Total pages in book: 180
Estimated words: 182075 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 910(@200wpm)___ 728(@250wpm)___ 607(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 182075 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 910(@200wpm)___ 728(@250wpm)___ 607(@300wpm)
But she didn’t play with toys, watch cartoons, or dress in cute clothes or onesies.
Nope.
None of that was for her.
Maybe you’d like those things if you had a Daddy to take care of and protect you. Instead of feeling like you always have to protect yourself, like you’re on the edge of a cliff, just waiting for Billy to snap and push you over.
Deciding she needed to calm down before she completely flipped, Indie reached under the bed and grabbed her old backpack. She hid it there to keep it safe from Billy. Carrying it into the wardrobe, she sat on the floor.
Deep breath in.
Deep breath out.
Indie opened the backpack with shaking hands and drew out the things she kept inside.
A photo of her and Spencer at a Christmas market sitting on Santa’s knee. Santa hadn’t been that impressed by having both of them on his knee.
One of Rock’s old jumpers. She’d found it one day and stolen it. It was like a dress on her. Unfortunately, it had lost his scent.
A copy of an algebra test. Quaid had found her up at two in the morning trying to learn algebra for an important test. He’d sent her to bed. Then, the next day, he’d helped her study all day. She’d actually passed.
A small miracle.
There was also a copy of Treasure Island that Quaid had given to her one year for her birthday, knowing she loved to read. Of course, she was more fond of romances. But this was his favorite story and she’d loved it.
Lastly, there was a pale pink hat with two pompoms on the top from Slade. He knew she loved pompoms. They just made her smile for some reason.
They were strange things to keep, she knew. But they were hers and they were special.
The door shutting and Billy calling out her name made her startle.
Bollocks.
He couldn’t see her things. She shoved them back into the backpack and stuffed it into a dark corner. She’d have to hide it properly later. Scrambling out of the wardrobe, she hurried to the living room where she found him stripping off his suit jacket and tie and throwing them on the back of the sofa for her to pick up.
“Get dressed up nice, babe. I’m taking you out tonight.”
“Out?” she said in surprise.
She couldn’t remember the last time that they’d gone out together.
“Yep, I’m getting us a room in a nice hotel. We’re going to dance and have fun.” He grasped her around the hips and she flinched.
Thankfully he didn’t seem to notice as he picked her up and swung around. A surprised noise left her mouth.
He hadn’t been this happy in . . . in a long, long time.
“We’re going dancing?” she asked.
“Yes. Now go get ready. The car is coming in twenty minutes.” He set her down and turned her toward the bedroom.
“Um, could you call my phone? I seem to have misplaced it.”
A funny look filled his face, and she braced herself for his ire. But all he did was nod.
“Get in the shower, babe. I’ll find it for you.”
Huh. That wasn’t what she’d expected him to say. Why was he being so helpful?
Ten minutes later she walked out of the bathroom to find her phone sitting on the end of the bed.
Oh good, she’d have to ask him where he found it.
There was a message from Maggie, checking in with her. She sent one back.
But nothing from the guys.
She tried to pretend that wasn’t disappointment she felt. She typed out one to their group chat hoping for a quick reply. But there was nothing.
Oh well. They were probably just busy. They’d reply later.
4
The knock on the door startled her.
Her heart skipped a beat. Was that Billy?
Urgh.
Idiot.
Billy wouldn’t knock. Billy owned this apartment.
He’d bought this place in Birmingham without telling her. Just informed her one day that they were moving here.
She should have said something, but it seemed like the more time she spent with Billy . . . the more she became less the Indie she knew and more . . . broken?
A shadow?
That’s what she was . . . a shadow.
She’d thought so many times about calling Slade. Several times she’d tried to leave messages but the words wouldn’t come. She couldn’t help but feel like Billy was watching her all the time, monitoring her.
He was making her paranoid.
Everything was so fucking messed up and she didn’t know what to do.
Rushing to the door, she peered through the peephole.
Maggie.
Her legs went weak. What did she do? Would Billy find out? Would he be upset with her for letting Maggie in?
“Indie! Open up! I have pastries and coffee.”
Indie’s stomach growled. She hadn’t eaten today. She was having trouble eating at the moment.
“Come on, Indie. Let me in.”
Indie closed her eyes. She shouldn’t. Maggie would see too much. But she felt like she was losing everyone in her life. She was all alone.