Total pages in book: 159
Estimated words: 155775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 779(@200wpm)___ 623(@250wpm)___ 519(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 155775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 779(@200wpm)___ 623(@250wpm)___ 519(@300wpm)
But her limbs just wouldn’t cooperate. So she’d decided to wait until the truck stopped.
She hadn’t factored in that the driver might lift up the tarp before she could escape.
“What the hell are you doing in here?”
The demand rattled through her brain, making her freeze with fear.
“Who are you?” he said.
“Who is who?” another voice asked.
This was a disaster.
“Holy shit, there’s a girl hiding back here.” The owner of the second voice appeared, staring down at her. “Hey, isn’t that one of the girls from the bar? The one with the backpack?”
They’d been in the bar. They’d seen her there. Oh God, this was getting worse and worse. She was shaking so hard her teeth were rattling.
She couldn’t even see what they looked like since a street light was behind them, blinding her.
“Get out, girl,” the first guy said in his deep, commanding voice. “Then explain what you’re doing in the back of my pickup.”
That was going to be a bit hard to do, and not just because she’d lost the ability to speak but because she had no idea how to explain what happened or if she even should. She needed Dotty and Monroe.
“Come on, girl,” the first guy said. “You can’t spend the night there.”
“Do you think she’s too scared to move?” the second guy asked.
“All right, I’m going to help you out,” the first guy said. “If you don’t want me touching you, then you need to move by yourself now.”
She really didn’t want anyone to touch her, but there was no way she could move on her own. Large, warm hands grasped hold of her hips and lifted her down. She let out a small cry of fear.
“Shh, no one is going to hurt you. You’re safe.” There was something about the way he spoke. Something familiar about his voice. But it wasn’t until she turned and glanced up at him without a light blinding her that she saw that it was the guy from the bar. The one who had told her to run.
That should’ve made her feel better, however she was well beyond being able to think.
He stared down into her face. “What are you doing in the back of my pickup, girl? And where are your friends from earlier?”
She studied both of them. While it was dark, the street lights lit up the area well. Both of them were dressed in T-shirts and jeans with jackets. They looked rough and a bit scary with tattoos up their necks. She tried to keep telling herself that this man had helped her, protected her, but it didn’t make her feel any better.
“You gonna talk?” the first guy asked in a rough voice as they both stared at her.
She shifted from foot to foot, feeling uncertain about what he was thinking and seeing. She glanced around. This was actually a nice-looking street.
“I think she’s too scared. Look at the way she’s trembling and she can barely hold herself up,” the second guy said.
Unfortunately, all of that was true.
And, apparently, very obvious.
“Yeah, I think you’re right,” the first guy said.
God, he was gorgeous. Even when he was scowling.
Also, way, way out of her league. Not that she could ever be with a man.
“What do we do with her?” the second guy asked.
“Did you lose your friends?”
She nodded.
“All right. Do you have a phone? Can you call them?” the first guy asked.
Oh my God.
She was a complete and utter moron. Why hadn’t she called them? Her hands shook as she took her backpack off. For some reason, both men tensed.
“Give it to me!” Number One barked.
Addie grasped the backpack against her chest. What? Why did he want it? It was hers! Was he going to rob her?
That wasn’t cool.
Not cool at all. This backpack held her life in it and she wasn’t going to just hand it over to him.
So she attempted to back up a step. Only she found herself trapped against the pickup. She moved to the side. Maybe she could just take off. Surely she was faster than these guys?
“Easy, girl,” Number One said. “No one is going to hurt you or take your stuff. I just want to make sure you don’t have a weapon in there.”
A weapon? Why would she have a weapon? The only weapon she had was a flashlight. Well, there was Snaggles, but he’d never bite anyone.
Suddenly, Number One guy snatched the backpack out of her hands. She launched herself toward him, but he stepped back and the other man got in between them.
Another squeal of fear left her.
She wished she wasn’t such a scaredy-cat. Her mother had taught her to fear everything.
And she’d been a very good teacher.
Number One, who she was starting to think of less and less as her rescuer, and more and more as a meanie, searched through her bag. First out was her phone, then her wallet.