Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 75891 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 304(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75891 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 304(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
I watched her eat and listened to her talk to her family as they called her one after another, starting with her Dad. I half expected her to complain or to beg them to come get her, but instead she reassured them that she was fine and that I was taking very good care of her. I’m not sure why that made me blush, but it did, and I only smirked when I overheard her father’s threats of mayhem if I hurt a hair on his precious little girl’s head or caused her to come to any harm.
By the time we left, I was a mixture of relief and angst, which is the most uncomfortable feeling. I was relieved that she no longer seemed to want to run away, and the angst was brought on for the same reason. Why wasn’t she making a run for it? I’d set up a contingency plan just in case she tried to leave me, but it wasn’t needed.
Her car had a tracker or two, I should say. I wasn’t very surprised when I found one already planted, but just to be sure, I called her father, who confirmed that, yes, he was the one who had it put there and told me to mind my own business. Having a little sister myself, I know all too well how men are with their daughters.
That thought led my mind down a dangerous path, one where we were already married and she was carrying my child, a little girl who looked just like her. By the time we got back to my office building, my heart was in knots that stemmed from my no longer wanting to let her out of my sight.
“Go back to my place.” I grabbed her hand and looked out the windshield, thinking of what to do if she disobeyed. Now that she was already out of the house, my options were a bit limited.
“Can’t; I have some stuff to take care of.” She seemed so nonchalant, and my hand tightened around hers.
“Jessica!” She must’ve heard something in my voice, something even I wasn’t aware of, and squeezed my hand back.
“You can’t keep me locked up forever; I’m not a canary in a cage. If you don’t trust me, we should end this here.”
She’s never sounded more serious, and it was a bit of a jolt. “Fine, do you mind telling me what is so important?” I knew from my spying on her over the years that she did most of her work from home, only going to the high security lab she worked for sparingly.
“I have to wreck Dale and his side piece. What else?”
“You…” I was back to thinking she was a spoiled princess who always had to have her way. It was the glint in her eye when she said that and the way she seemed hell-bent on getting her pound of flesh.
“Why don’t you leave him to me?”
“Not a chance; some revenge is best handled personally.” I gritted my teeth, and the grip on the hand I still held grew tighter. It was all I could do not to drag her back to the house and lock her in again. Instead, I peeled out of the parking lot and headed in the opposite direction.
“Where are we going?” I didn’t answer her as I pulled into the local shopping center about twenty minutes away. I knew this place well since the women in my family practically lived there, so I was sure I’d find what I was looking for here. “Stay here, I’ll be right back.”
I slammed the door and wished there were a way to lock it so she couldn’t get out. I spent five minutes finding what I was looking for and came back to find her on the phone, tapping away. “Here, put this on.” I threw the bag I was carrying on her lap.
“What’s this?”
“Open it.” I didn’t need to tell her since she was already digging through the contents. Her snort grated on my nerves.
“You want me to wear this?” This was a five-hundred-dollar dress that a Mennonite would be proud of. It was a thousand times better than the short shorts she had on, and it gave me peace of mind.
“Either that or you don’t go anywhere near him.”
“Jealous?”
“Yes!” Dammit. She said it playfully, but my truthful answer came out before I could conceal it. It was all worth it, though, when she leaned over and kissed my cheek reassuringly.
JESSICA
This little game of tug and war was so cute, and he’s so arguably adorable with his little self, but I didn’t have time to play with him right now. I have an ex to skin. I started to get out of the car, but he pulled me back in. “Wear it, or I take you back home and tie you to the bed.”