Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 71034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Except now, I really needed someone. Beck was the one person in my life who had never done anything to break my trust. He was one of the few true friends I’d had since I was a little kid. People often thought we were dating because we were so close, but things had never been like that with him. We’d first gotten close when he needed someone to talk to after a bad breakup. After that, he’d truly wanted to hang out with me as a friend with no other agenda. That was fucking refreshing.
Could I make it on my own? All I had were a few changes of clothes and basic toiletries. That wouldn’t get me far. I needed to get out of St. Louis. I’d be safest if I was far away from Tommy. I would never be safe if I was where he could attack me or try turning on his charm again. I wanted to believe I’d never be manipulated by him again, but if I was desperate enough, if it was a matter of survival, I couldn’t be sure how strong I would be.
It’s okay to need help.
Beck had told me that so many times, but I’d never really believed him, even though I’d believed so much bullshit from Tommy.
I pulled out my phone and tapped Beck’s name before I could talk myself out of it.
What were the chances he would even answer? It had been months since we’d talked and that was just by text.
My breath caught when he accepted the call.
“Laurence? How are you? I’ve been thinking about you and wanting to call.” Beck had always called me by my full name. I wouldn’t have liked that with anyone else, but with him, it just fit.
“I’m…” tears started running down my face. “I’m not good.”
“What did that bastard do?” He’d given up the pretense of trying to like Tommy long ago.
“I left him.”
“Thank God. Are you all right? Did he hurt you?”
“Not physically, not tonight.”
“But other times?”
“Yeah.” I knew Beck had never believed me all the times I denied that Tommy had hit me or pushed me down.
“Tell me what happened.”
“I got home from work late, and Tommy was fucking a guy on our kitchen counter, a guy I thought it was my friend.”
“Son of a bitch. I could make him disappear.”
I didn’t doubt that, knowing the money and power behind his family. “No. I don’t want you taking any risks like that.”
“If he comes for you. If he—”
“Just let me explain.”
Beck sighed. “Okay.”
“Tommy basically told me that because I was late getting home he had to fuck somebody. Apparently, Martin was ready and waiting. Then he said if I didn’t start doing better, he was going to have to replace me. I told him that was fine with me, and I left.”
“And he let you just walk out?”
“He yelled at me, telling me if I left I could never come back, telling me he would never help me again.”
“He’s done nothing to help you, only to hurt you.”
“I know. You might not believe me, but I truly do.”
Beck sighed. “I’m sorry. I just hate seeing you hurt.”
“Well, I’m out of there now, but I had to leave all my stuff. I’ve saved up a little bit of money. I’ve been trying to get enough so I could leave, but I don’t know if I can go to work tomorrow. He could show up there.”
“Where are you right now?”
“I’m in a motel.”
“Are you safe?”
“It’s not the best place, but it will do. I couldn’t spend any extra.”
“Money is not an issue,” Beck said. “I have you covered.”
“You shouldn’t have to—”
“I want to. I’ve wanted to help you for years. Just let me. You did so much for me in those weeks after Susan cheated on me. I was a zombie and you made me laugh again.”
I lay back on the bed and stared at the crumbling ceiling. “That’s not…I just did what any friend would do.”
“Trust me, that’s not true.”
“I don’t even know what to ask you for. I need a place to live and a job and—”
“You’re going to start by taking some time to relax and think. You deserve a vacation.”
“That’s not an option.”
“Yes, it is. You’re going to call in to work and explain that there’s been an emergency, then you’re going to go get a nice hotel room with the money I’m about to send you. And in the morning, I’ll send along a plane ticket to Aruba.”
“What the fuck?”
“I was supposed to be spending two weeks in Aruba, but something came up with my internship, and I have to start early. Worth will be there, but the villa I rented is huge. You won’t even have to see him much if you don’t want to, but he’ll be there if you need anything.”