Total pages in book: 122
Estimated words: 112884 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 564(@200wpm)___ 452(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112884 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 564(@200wpm)___ 452(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
I walk into the house, not bothering to take off my shoes or even turn on the light as I make my way to my bedroom. The purse slips from my hand and smashes onto the floor, making it spring open, my lip gloss skidding across the floor and the white card falling out.
I squat down in front of the purse and take the envelope in my hand. My finger moves over my name before I turn it over and open it.
Pulling it open, I see Kirby must have written this.
Lexi,
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, but that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.
That’s my favorite quote and thought I would share it with you.
I dare you not to let anyone darken your light.
K.
The minute I read the last sentence, I’m sobbing out loud. Bringing the card to my chest, I can’t help but cry. The pressure is so much that I’m knocked on my ass. My head feels like it’s a washing machine spinning around and around.
“You’re beautiful.” I hear his voice but then at the same time I hear Trent. “She should be lucky she has me.” I close my eyes to not hear the words. “You deserve better.” That is the last thing I hear before I open my eyes and I grab my phone.
Pulling it up and not even thinking about what time it is, I call him. It takes him four rings to answer the phone, and when he does, his voice is filled with sleep. “Lexi,” he says and I can’t help it; instead of saying anything, all I do is silently cry. “Lexi, honey.” The worry is filling in voice.
“Daddy,” I say, the tears rolling down my cheeks, one after another. “Daddy.”
“Lexi, baby, where are you?” His voice that was worried is now filled with a more frantic tone.
“I’m home.” I look around the room. “Dad, I need your help.” My hands shake as I say the words. “Dad, I need help.”
“Baby,” he says tightly, “where is Trent?” He’s probably fucking some girl in his apartment I almost say, but I stop myself.
“Daddy,” I repeat and I can feel the panic starting to come as my breathing is starting to get a bit harder. “Daddy, I need to—”
“Lexi,” he says, snapping my name, “where the fuck are you?”
“I want to leave him, Dad,” I tell him and close my eyes. “He—”
“Did he touch you?” he asks and I can hear the fear and anger in his voice.
“He says I’m not good enough. That I need him.”
“He’s lying to you.”
“That without him, I’m nothing.” The words come out. “I don’t dress good enough. I don’t smile enough. I am not skinny enough.” My body shakes uncontrollably, my teeth clattering as if I’m in ice-cold water.
“Baby,” he soothes. “I’m calling Uncle Matthew and the two of us are coming to get you.”
“I won’t be anything without him.” I feel like I’m in a trance. “But I don’t want to be with him. I’ll be nothing, but I’ll be without him.”
“I’m going to be there in five hours, in five hours.”
“Okay.”
“Can you wait in the house or do you want to go to a hotel?” I lie down on the floor in my room.
The card in one hand, the phone in the other as I just stare out. “Okay.”
“Lexi,” he says my name, “I’m going to hang up on you now, and I’ll call you back.”
“Okay, Daddy,” I reply and then he waits for me to say something. “I love you, Daddy.”
“I love you too, angel”—I can hear the softness of his voice—“more than my life.”
“I’m sorry.” I close my eyes. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t strong like you taught me to be.”
“I’m coming. I want you to do something for me. Can you do something for me?”
“Yeah,” I say, not sure I can even move.
“I need you to lock the door of your bedroom and not open it until I get there.”
“He’s not coming home,” I tell him.
“I’m coming. I promise you I’m coming.” I nod my head. “I’ll call you back.”
“Okay.” He hangs up as I close my eyes. He calls me back every single thirty minutes to check on me, and I vow each time I’ll get up and change. But I just close my eyes and drift off to sleep.
The pounding makes me open my eyes, and I look around the room before getting up on my side. “Lexi.” I hear his voice and then I get up, walking toward the front door. I unlock it, and when I pull it open, I’m in his arms. “Lexi.” He breathes me in. “I’m here.”
“Daddy,” I cry just like I did when I fell off the bike the first time I rode on two wheels. Just like when I busted open my chin skating and he took me in his arms, protecting me the whole time.