Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 87298 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87298 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
“Such hostility. Should I be worried about my daughter's safety?” He raises a bushy brow in question.
“Cut the shit, Donald,” Raymond speaks up. “We all know you’re not in the running for any father of the year awards.”
Donald laughs. “Don’t pretend to know what it’s like to be me,” he sneers. He opens his mouth to say more but yelling from what sounds like upstairs stops him.
I take off running, with Raymond hot on my heels. When I make it to the top of the stairs, I see Ramsey with her back against the wall, a guy in a suit caging her in. My eyes scan the area, and I don’t see Carol. The blood is whooshing in my ears. I take a deep breath, and that’s when I hear it. It sounds like fists beating against the door and Carol’s voice calling for help.
“Son of a bitch.” Raymond sprints to the door and tells her to back up as he busts it open.
At the same time, I rush toward the bastard who has my girl pinned to the wall. Gripping the back of his suit, I tear him away from her, tossing him to the floor. I pull Ramsey into my arms as the schmuck climbs to his feet.
“What the fuck?” he seethes.
“Back up,” I snarl. My voice is commanding.
“Who the hell are you to tell me what to do?” the fucker asks.
“I’m hers.” I point to Ramsey. I pull her a little closer. “We’re leaving.”
“Oh, this is classic.” The young douche laughs. “You’re pathetic,” he spits. “Running to the first man who will have you and spreading your legs for him.”
“Ramsey, you’ve tarnished our family name,” Donald says. “You’re wretched.” I didn’t even realize he followed us up here. He sure as hell didn’t care that this fucker was restraining his daughter.
I glance over to see Raymond with Carol in his arms. He nods, letting me know that she’s okay.
Rage unlike anything I’ve ever known courses through me. He had his hands on her. I want to step in front of her to shield her from their vile words. I want to protect her from them, but I know that I can’t do that. I know that she needs this. She needs to realize how strong she is. Walking away from the toxic life she was living and moving to Willow River shows that. Now she needs to show them for the second time who she is.
So, instead of standing in front of her, glaring at them, I settle for my arm around her waist, holding her next to me. I want her to know she has my full support and that she always will. I’m her partner, not just for this moment, but if I’m lucky, for life. Age differences and family acquaintances are dammed.
She’s mine.
“You finally come to your senses and come home, yet you bring him with you,” the douche, who I assume is her ex, sneers.
She glances up at me, and I wink, which makes her mouth kick up in a grin before the scowl returns as she faces off with her ex and her piece-of-shit father. “I’m not home. My father made it very clear to me that I was no longer someone he wanted in his life. I believe your exact words were: you’re dead to me. Does that ring a bell, Father?” she asks, her voice void of emotion.
Robert, the douche, takes a step toward her, but the growl that escapes my chest stops his movement. He glares at me before turning back to Ramsey. “It’s good to see you had to find a man to take care of you—another lawyer at that. Do you think of me when he’s inside you?” He gives her an evil grin.
She stiffens next to me, and I want to rip his fucking head from his shoulders. “You and I both know you were never inside me.” Her fist grips my shirt. “I see you’ve done your homework, though. Yes, Deacon is an attorney. A damn good one. Do you know what else he is? He’s the love of my life.” Her voice is strong, and I want to kiss the hell out of her.
“I knew you couldn’t do it on your own, you little slut.” Spittle flies from his mouth, and I’ve had enough. I’m a man, and I can only take so much of another man yelling and insulting the woman I love. She might be pissed at me for stepping in, but I’ll handle that later. Nothing a few orgasms can’t fix. Then I can explain my standpoint. No one gets to talk to her that way.
“Ramsey doesn’t need me to take care of her. She’s doing just fine all on her own.” I feel her relax into my hold, inching her body a little closer at my confession. “What she does need is for me to be her pillar of support. She needs me to be there on the good days and the bad. She needs me to tell her how incredible she is.” I glance over to find her eyes on mine. “How beautiful she is.” Her eyes soften, and it takes every ounce of willpower I have not to lean in and press my lips to hers. “She needs to know that she’s cherished and that her smile lights up a room.” I swallow back my emotions and keep going. “She needs me to hold her as she falls asleep at night and kiss her good morning. She needs to know that if she has a good day, I want to hear about it. She needs to know if she has a bad day. It’s my shoulder I want her crying on.”