Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 74670 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 373(@200wpm)___ 299(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74670 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 373(@200wpm)___ 299(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
Thirty
Luther
Slamming my fist into the punching bag drowned out the noise around me and helped a little with the shit in my head. I’d spent more time in the home gym with this bag than I had sleeping since getting home two days ago. Other than giving Linc a recap of what we had found at the Halsten residence, I hadn’t spoken to him. In fact, I’d been going out of my way not to see or speak to anyone. It was better that way.
“I need your help.”
Mal’s voice carried over the room, and I froze, inhaling sharply through my nose. I’d not heard him come in, but then that was the point of beating the hell out of the bag. Blocking everything out.
“Fuck off,” I replied, not turning around to look at the bastard.
“She’s not eating.”
That got my attention. I dropped my arms to my sides and faced him.
“And you’re asking me for help?” I asked, pointing at my chest as a bitter smile curled my lips.
“Don’t be an ass, Luther. She’s barely put any food in her mouth, and…and she cries in her sleep. Some nights, it is louder than others, and I don’t know what to fucking do. It breaks my heart. The shit she went through and the nightmares she must be plagued with.”
Fuck! That was not what I’d needed to hear. I’d almost exhausted myself until I calmed down.
“What? You don’t want her near me. How the hell am I supposed to help?” I asked, taking off my gloves and tossing them aside before reaching for my bottle of water.
“Do you know how hard it was to come ask you for help?” he snapped. “You’re right. I don’t want you near her, but you seem to be the only person who can get her to eat. And when she was here, did she cry at night? Did you hear her?”
No, she didn’t cry because I didn’t let her.
“Yeah, I’d hear her.”
“Was it every night?”
I took a long pull from my bottle, then leveled my gaze on his. He didn’t want to hear what I had done to make her monsters go away. But I didn’t give a shit what he wanted. I did, however, care about Lace. To a dangerous degree. Where I wasn’t sure I had control over my actions when triggered.
“No,” I said as a smug smile curled my lips.
His brows drew together, and he really did look like a worried dad. I should feel guilty. But I didn’t.
“When did they stop? Did it just take her getting comfortable here?”
I didn’t have my gun in arm’s reach, and I knew he had one tucked at his back. If I told him the truth, there was a chance he’d put a bullet in me.
“I’d wake her up and tell her she was safe, and she’d go back to sleep.” In my arms. I left off the last step.
“I wasn’t sure if I should wake her. I’ll try that then,” he replied with a nod of his head. “And the eating?”
I shrugged. “Don’t think you can do that one. Seems it’s just me she likes to eat for.”
His eyes narrowed, and I held up both hands.
“Hey, don’t glare at me. It’s not my fault. I just ask her to eat something, tell her it’s good and she’s okay, and she does it.”
Mal let out a frustrated groan and ran his hand through his hair. “I’ve tried that. I took her shopping yesterday and bought her more books than anything. Then we went to get lunch. She wouldn’t order anything but a side salad and barely touched it. I tried telling her how good their burgers were and asked her to take a bite of mine. She looked like she might vomit—which she has, by the way. After dinner, two nights in a row.”
Dammit. She had to eat more than that.
“You took her away from me,” I reminded him.
“She called me. Asked to leave.”
That was painful. I hated hearing it.
“I can’t believe I’m asking you this, but can you come to the house for dinner? Get her to eat. Please. She’s got dark circles under her eyes, and she looks pale. I don’t know if it’s from lack of sleep or nutrition or both.”
Why the fuck was I just now hearing about this?! She was that bad off? Dammit! Why had she left me?
“All right, but I’m not doing this for you,” I replied, picking back up a glove.
“You’re doing it for her,” he said somberly.
I nodded.
“Don’t make me regret this, Luther.”
“Ah, Mal, you already do,” I drawled with a smirk and turned back to plant my fist into the bag with a new wave of rage I needed to expel.
I’d spent the last three hours pacing the length of my bedroom and watching the time. The closer it got to when I would see Lace, the more fucking crazed I felt.