Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 71396 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 286(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71396 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 286(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
“Just the truth. You don’t have to give them everything right now. Just enough for them to know you’re safe. And that you’re not going back.”
Not going back to my home. The one I’ve shared with Lance since moving in together following our engagement. I take stock of my feelings and it dawns on me that his place has never felt like home.
I nod, swallowing hard. “Will you… stay close while I call them?”
“Absolutely,” he says, and something in the steadiness of his voice grounds me. “How about you get a shower and I’ll do the same. I’ve got to head out by ten—team meeting before practice kicks off. I want you to come with me and hang out at the paddock.”
I’m not sure about that. “But what if Lance doesn’t go back to Torquay? He probably has a paddock pass.”
Reid grimaces. “Fuck… I hadn’t thought about that. Okay, I’m sorry to keep you cooped up here, but until we know where Lance is, you probably should stay in the suite. I’m going to be gone all day though.”
“I’ll be fine,” I assure him. “I’ve got work to do.”
“I’ll order breakfast. Are you still a poached egg girl?”
That garners a genuine smile, one of those dozens of facts he knows about me since we’ve been friends forever. “Yeah… sounds good.”
Reid rises from the chair, grabs his cup and nods toward my en suite bath. “Go get sparkly fresh for the day. Breakfast will be here by the time you’re done and then we’ll make our calls.”
♦
Breakfast sits like a lump in my stomach, my nerves firing on overdrive for what I’m about to do.
I push my breakfast plate away and pick up my phone.
My hands are shaking, but I force them steady and hit the contact for Mum. My eyes meet Reid’s and in their blue depths I see his silent encouragement, and that gives me strength.
The phone rings three times before her familiar voice picks up—warm, cheerful, unsuspecting.
“Hello, love! How was the party? I’ve been dying to hear about it.”
“Mum,” I say, and my voice breaks.
Her tone changes instantly. “Lara? What’s happened?”
I grip the edge of the table with one hand, knuckles white. “I’m okay. But something happened last night, and I need to tell you everything. I need you to promise to just listen until I’m done.”
“Of course,” she says, concern in her voice. “Is Lance there with you?”
“Actually… no. I’m here with Reid.”
Hesitantly she says, “Okay, go on.”
I inhale, and then I let it all out. “I left Lance last night.”
“Oh, honey,” she coos, sorrow evident, but I don’t hear disappointment and that’s relieving. “What happened?”
“He slapped me,” I say, deciding to rip off the Band-Aid.
“What?” she exclaims, a slight bit of disbelief, but I hear mostly a mother’s anger.
“It’s not been good between us for months. Since we got engaged, really. He’s been… controlling. He checks my phone, tells me where I can go, who I can see. At first it was subtle. Easy to brush off. But after we got engaged, it escalated. He didn’t want me traveling for work, said it was unnecessary. He started getting angry about the smallest things. Said I was embarrassing him if I spoke too much at events. Said I didn’t act like a proper fiancée, said I didn’t dress right.”
Reid’s eyes darken but he sits still, elbows resting on his knees, head down as he listens closely.
“And then I found texts on his phone,” I continue. “He left it unlocked one night, and I saw messages from another woman. I confronted him about it last night after the party. We had a huge fight, and he… he hit me.”
My mum gasps. “Oh my god.”
“I packed a bag and left while he was in the shower.”
“Sweetheart…” Mum’s voice wavers, thick with emotion. “And you’re with Reid?”
“He offered me a place to stay last night. I didn’t know where else to go, Mum.”
There’s a pause. And then, softly, “Of course you went to Reid.” She clears her throat and composes herself. “Are you safe?”
Reid bends over the phone. “Hi, Margot. It’s Reid.”
“Tell me she’s safe,” my mum demands, as only a mother can do when protecting her child.
“She’s totally safe,” he says firmly. “She can stay here as long as she needs to. No pressure. No questions. I’ll do everything I can to make sure she’s protected.”
There’s a soft sob from the other end. “Thank you, Reid. Thank you so much.”
“You don’t need to thank me,” he says. “I care about her too.”
I look over at him, startled by the way he said it—so simple, so honest.
“We’re going to figure this out,” Reid continues. “I’m going to talk to my parents next, but we wanted to call you first.”
“And where’s Lance?” she asks.
“We don’t know,” Reid says, rubbing a hand over his jaw. “He sent some nasty texts last night, demanding Lara return to their place so he might be headed there this morning, but I doubt it since he’s here trying to land some accounts.”