Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 25067 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 125(@200wpm)___ 100(@250wpm)___ 84(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 25067 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 125(@200wpm)___ 100(@250wpm)___ 84(@300wpm)
Once I felt like my legs might be able to carry my weight, I stood from the couch and made my way to the front door. Derek said something to me, but I couldn’t hear him over the buzzing in my ears. When I opened the front door and stepped out onto the porch, laying my eyes on the man who’d come to my rescue, I’d felt safe for the first time in hours. And now that he was here, he hadn’t left my side.
“First things first,” Jimmie said, his hand massaging the back of my neck, “I need to know if Zac has access to any of your bank accounts. Even just a debit or credit card.”
We’d all gathered in my sister’s tiny kitchen around the bar. Carla and I had taken to sitting, and Jimmie was standing behind me. Byron was leaning against the counter, nursing a cup of coffee Brandon had made him, and Dylan was standing next to him, his arms crossed over his chest.
“No,” I said, my voice sounding as tired as I felt. “You told me not to, even if just for my own financial independence.”
“Good girl,” he murmured, dropping a kiss to the top of my head. My chest warmed at his praise. “I’m going to reach out to the local police and see if we can get an escort or two while we get yours and Wyatt’s things out of the house. Byron and I will go with you. Dylan will stay here with Wyatt and keep him distracted.”
“He’ll be happy to see you,” I said quietly, looking at Dylan. Dylan was easily Wyatt’s favorite uncle. Byron was a close second, but Dylan was almost as goofy as Jimmie could be, whereas Byron was a bit sterner, even while being fun. Dylan was just the kind of uncle to let “boys be boys”.
Dylan smiled at me but didn’t say anything. “I can help,” Derek spoke up, looking at me and Jimmie. He’d been sitting quietly in the living room, just listening in, but now, he was standing at the entrance to the kitchen, his hands in the pockets of his jeans. “I’m here in whatever capacity I can be.”
“Just stay here with Wyatt,” Jimmie told him. “I want as much protection around our son as possible.” His hand squeezed my neck again before he brushed his thumb along my pulse point, settling me despite how nervous I was for what was to come. “I appreciate the help you’re giving us.”
Derek shook his head. “Trinity and Wyatt are family, man,” he said, every word laced with conviction. Tears burned in my eyes at his confession, and I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to keep them in. I’d cried enough in the past twenty-four hours to fill a small lake. My eyes were burning, and I was bone-deep exhausted. I couldn’t handle crying again.
Jimmie continued rubbing his thumb in soothing circles along my skin, easily settling me. “Let’s get a move on, then. I want to be back on the road soon, and I’d like to get everything from Zac’s before Wyatt wakes up—if possible.”
Pulling his phone from his pocket, he made the phone call that would set everything I was fearing into motion. And no amount of tensing would keep my body from trembling and revealing the fear coursing through my veins.
I couldn’t face Zac again.
My hands wouldn’t stop shaking as I stared at the two-story home in front of me. Zac had been so excited when he bought this place, and as soon as he had the keys in hand, he’d brought me here, and we’d had our first dinner together as a couple inside this house. We’d made so many plans about our future within that home. Wyatt had so many milestones within those walls.
And now, Zac had ruined all of that for me. Now when I looked at that beautiful house, I heard my phantom sobs, felt the phantom pain of him driving into me and shoving my face into the floor to make me be quiet.
I could still hear my silent pleading for Wyatt to not come downstairs. For him to not see me being raped. For my trauma not to fucking touch him.
A squad car rolled up behind us, but Jimmie didn’t move to get out, even as Byron did so. Instead, he reached over the middle console of his truck and grabbed my hand, lacing our fingers together. “He’s not home, baby,” he gently reminded me. “His car isn’t in the driveway. We’ll make this as quick as possible, okay? And I’ll never leave you alone. Byron will carry out everything you want to take with you.”
Blowing out a soft breath, I nodded my head, then released his hand to open my door. Byron was already there when I pushed it open, and he hovered closely as I eased out of the truck. I didn’t even have time to step forward before Zac’s car came to a stop in front of Jimmie’s truck, damn near hitting Jimmie, who’d been rounding it.