Total pages in book: 22
Estimated words: 20736 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 104(@200wpm)___ 83(@250wpm)___ 69(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 20736 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 104(@200wpm)___ 83(@250wpm)___ 69(@300wpm)
“Because I check on her every damn week since I graduated.” Yes, that’s only been two months, but I worry about her and I’m not even sure why.
“You know she has parents to do that,” he reminds me. Yes, a mother who is a full-time nurse and a father who is a dedicated homicide detective in a city riddled with murders.
“You know damn well they work as much as we do, but she’s getting to the age now where men are noticing her.”
“They’ve been noticing her since we lived next to her.” Yes, that is a sick, twisted danger, especially the Johnson siblings who still live there, although Frank is in and out of jail for domestic violence against his live-in girlfriend.
“Yeah, and she’s been as clueless as ever about the danger.”
“So have you. Jillian has a crush on you, and you walk right into her trap.”
“She’s not interested in me. I’m like a big brother to her, so there is no trap.”
“Yeah, right.”
“Fine. I’ll go with you and say hi to the little brat before we head into the office.”
We drive over to our vacant house where our parents had an epic fight that ended up in a murder-suicide last year. My brother and I refuse to have a true heart to heart about it because it’s too much. We always knew that it would end that way one day, but it still feels surreal and the damage is too great.
My mood sours just thinking about them. Long gone are any of the wonderful memories. All I have is the tortured truth of how they fought over money all the time, and how their lives ended. As it is, I won’t even consider dating anyone now. We’re not wealthy yet, and I want to be financially stable before settling down. “What’s on your mind?”
“Mom and Dad.” He nods. There isn’t much we need to say.
“Damn, yeah. It’s been a long time since I’ve been over here. Have you considered selling the house?”
“Yes, but seeing as it’s a murder scene, it’s a little hard to sell.”
“Given our area, it’s pretty damn common.” Our neighborhood wasn’t great when we first moved here, and it’s only gotten worse since we left.
“True, but…”
“But nothing. You haven’t wanted to sell it because it gives you a reason to stay close to Jillian.”
“I’m not interested in her like that.”
“I never said you were. However, have you seen Jillian lately? She’s definitely grown up.”
“I haven’t noticed.” I’m lying because I have noticed, even though I shouldn’t be paying any attention to her. She’s just the little girl who looked to me to protect her. Now she’s seventeen, almost eighteen in a week, and it’s painful the way she’s changed. Gone is the innocent little girl I helped with homework and made sure got home safe. Now, when I come around, I see a beauty who shouldn’t be around men for all sorts of different reasons than before.
We pull up to the curb in front of our house and there she is, bounding down the steps, tits bouncing with each hop.
My mouth falls open, and I barely put it in park when I dash out of my car. Just because we no longer live next door to the Kriegers doesn’t mean I’ve stopped worrying about Jillian, and now I understand why. She needs someone to make sure she stays out of trouble. “What the hell are you wearing?” I bark out, storming up to her in my three-piece suit even though it’s ninety degrees out.
“What does it look like, Sawyer?” she says, smiling from ear to ear.
“It looks too fucking short, is what it looks like,” I snap.
Still, seeing her now, I know it’s only a matter of time before I cave. I will myself away from her, counting the days until I won’t have to stay away again.
“That’s none of your business, Mr. Masterson.”
“The hell it isn’t. I’ll go inside and tell your mother what you have on.” She rolls her pretty eyes at me. It’s bullshit that she’s wearing shorts that are too damn tiny.
“Who do you think went with me to get them?”
My eyes rake up and down over her slight figure, admiring her outfit while hating it at the same time. The V between her thighs is quite visible, giving me a hard-on that wants to tear through my pressed slacks, and that is unacceptable. “I can see the outline of your virgin pussy.”
“How do you know I’m a virgin?”
I tilt my head up to the heavens and close my eyes, sending up a prayer for the strength to maintain my control because I’m about to do or say some shit that’s going to end our relationship. “Because I’ll kill any man that dares lay a hand on you.”
“I won’t stay pure forever.”
“No, you won’t.” I take a deep breath and add, “Go back inside and change before I go to jail for tearing out eyeballs.”