Total pages in book: 140
Estimated words: 137144 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 686(@200wpm)___ 549(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 137144 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 686(@200wpm)___ 549(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
“You’re going to send your boyfriend away. Make sure that he doesn’t come back. Tell him whatever you have to in order to get him to leave.”
Lily felt her heart break, but she knew that of the two options, the only one she could choose was to send Harvey away. Besides, who was to say that this guy wouldn’t turn his gun on Harvey? He was safer away from them.
“Good. Go do it. And you say anything about me, both the guinea pig and your boyfriend are dead. Got me? I will kill them both and take you.”
She nodded.
“Oh, and Lily, make it believable.”
How did he know her name? Who was he? What did he want with her? Her heart raced. She needed to get herself together. She had to get rid of this asshole before Clem came home. The last thing she wanted to do was put her sister in danger.
But was this guy here to rob the place, or was there another reason?
“I don’t really feel like cleaning up a dead body today, but I will if I have to.”
Right. Sure. Make it believable when she felt sick to her stomach and was shaking like a leaf.
She’d get right onto that. Not a problem.
42
Harvey drove up and parked in front of where Lily was standing. Then he got out of his car. “Everything all right, mo bhreáthracht? You look a little pale.”
“No, everything isn’t all right. You need to leave.”
“Sorry?” he asked, staring at her.
That noise inside her was definitely her heart breaking, or maybe it was internal screaming from the pain at what she had to do.
But it was better than him being hurt. Or worse.
Make it believable.
“I changed my mind. This isn’t going to work.”
“You changed your mind?” he said slowly. “Just like that, huh?”
Lily shrugged. “Well, I took off on you just like that, didn’t I? Ran off without leaving a note or calling you. Don’t you think that if I wanted you back in my life, I would’ve called you?”
He gaped at her, as though he couldn’t understand the words that she was saying. She couldn’t understand it herself. She just knew she had to get them out.
“I would have called you if I wanted you, Harvey, but I don’t. You need to go, and not contact me, don’t come back. I’ve realized that I want nothing to do with you. I don’t need you in my life. You were just there at a convenient time to take care of me, but now I’m moving on. I want to stay here. So please, turn around and leave.”
This hurt. It hurt so damn much.
But if it saved him, it was worth it.
Harvey scowled. “I will not leave. You can’t just change your mind like that on a whim.”
“Of course I can. And If you don’t leave, I’m going to call Jaret’s brothers to come over here and forcibly remove you, so go.”
“You can’t be doing this.”
“I don’t love you, Harvey. I don’t want you.”
For a moment, she thought he was still going to refuse, but then a look of anger came over his face. Her stomach tightened.
She had to remain calm. She had to keep the pain off her face.
He spun around and stomped off to his car.
Why was he going? Why was he giving up on her?
Wait, no. She wanted that.
It wasn’t until he was in his car and had turned away, driving off, that she let herself crumble. She fell onto her knees and a sob broke free.
“Don’t cry over him,” the cold voice said from behind her. “He’s no one to you. From now on, I’m everything.”
She turned and glanced up at him. “Who are you? What do you want?”
Lily knew she should get up, that she couldn’t just kneel there, staring up at him. But she couldn’t seem to make herself move. It was like she was giving up.
Remember the animals. You have to protect the animals. They’re all like Clem’s family.
Right, she had to look after the animals. Getting up, she glanced around. What was she going to do? How was she going to make him go away?
“You know who I am,” he said.
She shook her head. “I’m sorry, I really don’t.” She didn’t know why she was apologizing, but she guessed it was a good idea to keep him happy.
Drumstick made a loud, angry noise, and she glanced over at where he was sitting on the roof of the barn.
“Fucking bird nearly gave me away,” he snarled. “I should shoot it.” He held up his gun as though he was going to take a shot.
Her breath caught in her chest, but then he lowered it.
Oh God. Oh God.
Her heart was racing so fast and hard that she felt ill.
“Don’t need to bring any attention to us, do I? Not until we’re far away from this place, my love.”