Total pages in book: 41
Estimated words: 46881 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 234(@200wpm)___ 188(@250wpm)___ 156(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46881 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 234(@200wpm)___ 188(@250wpm)___ 156(@300wpm)
I wasn’t sure how I felt about that, but knowing him there was no point in arguing, so I shelved it for now. There were always ways around everything.
We walked back to where he’d parked behind my car in the bushes. I looked back towards the place we’d just left. “Shouldn’t we wait to see who comes out of there just in case?”
“No, because whatever the fuck that is is none of our business.” He clapped me on the shoulder before climbing into his ride. I could only shake my head at him, the guy was worst than me when it came to not giving a fuck.
I got in my own ride but I wasn’t sure. Something was way off. I’d seen Stanley leaving before the gunshot rang out, so it couldn’t have been him. So who then, and what the fuck was he doing here?
As far as I remember those two hadn’t really known each other. The again she was such a tramp who knows. I didn’t dwell on that for too long because I wasn’t in the mood to revisit my own perfidy. I came here looking for answers, and now I have even more questions.
Back at the house dad and I decided to table our discussion for later. I needed to go check on my girl anyway, so I took the stairs two at a time.
Now that I was back I couldn’t help thinking about what had happened tonight, how close I’d come. I’d been going over there to beat the truth out of her if I had to. I have no qualms about that shit either.
I warned her that if she fucked with Sian I was going to come at her hard and I meant it. There’s no way I could let what happened go. The cops had their shit to do, but I wasn’t about to wait on them either.
It just wasn’t in me to leave this shit up to someone else. She’s my responsibility after all. Dad having eyes on me was a little hiccup I was gonna have to deal with. I knew he had other security measures in place for mom and I, I just never realized he still had me under twenty-four hour guard.
There must be a shit load of bodyguards and security types swarming the grounds, since I had some of my own there to protect Sian. Hopefully they were all playing nice since I hadn’t heard anything from my guys.
As I made my way down the hallway to my private wing I thought back to the night’s revelations and what I could do with them.
That gunshot has me worried though, but I guess since dad dragged me away before I could learn anything I was going to have to wait for something to break.
Still I couldn’t brush it off. Mandy isn’t the suicidal type. Granted the gun could’ve gone off for any number of reasons, it didn’t have to mean that someone had been shot. It could’ve been something innocent, but somehow I didn’t think so.
In my room, my girl was still asleep, curled on her side. She looked like a tiny little golden doll, lying there, with her arms folded under her cheek, and her knees drawn up to her chest.
So beautiful, so innocent, and someone had hurt her, hurt what’s mine.
The thick bandage on her shoulder and the one on her head reminded me in stark detail just how close I’d come to losing her.
I felt that cold streak run through me again, it’s been happening every time I even think about what had happened, almost happened.
I stood quietly over her looking down, just letting the love wash over me and through me. “My baby.”
I’d all but forgotten that she was hurt when I made love to her earlier, so hungry was I for the taste of her. Now I wondered if maybe I shouldn’t have waited to take her, if maybe it wasn’t too soon.
Sitting next to her, I ran my fingers through her hair, not sure if I wanted to awaken her or not. She needed her rest, but suddenly I needed her, needed that connection.
I needed to look into her eyes and see life there. It felt as though I’d been on a roller coaster ride for the last few days. I don’t think I had fully come down as yet, not fully had time to process the ups and downs that I’ve lived through.
Sitting there looking down at her, with the reality of it all hitting me in the face, I couldn’t help lying down next to her and pulling her gently into my arms, just to feel that bond.
It was only then that I acknowledged the fear that I’d been holding at bay all this time. I could’ve lost her in that alley. That one thought fucked with my head and left the rancid taste of bitter anger and fear on my tongue.
My body shook hard before I got it under control. I beat back the fear and in its place was determination. Nothing was ever going to happen to her again. Not on my watch, and since I planned to be here for fucking ever, that meant never again.
I felt so much love for her in that moment, it was almost too much to contain. And to think, we’ve only just begun.
“I love you so much Si, fuck I love you.” I pulled her in close and nuzzled her in her sleep.
She sighed and rubbed her cheek into my chest before coming awake. “You’re back.” Shit, I’d thought she was asleep when I snuck out. I chose to ignore that and hoped that she didn’t ask me where I’d been.
“How’re you feeling baby?” I ran my hands over her, my heart finally accepting that she was really here, safe; mine.
“Let me look at you.” I eased her away from me a little for a better look. “You’re so beautiful baby, I love you. I was so scared…”
Shit, I’d almost said too much. The doctor said she should remember on her own with no provocation from me, and as much as I want to know what happened, I’m not willing to hurt her to find out.