Total pages in book: 55
Estimated words: 50746 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 254(@200wpm)___ 203(@250wpm)___ 169(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 50746 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 254(@200wpm)___ 203(@250wpm)___ 169(@300wpm)
I don’t know what it means when he gets quiet. But it can’t mean what I thought it did if he gets that jealous over a smile. And even after he’d punished me he’d taken care of me and was so gentle and kind afterwards.
So if he hasn’t been brooding these last few days because he was tired of me, then what exactly is bothering him? See, I need Cindy to wade through this mess and tell me what’s what.
But I was either too ashamed or too afraid to call her. I know at some point I’m going to need to tell her about us, but not right now.
As it turned out I didn’t have to call her, she called me an hour later at about the same time Brandon’s lawyer was calling him it appears. “What, she said I did what?”
“Yes, there’s a warrant out for your arrest and Lily has been listed as endangered. You guys gotta get back here ASAP.”
I hung up the phone to see Brandon coming towards me. I was shaking when his arms came around me. “I didn’t…” I couldn’t get the words out. I’d wondered what lengths his ex-wife would go to, now I know.
“I know baby don’t worry. My lawyer just called with the news. The plane will be here in a few hours and we’ll be home by morning.” I broke down in tears even as his arms tightened around me.
I don’t know how long we stood there with my bawling my eyes out as fear gripped me. If he hadn’t been here I would’ve collapsed to the floor.
“Come, you need to lay down and get some rest. It’s going to be a long day tomorrow.” He lifted me and took me into his bedroom and put me to bed. When he pulled the covers up over me and kissed my forehead before turning to leave I grabbed his hand.
“Brandon don’t leave me.” I started to cry again.
“Shh, okay, I’ll stay.” He got into bed with me and I grabbed onto him tight. I’ve never been so scared in my life. I couldn’t stop myself from shaking.
He stayed with me, running his hands gently over me until I settled. “I promise you that this will all be taken care of. Nothing’s going to happen to you. No one will touch you. You believe me?”
I nodded my head even though I wasn’t sure. I wanted to believe him but this was his little girl. Even I would have doubts after hearing a story like that.
Apparently Rachel or someone on her behalf filed a complaint with the police station against me stating that I’ve been poisoning Lily. On it’s own it’s preposterous.
But when you add up the facts they seem plausible enough on the surface at least. For instance, the fact that Lily only started getting sick my second day on the job and have been sick on and off this whole time, I don’t see how he can believe me. I’m the only one other than him who’s been taking care of her. And most importantly, no one knows what’s wrong with her.
“How do you know that I didn’t do it? Or are you just saying that to make me feel better?” I sniffed into his shirt as fresh tears started. And I felt like such a fool for acting like this in front of him.
“I know your accuser, but what’s more I know you. I’ve seen you with my daughter, you wouldn’t hurt her for the world. Her mother on the other hand would do anything to get a rise out of me. To get me to acknowledge her existence. And she’s afraid that you’ll stand in her way.”
“Can she really be that threatened by me?” I can’t imagine it. I don’t know what she could’ve seen in just a few short days to make her go this far.
“Yes.”
“But why? Why does she even think that anything will come of us?”
“I told you, she knows me. What I didn’t tell you is that day she saw the beginning of something that she and I never had. Something she’d do anything to have.”
“I don’t understand.”
“I’ll tell you soon. Go to sleep.” Maybe it was the stress from the fear that had gripped me or the morning’s events in bed with him, or just the comfort of his arms around me, but I fell asleep in five minutes flat.
I woke to him shaking me and kissing my forehead. “Let’s go, the jet’s here.” I sleepwalked through packing and he held my hand and carried a sleeping Lily on his other shoulder when we walked to the plane.
He got Lily settled then lowered the lights in the cabin. He pushed two of the plush seats all the way back until they turned into beds. “Come.” He held out his hand to me and helped me lay down.