Total pages in book: 120
Estimated words: 113464 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 454(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113464 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 454(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
She can feel that way, but I can’t. Our relationship is different. I need to understand him.
By the time I’ve finished rinsing off, there’s not a doubt in my mind. All my body wants is Callum—the comfort of his touch, his strong arms wrapped around me. Nothing in the world can hurt me so long as I’m with him.
Not quite true. There is something that could hurt me: Callum himself. That’s the problem. The closer I get to him, the easier it is for him to cause me pain with his distrust and secrets.
He has no problem killing a man and walking away. His crew will clean it up, and it’ll seem like it never happened. I should be grateful, but deep down, it terrifies me. What kind of person am I, keeping a secret like this? Knowing Lucas didn’t commit suicide, the way they’re going to make it look. His parents will carry that with them until the day they die.
Is it better for them to know he lost his mind and was trying to rape me?
This is the world Callum inhabits. The world he wants me to be a part of. How much worse is it going to get? How many secrets will I keep before they rot me from the inside out? While I waste away, locked up because he’ll never trust me.
I open the shower door and wrap a towel around myself before stepping out. “I need to leave.”
Tatum lowers the towel she’s drying her face with. “What do you mean? Don’t be rash. You’re still in shock.”
“Maybe a little,” I admit, “but I have to do this. I can’t… this can’t…” It’s too much. The pressure on my chest feels heavy again.
“Where will you go?”
“I don’t know. My dad’s, I guess.”
“But why?”
“Don’t make me explain, please.”
“You can’t come at me with an announcement like that and expect me to let you go without asking you questions.”
I know she’s right, which is the only reason I bother putting my feelings into words as I rush into her room barefoot and wrapped in a towel. It must’ve been instinct that made me keep my stuff on her side of the house instead of moving it into Callum’s room. Like there was a part of me that always knew this wouldn’t work out and wanted to protect itself.
“I can’t do this,” I whisper while pulling bags from the closet. I’m only revisiting the same situation I was in more than a week ago, packing in a hurry, ready to run. Isn’t that the definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over, even when the outcome never changes.
“Can’t do what?” She stands back and lets me pack, at least, instead of getting in my way.
“This. All of this. I won’t stay with a man who’d install a tracking app on my phone without my knowledge. What else has he done then I don’t know about?” I glance up from the drawer full of underwear I’m clearing out to find her face pinched in pain. “I’m sorry. I’m not trying to hurt you.”
“You’re sorry?” A manic laugh escapes her. “I’m the one who should be sorry. Not you. I know I didn’t do anything wrong, but he’s still my dad.”
“None of this is your responsibility.”
“I still feel like shit. Plus, I was the one who told you about the tracker.”
“You told me the truth, and that’s probably more than I’ve gotten before now.” I can hardly think. I’m so angry and frustrated. How could he betray me like this?
“You’re not really going to your dad’s, are you? You know, if you show up like this, he’ll assume something’s wrong. He’s not going to let it go, and then you’ll have to explain everything to him.”
She’s right. One look, and he’ll know something is wrong. Then he’ll lock me away for who knows how long because somebody hurt his little girl, and that would be without knowing the truth.
“I’ll figure it out.”
“He’s going to expect an explanation. He’s a detective for a reason.”
“Then I won’t be upset. Simple.”
Tatum rolls her green eyes. “Then he’ll want to know why you’re there.”
“Jesus. I’ll make something up. I’ll figure it out.”
She sighs, her shoulders sinking. “Was it Lucas who took you from the restaurant?”
I can’t speak over the lump in my throat, so I nod.
“You come back here in shock, with blood all over you…” Her breath hitches. “He’s dead, isn’t he?”
I don’t realize my legs have buckled beneath me until Tatum’s arms circle my waist, holding me up. “I’m sorry. But I had to know. It’s true, isn’t it?” All I can do is nod because, of course, she knew with nobody having to say the words.
“Hearing it…” I whisper before choking up.
“If your dad gets even a hint of there being something wrong with Lucas… and if Lucas goes missing officially… if his parents go to the police.”