Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 61149 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 306(@200wpm)___ 245(@250wpm)___ 204(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61149 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 306(@200wpm)___ 245(@250wpm)___ 204(@300wpm)
“Drop it,” I command in a hushed tone, grateful when it’s immediately done. “Back.”
Curtis eagerly nods and retreats.
Gives me the space I need to carefully crawl closer to grab the supplies waiting for me in what I imagine from her yelling was meant to only be a temporary cell.
From a safe distance he watches me collect and scurry away to the furthest wall before resuming his previous beside the bars position. “Because I helped you escape once,” he begins in a whisper, voice shaking in sadness and fear alike, “just know that she’ll be watching me harder to make sure that I don’t do that again…”
An undeniable knot of tears and dread begins to grow in my throat.
“But please remember that just because I can’t save myself, Bunny, doesn’t mean I have to harm you.”
“Preposterous!” bellows Beverly upon her reentering of the space prompting Curtis to cower. “Utterly! Preposterous!”
The Devil does wear Prada.
And Fendi.
And Cartier.
And Valentino.
And every other high dollar label or haute fashion designer she wants to use to help remind the outside world that she’s better than them.
Wealthier.
More powerful.
Her son thought dressing me to look like her – in her things at times – was a sign of love instead of sickness.
May blowflies and beetles enjoy his body.
“There is not a single pilot willing to fly in this weather!”
Quickly screwing off the lid occurs in order to swallow a few sips to aid in keeping her suspicions about her husband’s non-nefarious actions low.
“Do they not know who I am?!” Additional clacking on the cold stable floor is heard. “Do they not know what I could do to them?! Their careers?!”
Words and phrases I could easily slide into the “repeats” section of my mental spreadsheet.
They’re her default when the world doesn’t go her way.
They were his too.
Like maniacal mother, like mentally deranged son.
“What about the extraction team, sweet pea? Could they not put you in contact with an alternative?” Curtis inquires, entire six foot plus frame continuing to crumple, preparing to fall to his knees upon request. “Could they not-”
“What did I just say, Curtis?!” She shrieks at the same time she arrives in front of him. “Why were you not listening?”
“I was. I was,” he pleads but is still forced to endure her physical wrath of a harsh ball grabbing – a controlling technique that Brad always got hard watching. “I’m sorry, sweet pea. I’m sorry.”
“Listennnnnnnn,” criticizes the demon in tandem with squeezing tighter given how he whimpers. “You know how much I hate when you make me do this.”
Her husband rapidly nods and drops his head in submission.
That’s not love.
That’s fear.
And despite what she wants or expects from me, I refuse to give her that.
I refuse – even locked up in a cell like this – to be afraid.
Not again.
Never. Fucking. Again.
“You will remain in there for the night,” Beverly announces, eyes finally gliding over to me. “We will leave first thing in the morning once the flying conditions prove to be viable. Until then you will stay right there like the filthy creature you are, unchained only as to not add additional stress on my baby.”
“My. Baby. Beverly.”
“No,” she harshly hisses on a sharp point. “You took my precious baby from me, so I am gonna take his baby from you and make it mine.” An uncomfortable longing appears in her icy gaze. “Ours.”
My water free hand protectively places itself on my stomach while I smugly state, “This isn’t his baby.”
“So predictable.” Her eye roll is accompanied by a heavy sigh. “So pathetic.” Having her pale face crane closer should push me to recoil or clamor further away, practically up the wall, yet I refuse. I merely clutch my stomach tighter and present her with an unwavering expression of strength. “Brad knew you were going to try to lie to me, which is why he told me if I found you without him, to remember what a liar you. How you’ve always just been afraid of his love. Of the way I love him.”
“Loved,” vengefully slips past my lips.
Seeing her entire jaw tremble is what leads to me smirking.
Enjoying another sip of water.
“Where. Is. His. Body?” To no surprise, my lack of response spurs her shouting, “Where is it?!” The harsh hitting of the bars doesn’t rattle me. “Where is it?!?! I wanna hold him! I wanna kiss him! I wanna bring him home! I wanna bring my baby home!”
Another vindictive grin grows during my ceaseless cradling. “Which. Piece?”
Loud, unhappy screams precede her seething into the open gap, “I will do worse to you than whatever you and your worthless duo did to my everything.”
Anxious to keep her rattled, I viciously coo, “Doubtful.”
Frustrated, furious roars are the last thing I hear prior to seeing Curtis forced to his knees.
Beverly violently slides the flap over to cover the small gap, curls her fingers around the bars, and holds my stare hostage with hers. Despite the fact her eyes aren’t moving elsewhere, her body is. It gradually angles itself from one side to the other as though working on removing something or rearranging.