Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 103431 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 517(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103431 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 517(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
Therein lies the problem. I don’t know the answer and I’m terrified to find out. Because something tells me, wherever and whatever that line is… once we cross it, we can never go back.
We literally just got to a good place, to a civil place, and I’m worried I’m only one small move away from tossing a grenade on whatever this is between us and blowing it up.
Fuck. Maybe sleep—and space—will help.
“Wanna watch more Gossip Girl?” he asks as he clears our trash.
I fake a yawn. “I’m actually exhausted and might call it a night.”
He studies me for a long minute and then nods. “Okay. You know where to find me if you need me.”
I push back from the bar and stand. “Thanks Ellis. For everything.”
“Sweet dreams, Scar.” He seems softer as he says it, and it does something to me. Something I’m not sure how I feel about. You know, other than confused.
Obviously being attracted to Ellis has never been the problem, at least not physically. But new and improved sweet Ellis… yeah, I don’t even know.
So, I do what I do best, and shove it down to deal with later. “Yeah, you too.”
I grab some jammies and head into the bathroom, where I fly through my nighttime routine before rushing back to my room.
My heart is racing as I burrow beneath the covers with my e-reader in hand. I scroll the online store, mindlessly swiping, until finally a title catches my eye.
Before I know it, I’m lost in the digital pages of a small-town girl reconnecting with her former love, who just so happens to be a country music superstar now.
I check the clock when I hit the fifty percent mark. “Holy hell, it’s after midnight.” I set my e-reader on the nightstand and roll onto my side, hoping sleep comes easy.
Except, right as I drift off, visions from my house earlier today flash through my mind like a demented highlight reel.
“Fuck,” I groan, picking my book back up.
My eyelids begin to droop after a few chapters, and I try to fall asleep again. But it’s no use. Every single time I’m about to conk out, some horrifying worry lingering along my periphery slams into my brain, startling me awake.
I grab my phone and make a note to buy some melatonin tomorrow because I’m a beast without sleep and the last thing I want is to snap at Ellis—or worse, someone at work on Monday.
The clock creeps past one and I try yet again to fall asleep, but it’s no use. All of the unknown variables keep swirling together creating a maelstrom of anxiety inside of me.
So, I keep reading. I read past the point of exhaustion, until the words blur together and I can no longer physically keep my eyes open for another second.
And then, just before two, sleep finally finds me.
ELLIS
“What was that?” I bolt upright in my bed, glancing around my darkened room. I sit perfectly still as I listen for anything out of the ordinary, but there’s nothing.
Must’ve been a dream, I reason as I stretch and settle back against my pillow.
“No, stop!” Scarlet screams, her voice shrill with terror.
I don’t think, I just react, grabbing my phone and my gun from my nightstand and running toward her room.
I’m tempted to clear the entire house but her frightened whimpers persuade me to forgo my training and go directly to her.
I shoulder open her door and enter her room with my gun drawn, but there’s no one there. No one other than Scarlet.
She twists and kicks and whimpers as she battles whatever monster is plaguing her dreams.
I flick on the safety and place my gun down on the nightstand before lowering myself onto the edge of her bed.
“Wake up,” I murmur, brushing her hair out of her face. “You’re okay, Scar. It’s only a dream. Wake up.” I jostle her lightly, but it’s enough, and before I know it, she launches herself into my arms.
“Oh, my god, El-Ellis,” she sobs, clinging hard to me. “It was s-s-so real.”
She’s shaking like a leaf and clawing at my chest, like she can’t get close enough.
“You’re safe, I’ve got. Just breathe, baby girl.”
She blinks up at me through tear-filled eyes and parts her lips like she wants to speak, but no intelligible words come out, only gut-wrenching sobs.
“Shhhh,” I soothe, holding her close. “It was only a dream. Not real. You’re here, safe, with me. I’ve got you.”
“N-not a dream.” It takes her a minute to get the words out. “A nightmare.”
I nod, my chin rubbing against the top of her head. “I know.”
“It was so real.” She shudders against me and then clutches me closer. “We... we were at my house, but he-he was still there and he k-killed you and threatened Fefe if I didn’t—” She devolves into another fit of hiccupping tears.