Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 79685 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 319(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79685 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 319(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
The moment I’m outside, my emotions spiral into a turbulent mess inside me. I flee around the side of the house and run as fast as I can.
There’s a wooshing sound in my ears, my heart thundering, and my breaths nothing but gasps. Darting through the trees, branches scratch my arms, but I don’t care.
The sun is just starting to break over the horizon as I run across a field, the grass wet beneath my bare soles, and my dress flapping around my thighs.
Filled with fear, I keep glancing over my shoulder to see if Nolan is coming after me.
Nolan pins me to the floor, his fists repeatedly slamming into my face and torso until all I can taste is blood, all I can feel is pain, and the world turns black.
He has controlled every single thing. I’ve never been allowed to do anything for myself. The only time he left me alone was when he locked me in the trunk.
Escape.
Run.
Get away.
Every degrading moment fills me, and like shards of glass, they cut deep into my soul.
Feral and on the brink of insanity, I’m unable to focus. I’m completely overwhelmed by despair and panic, my body on automatic pilot as I keep running as fast as I can.
SANTIAGO
In the early morning hours, I stand outside on the porch, staring over the field where the first rays of the sun are peeking over the horizon.
“Time to go,” Pedro mutters, drawing my attention to him.
“Next time I take a break, I’d like to come back here for a week,” I mention while walking to the second SUV.
Pedro opens the passanger door, then replies, “Just tell me when so I can make sure there’s food in the place.”
I climb into the SUV, and once all the guards are in their respective vehicles, Pedro slides in behind the steering wheel. He starts the engine, then talks over the two-way radio, “Let’s head out.”
When the convoy begins to move, I pull out my phone and shoot Dominik a text. My friendship with the Slovakian arms dealer happened quite fast. Where he’s grumpy and quiet, I’m the complete opposite. I was actually surprised when he didn’t tell me to fuck off.
I let out a silent chuckle while typing out the message.
Santiago: How’s Grace doing?
A moment later, he sends a reply.
Dominik: She just gave birth to a boy a few minutes ago. I’ll call later.
Santiago: Remember to name him after me. Congrats!
A wide smile spreads over my face, and tucking my phone back into my pocket, I glance at Pedro. “Dominik and Grace are the proud parents of a baby boy.”
“Good for them,” he mumbles, his eyes on the road.
I turn my head and look out the window, then my eyes lock on a woman who’s running through the field next to us.
One look at the fear on her face has me shouting, “Stop the car!”
Pedro slams on the brakes, and as screeching tires fill the air, I shove the door open and haul ass in her direction.
She keeps glancing over her left shoulder, the yellow dress she’s wearing flapping around her thighs.
“Santiago!” Pedro shouts behind me.
As I come up on her right side, she glances over her left shoulder again. All I see is ginger hair, the color of the rising sun, before I grab hold of her arm.
A horrifying cry escapes her as she swings around, and the moment I wrap my arms around her, forcefully bringing her to a stop, her body goes limp.
I sink to my knees, carefully lowering her, then my eyes latch onto her face.
Jesus fucking Christ.
Struck speechless, I stare at her ginger lashes, high cheekbones, button nose, and the perfect bow of her lips.
Lifting my hand to her cheek, I brush my fingers over her cold but soft skin. My heart hammers in my chest as the realization sinks in.
“I found you.”
Unable to stop myself, I wrap her in a tight embrace, holding her to my chest while I press a kiss to her clammy forehead.
My eyes drift shut, but then I smell her scent, and it’s wrong. She smells like another man.
My head lifts, and I quickly glance around us, but only my men are out here with us.
“Santiago?” Pedro says my name in a questioning tone.
I move her arms so they’re resting across her chest, then positioning my arms beneath her knees and back, I hold her tightly to me as I climb to my feet.
Walking back to the SUV, I mutter, “Let’s get out of here.”
No one questions me as I climb into the back seat of the SUV, and only when we’re driving again does Pedro ask, “Is that her?”
“Yes,” I answer, unable to tear my gaze away from her breathtakingly beautiful face.
Christ, there are no words to describe how I feel as I take in every inch of the woman in my arms.