Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 72156 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 361(@200wpm)___ 289(@250wpm)___ 241(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72156 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 361(@200wpm)___ 289(@250wpm)___ 241(@300wpm)
She nodded. She couldn’t help the sadness consuming her. She believed every word he said. Preacher had no reason to lie to her.
It was all because of Reaper, of her own weakness, and knowing there was no choice.
Reaper, she had loved out of necessity.
The love she had for Preacher was pure. It didn’t come from force or a need to keep herself safe. No, the feelings she had for Preacher never went away. For two years, she’d tried to forget about him, ignore him, but he’d kept on coming back, plaguing her thoughts, making her not wanting to give up, not when it came to him.
Even now, she didn’t want to let go or give up. For her, it was about being with him for forever.
Bethany made a fuss.
And here was her dilemma. She didn’t want to hurt either man. Reaper was a good father and around her, he was a good man. How could she take that away from him when he didn’t deserve it?
Pushing all of her thoughts aside, she followed Preacher back to his car and settled into the passenger seat. They drove to the station where Billy was waiting. Without anyone saying a word, she was led back to a room where for the next hour, she talked to a woman who drew what she described.
Robin was able to talk about each man in great detail. The one she killed as well. She even described the glass and the room where she stayed. After each drawing, the woman would hold up the image and she’d point at whichever one it was.
After she was done, Billy shook her hand, and she made her way back to Preacher.
“All done?”
“Yes, can I go home now?” she asked. “Back to Anne’s.”
“Sure.”
He drove her home and this time, when she tried to get Bethany, Preacher helped her, carrying the seat up to the front door.
“I want you to come by the clubhouse next week, if you’d like. I’d like to see you.”
“I’d really like that.”
Preacher stroked her cheek, stepping closer, and she gasped as he pressed his lips against hers. His tongue traced across her lips, and she gripped his jacket, holding on to him.
“One day soon, Robin, we’re going to be happy. You’re never going to be sad again and I’m going to give you everything your heart desires.”
“That sounds like a promise,” she said.
“It is, and every single chance I get, I’m going to make you happy.”
“I like the sound of that.”
He kissed her again, one final time before pulling away. “I’ll call you.”
She nodded and let herself in the house. After closing the door, she leaned against it, her heart racing, her lips swollen, her body on fire.
“I don’t like that man on my doorstep,” Elijah said.
“I’ll talk to Anne.”
“This is my house. I pay all the bills.” She was growing tired of this man. Being with Anne and knowing what a big heart the woman had, it only made her even angrier that this asshole was allowed to do what he wanted.
It had been a long day as well. Talking about the time she was taken, the rape, the pain, it didn’t exactly help her feel content or happy.
“Yes, and I’ve been thinking about that,” Robin said. “You see, before I was kidnapped and didn’t get to graduate, I was, in fact, a very good student. I had to wonder why you would continue to hurt Anne the way you do, and I finally figured it out. It’s not out of some need to be with your wife. The love of her. If you loved her, you wouldn’t screw the women you do, and you certainly wouldn’t treat her like trash. You two married straight out of high school.”
“And your point?” Elijah asked.
“Anne comes from money. You don’t. You’ve made money, but you’re not from wealth. This house is all in Anne’s name. With the infidelity, she would not only keep this house, but her trust fund, and also half of your income, not to mention the cost of raising your children and putting them through college. Anne could kick your ass out at any moment.”
She shrugged. “I wonder if she knows all of that. She doesn’t need you. You’re useless as a person, as a man. Instead, like a lot of women, she thinks it’s good for the kids to keep you around.” Robin paused as she thought about her own feelings when it came to Reaper and Bethany. Her love for him wasn’t strong enough.
There was where her problem had been for so long.
She didn’t love Reaper. But he hadn’t given her a reason to hate him, at least not yet. Pushing all those feelings aside, she picked up Bethany and walked upstairs, waiting for Anne to return. Before she left, she gave Elijah one last parting shot. “Sooner or later, Anne is going to figure all of this out. She doesn’t need you. You’re nothing but trouble, and the kids, you can see them whenever you want, but she can have a life that’s far better than the one you’re providing her with.”