Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 78850 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78850 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
His blue eyes are laser-focused on me. This is what will haunt me.
He wants me to see him. He wants to hurt me in the most vicious, primal way.
He wants us to be done.
Like a key fitting into a lock and clicking open, I feel my head snap, almost like the flash of a camera lens, as I back away.
He is a monster.
And I’m done.
Him, my mother, my life, in one click. It’s over.
Somehow, I make it back to my room and move to my closet. Monster. I can almost hear them panting. My mind won’t stop replaying it, and I doubt it ever will. It’s hard to believe I once thought being humiliated and tortured by my ex was the end of the world when he laughed and bragged about fucking my mom. That seems so juvenile now.
“Darren just hurt you. Jett, just fucking destroyed you.” God, I’m losing it. I’m full-on talking to myself. “Whatever.” Pulling out my suitcase, I rip clothes off hangers and toss them into my bag. I must be crying. Can barely breathe or see as I move to my drawers and continue throwing clothes into my bag. Then I grab my handbag and start throwing my makeup in, but my hand freezes.
“Fucking bitch,” I scream as I spot the American Express Black Card my mother gave me earlier, just sitting on top of my powder case.
I almost start laughing, but it’s too sick, really. She planned all this. She wins. I’m taking her bribe card. She can pay to have me out of her life until I get on my feet. After that, I’ll never see her again.
I bring out my phone and call Cher, trying not to hyperventilate while grabbing my various moisturizers and tossing those into the bag too.
“Hey, babe. I’m dying to hear what happened.” Cher’s voice is taken over by loud music.
“Fucking get to a spot where you can hear me,” I scream, barely hanging on and not about to compete with a club.
“Oh shit. Hold on. Don’t go anywhere. I’m almost out,” Cher says as the music fades. “Oh God, what happened? Did you tell him what I told you to?” Her voice is coming in clear now.
“No. He broke it off with me, and I just walked in on him having a threesome with my mom and some blond bitch.” My voice doesn’t even sound like mine, and I wonder if I’ve snapped and am dreaming all this.
“Oh, Raven, oh no.” Cher’s voice cracks.
Nope, not dreaming, and this shit hurts, almost burns so much that I want to clutch my chest and curl into a ball. That can come later, though. First, I need to get the fuck out of here.
“I just… how could h—”
“Stop, Cher. I need to leave. Are you fucking listening? I need to get away, now.” I take a breath and bring the phone down to look at the screen. What am I doing? Cher is in Italy. She can’t help.
“I have to go. I’ll call you later,” I snap.
“Raven, wait, don’t hang—” I press end and turn, looking at my door, and then I call the only other friend I have.
“Brody.” I sniff. “Brody will help.” With a nod, I scroll through my missed calls, ignoring that my hands are shaking. God, I have so many nice texts from him asking how I’m doing. And I never responded because I was fucking the monster.
Monster.
I push on his number and bite my lower lip, looking at my door again, wondering if the man who is currently having sex with my mother and some random woman will ever walk through this doorway again.
“Raven?” Brody’s sweet voice is like cold, stinging water thrown in my face. It’s the last straw, really, and I start sobbing.
“Raven? What’s happened? Are you hurt?”
“Oh, Brody. Thank you for answering.” I try to say more, but I’m crying so hard he stops me.
“I’m calling the cops. I can’t even understand you.”
“Noooo, no cops. I just need you. Can you come and get me, please?” I say, looking up at the ceiling, hoping that will help get me under control. At this point, I’m not certain I’m using complete sentences. I do know the cops should not be involved. I’m trying to get away…not locked up.
“Okay. I’m leaving now. Be outside the gate in a half hour. Can you do that?” His voice is calm and soothing. Any other time, it probably would have aggravated me, but right now, I cling to it.
“Thank you.” I hang up and keep stuffing as much as I can in. For some reason, it feels like I have a lot more than what I arrived with. I should leave the expensive clothes and shoes. Where I’m going, I won’t need them, other than to maybe sell them since I may never come back, at least not for years. It’s hard to breathe. My nose is stuffy, and my eyes are so swollen and red, they feel like sandpaper.