubby face.
My heart did somersaults in my chest.
Love hitting me like a sledgehammer all while I felt the secondary blow of her casual words. My child still not understanding the ramifications of her mother’s death.
That she was gone and she was never going to see her again.
Knew I needed to tell her who I was and do it soon. Explain to her that I was the one who was going to be raising her since her mommy didn’t get the honor of doing that anymore.
But how the hell did you force out those types of words? Break her heart all while hoping to mend it a little?
“That’s right. And I know your mommy loves you so much. No matter where she is or where she goes.” I settled on that for then.
“And you and my auntie Em,” Maci rambled, not a question.
“Yeah, Maci. Your auntie Em and I love you so much.”
Her auntie Em who’d been gone for so fucking long I was getting antsy. But I could tell when she’d left that she’d needed a breather. Needed some time to clear her head after what had gone down between us last night.
The smile Maci tipped up at me was earth-shattering.
“I fink it’s really good we found your house, Mr. Kane.”
“I think it’s really good, too. Think it’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”
That smile somehow widened, dimple denting her chin, her button nose scrunched up in the most adorable way.
I was just about to tell her that I wanted her to stay here forever when my cell rang from my pant pocket, interrupting the moment.
I shifted so I could dig it out. I frowned when I saw Charleigh’s name lighting up the screen.
I glanced at the time.
Just after three. She should be in the middle of work right then.
A flash of concern washed through me, but I shoved off the paranoia, accepted the call, and pressed my cell to my ear. “Hey, Charleigh, what’s up?”