Total pages in book: 40
Estimated words: 38829 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 194(@200wpm)___ 155(@250wpm)___ 129(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 38829 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 194(@200wpm)___ 155(@250wpm)___ 129(@300wpm)
“Oh, I’m going to kill you, bitch. I’ll make you beg for death, but first I’m going to watch you cry over your fucking brother.”
Suddenly he moves the gun with precision accuracy and aims it at Douglas. I see my chance for escape leaving me. “No,” I cry, moving so I can jump in front of Douglas. I can’t live like this anymore. I need out …
I make it, but I don’t feel pain. I don’t hear the powerful boom of the gun going off. I hadn’t even realized my eyes were closed until I hear my brother’s sick laughter. Fitch pulls me away, and I look to see Blade tossing the gun to the ground.
“A dummy round. You’re just too easy. Did you really think I’d give you the chance to shoot me? Fucking pussy. You deserve to rot in prison. I’m going to have my men take you back. Don’t worry. Officer Issacs is waiting on you. He’s going to take great joy in punishing you. I’m sure you’ll enjoy every minute of it.”
“You son of a bitch. Are you too scared to face me one on one? Get your fucking ass down here and face me like the man that you pretend to be!” Blade screams. From my peripheral vision, I see Douglas motion to one of his men. In the next few seconds, the guy takes a baseball bat to Blade’s head. Blade goes out like a light. I don’t even flinch.
“Fitch, take the whore back to Lucky’s room. If he doesn’t want her, call Demon,” Douglas growls.
“You said I’d get my freedom. I did everything you told me to do,” I tell him. I’m not above begging at this point.
“And you will,” he says again, his voice soft like he’s talking to a favorite pet—a dog that worships him and he trains to accept the evil he doles out for just a pat on the head and scraps from his table. “Eventually,” he adds with a sinister look that instantly sends chills through me.
Fitch pulls me away from my brother and I stiffen my back and walk out easily, with my head held up. I don’t want him to think he’s broken me. He hasn’t.
End Flashback
If only I had known what was waiting for me …
7 ARWEN
“Are you okay, Livy?” I ask Olivia when she begins to zone out. There’s this habit that she’s trained herself to do. It’s a fight-or-flight instinct—only for her, flight is all that matters. She retreats completely into herself to escape. Some days it’s almost impossible to drag her out.
“I think she saw a ghost,” the man in front of me laughs.
My gaze moves to the man in front of me, and I know that this must be Bear’s brother. Olivia has spent hours with me in therapy, talking to me about the two brothers—both of whom carried pieces of her heart at one time. Beside him is some woman who looks more like she’s dressed for a high-end brothel than a graveside service.
“Is there some reason you’re here, Mr. Aetos?” I question him while rubbing circles on Olivia’s back, trying to get her to snap out of whatever dark hole she’s found refuge in this time.
“I’m here to pay my respects.”
“I’m pretty sure that’s the furthest thing from your mind. I think it would be better if you just leave.”
“You can’t tell us what to do. My man practically owns this town, bitch.”
“Odd, for a man who owns a town, I’d think he’d find a better class of woman to be on his side.”
“Are you thinking of throwing your application in?” he purrs, his gaze roving over my body lazily.
“Blade!” the woman screeches. He seems to ignore her.
“He belongs to me,” she huffs at me when she fails to get a response from him.
“You should tell him that. I don’t really care,” I answer truthfully. I put both hands on Olivia’s face because I can sense she’s slipping away. Her whole body is trembling. There are tears sliding down her cheeks. She hasn’t had a panic attack this large in a while.
“What’s wrong with her?” Blade asks. He almost sounds concerned, but I don’t turn around to see.
“She’s freaking out,” the woman laughs. “Stupid bitch can’t handle seeing me and you happy together, Blade,” the girl says in her nasally voice.
“Livy, breathe slowly. In. Out. In. Out,” I demand slowly, keeping my voice steady, calm and monotone. I keep her eyes focused on me. “You’re safe here. Safe. Do you hear me?”
Tears slide from her eyes as she inhales, trying to control her crying. “Winnie,” she whimpers.
“That’s it. You’re coming back. Remember what we learned. Count with me, okay?”
“K,” Olivia says, gasping for breath, her entire body still vibrating with terror as she fights her fear.
“Ten.” I wait, and in a second, she repeats the number. “Nine.” We do this over and over until we count down to one. Olivia stares at me a moment and then holds her head down. I move my hands from her cheeks to her hands and interlock my fingers with hers. “It’s okay, Livy. You’re okay.”