Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 91064 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 455(@200wpm)___ 364(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91064 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 455(@200wpm)___ 364(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
Booker is silent, and I hate me right now too, and he should probably just leave already.
“Has my name been leaked to the media yet?”
“Not yet,” he says. “And as long as you stay in hiding, we can keep it that way.”
I should be relieved. But I’m thinking about Rory, seeing those articles and piecing it together in that stupidly beautiful head of his. He would know then, what I did. And it would still be too late, but at least he would know.
That last image of him haunts me. His retreating form in the dim bar. Walking out of my life. That shouldn’t be the last memory you have of someone.
He’s probably replacing my memory with a pretty blonde right about now. Back to the same old routine of fucking and fighting. Crow probably sends him two girls now, at the end of his fights. And they shouldn’t get to have him.
He was mine.
He still is.
I’m not ready to let him go yet. Not ever.
“It isn’t fair.”
Booker sits down beside me and tries to make me feel better, but it’s a waste of time.
“I don’t blame you for hating me,” he says. “You should hate me.”
“Everyone always has their own agenda,” I tell him. “Everyone always does what’s best for them. That’s the way life works.”
He seems sad at my observation, but he doesn’t deny it either.
“We’re going to meet with the prosecution later today,” he says. “To go over your statement.”
“Can’t fucking wait.”
The men are here.
Men in suits. Attorneys and other people that need to be involved for whatever reason. I don’t care. I just want to get it over with.
Booker is over there too.
He’s arguing with them about something, and he doesn’t look happy.
My gut twists when he looks at me. Something is wrong.
“Tenly.”
There is shuffling as the men move out the door, and this definitely isn’t right, because I was supposed to be making a statement.
That’s what Booker said.
And now he’s looking at me like he’s fucked, and I know I’m fucked too. Fucking fucker.
He tries to get me to sit down, and I shake him off.
“I’m a big girl,” I tell him. “I can handle it. Just tell me.”
“The DA has decided not to move forward with the case.”
It’s a bullet to the gut, but I never should have expected anything different. This is why I didn’t come forward in the first place.
“You told me…”
“I know what I told you,” Booker answers. “Fuck.”
He leans back into his own chair and collapses his head against the cushion. I want to blame him, but I know it isn’t his fault.
“It’s because they think I’m a prostitute,” I say. “Isn’t it?”
“That’s part of it,” he admits. “He didn’t believe you’d make a reliable witness on the stand.”
“Of course,” I reason. “Because cock makes you blind.”
He sighs.
“And what else?” I ask. “What about Katie? Or Kylie? Or Mrs. Rogers? I mean, I get that Katie and Kylie were prostitutes too, so who gives a fuck, right? But Mrs. Rogers sure as hell wasn’t.”
“There isn’t enough evidence,” Booker says, but even he doesn’t believe that bullshit.
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”
I bolt up out of my chair and head for the door. I am so done with this, and it was nice knowing him.
“You have to be patient,” he tells me. “We’ll get them on other charges.”
“Patient?” I snap. “You want me to be fucking patient? You know what I did to come here. To do this. You gave me your word and…”
“They’ve got hits out on you,” he says. “I can’t protect you if you walk out that door.”
“Who cares anymore?” I yell. “Because I sure the hell don’t.”
“Tenly.”
His voice is a plea, but it isn’t because he needs me to stay. It’s because he wants information on Storm.
I would hate him for it if he didn’t look so pathetically beat down right now.
“We’re going to get them on other charges,” he says, and this time he’s almost convincing.
“You’re a fucking asshole,” I say. “If you want her so bad, just go out and find her.”
“This isn’t just about that,” he tells me. “I know you don’t believe me, but I really am trying to help you, Scarlett. Just give me a few more days. That’s all I ask. You know as well as I do that if you walk out that door you’re dead.”
I sulk back across the room and collapse into a chair. It isn’t because I’m scared.
It’s because I’m just so goddamn tired.
“What else have I got to do?” I mutter.
Thirty-Four
Rory
“Ye’re out tonight,” Crow tells me as I hammer the bag with my already bloody knuckles.
I stop and turn to him, shaking my head.
“Like fuck I am.”
“Watch what ye say to me,” he growls. “You are a mate and a brother, but you’d do well to remember I’m also your boss.”