Total pages in book: 144
Estimated words: 143453 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 717(@200wpm)___ 574(@250wpm)___ 478(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 143453 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 717(@200wpm)___ 574(@250wpm)___ 478(@300wpm)
Today, I managed to convince Jeremy to let me go to the shelter without the guards.
He only allowed it if the guards remained outside, so I couldn’t really complain.
The first thing I do as soon as I arrive is go to check on Tiger. I jog to his cage, grinning for the first time in a week. “Missed you, baby! How have you—”
I stop short when I find a small hamster where Tiger is supposed to be.
My heartbeat picks up and I back away slowly. Harry, who’s walking down the hall, catches a glimpse of me and comes running.
“Where have you been, girl? We missed the shit out of your face.” He gathers me in a hug and I return it, still stupefied about my find.
“I was busy with school,” I offer as we break apart. “Hey, Harry, where’s Tiger?”
“Tiger?” he repeats. “Oh, Tiger, the cat you let ride your face? He’s gone.”
I nearly faint, my feet taking a step back. Harry grabs my arm and slaps his forehead. “Jesus, me and my mouth. I don’t mean gone as in dead gone. No, nope. I would have told you that and we would’ve had a proper funeral and shit. He’s gone, as in, he was adopted.”
“Oh.” My breathing slowly returns to normal, but the stab of pain doesn’t subside. I’m glad he found a loving owner, but I wish I could’ve said goodbye. “Do you know who adopted him?”
“No clue. Heard about it from Dr. Stephanie when I went to feed him this morning.” He playfully tugs on my cheek. “Now, spill the actual reason you’ve been gone. And don’t give me the ‘busy with school’ bullshit. Did you go on a beauty retreat without taking me? I’m gonna need deets on where you do your facials, because, sweet Jesus, you don’t only look like a doll, but your skin also feels like a doll’s.”
I smile. “Shh, don’t tell anyone about the beauty retreat. It’ll be our little secret.”
“I knew it. This little bitch, I swear.” He teasingly pinches my cheek more. “Take me with you next time?”
“Can you let go of me first?” I laugh.
“Not until you promise. Just the two of us so none of the others find out the secret.”
One moment, I’m laughing at Harry’s antics, the next, I’m pulled back by a savage grip on my waist.
I slam against a hard chest as an all-encompassing presence looms over me.
Creighton’s fingers dig into the fabric of my dress at the waist as if he’s intending to burn it and engrave his fingerprints on my skin.
My head whips up to get a glimpse of his face. There’s no trail of blood now, no soot or impurities over his criminally attractive features.
There’s darkness, though, the slow, simmering type that could and would transform into a hurricane.
Despite my resolution to stay away, malevolent butterflies erupt in my stomach with the intention of devouring me from the inside out.
It’s unfair that he’s in his usual jeans and hoodie but still looks straight out of a fashion show. It’s even more unfair that he has the superpower of snatching my attention without even trying.
“She said to let her go.” His deep voice is laced with a timbre of anger and I shiver, even though it’s not directed at me.
Harry, who is forced to release me, seems oblivious to the tension and merely gawks at him. “Oh my, hi there, handsome. Didn’t know you actually talked. And we missed you this whole week! Wait a minute, do you only come for Anni?”
My lips part. Don’t tell me Creighton hasn’t been at the shelter when I wasn’t around?
Instead of answering him, Creighton basically drags me with him to the small nook I use as an office, leaving Harry behind.
“Nice talking to you!” he shouts behind us. “And don’t forget about our deal, Anni, or I’ll sacrifice you to Jesus and start calling you Nika.”
“Don’t you dare!” I glare at him over my shoulder.
He just makes a face, grins, then forms a hole with his fingers and slides the index finger of his other hand in and out of it in a suggestive way.
My cheeks heat as Creighton pushes me into the room and slams the door shut behind us.
All the embarrassment is forgotten when his chest crashes against mine.
My feet falter backward until I hit the wall. I open my mouth to speak, but even that is put to a halt when he grabs my hands and throws them above my head against the wall.
The deep gravel of his voice reverberates on my skin when he whispers too close to my face, “I’m going to ask you a few questions and you’ll answer them, Annika. Lie to me, and you’ll be punished. Are we clear?”
13
ANNIKA
The longer I stare into Creighton’s eyes, the more my breathing shatters and splinters into pieces.