Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 50373 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 252(@200wpm)___ 201(@250wpm)___ 168(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 50373 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 252(@200wpm)___ 201(@250wpm)___ 168(@300wpm)
“We’ve put some clothes in there for you both. Basics until we can get you proper shopping time.” Pippa pointed to several bags sitting on the table. “We put bedding on all the beds. I’m afraid there’s not much more than what you see here.” She waved her hand around the room. There was a sectional in front of a TV, a dining room table and a kitchen with the basics in appliances. “The bedrooms all have a bed and nightstand. A couple of them have a desk… I think? We can find more furniture when you’re ready. What we don’t have, we can buy.”
“I’m sure that won’t be necessary.” I smiled at the two women. “We appreciate what you’ve already done. This place is huge.”
Hannah smiled. “Yeah. I think that’s why the guys don’t want to use them. They like structure. Some of them don’t feel safe sleeping in large rooms.”
I glanced back at Riot, who shrugged. “When I had a cell to myself was when I felt the safest to sleep. Large rooms sometimes feel like a dormitory. Sometimes there were a hundred or more guys in one room in bunk beds. It was hard to sleep then because I was vulnerable.”
“I could see that,” I replied softly. “Where do you stay?”
“Got a room on the second floor. But I can stay in the other apartment on this floor if you want me to.”
Caleb followed close to me as Hannah led us to a door at the end of the hall to the master bedroom. “That’s pretty much the grand tour.” She smiled as she produced a key and handed it to me. “This is yours. No one comes in without your permission. Not even Riot. Hawk has a key to everything in the compound other than personal rooms, so you’re in complete control.”
The acknowledgment of boundaries nearly made me tear up again. Doug had never respected any boundary I tried to put between us. The more I tried to make myself a safe space, the more he delighted in tearing it down.
Caleb shifted beside me. “Do you have, like, security cameras and stuff here?” he asked, his voice betraying his suspicion despite his attempt to sound casual.
Hannah nodded. “The whole compound is monitored. There are no cameras in your private rooms or anything. But out in the hallway, the lift, or any areas more than one person -- or family -- has unfettered access. The main floor has cameras everywhere. All the windows have alarms. Knight and Hawk run the security systems.”
“But we can leave whenever we want to. Right?” Caleb looked from the women over his shoulder to Riot.
“Of course,” Hannah said, her brow furrowed in confusion. “We wouldn’t hold you guys here if you wanted to leave.”
Caleb nodded, seeming satisfied with her answer. I could tell he was still processing everything that had happened today. The courtroom, the attack, and now this strange new environment. I knew my son well enough to recognize when he was overwhelmed but trying not to show it. Hell, I was overwhelmed myself.
“Is there food? I just realized we haven’t eaten since before court.”
Hannah brightened. “Sure. It’s not much but there are, like, three large pizzas left over from the party earlier. I’ll bring them up to you.”
“I’ll bring them up,” Riot said. “I’ll bring some drinks too. We can stock you guys up with groceries tomorrow. That way you can have your own stuff if you don’t like what the club’s having.” His eyes met mine briefly, and I saw concern there. “You should rest. It’s been a hell of an evening.”
I nodded gratefully. “Thank you.”
Hannah and Pippa exchanged a look I couldn’t quite interpret before Hannah said, “We’ll leave you to get settled. If you need anything at all, we’re in the building straight across the walkway. Top floor. There are only two apartments on our floor, too, so we’re pretty easy to find.” She grinned.
After the women left, and Riot had gone to bring back pizza, Caleb went to check out the other bedrooms. I went to the table and started going through the bags. There were two changes of clothes for each of us, toiletries, linens, and toilet paper.
When Caleb wandered back to the main room and the table where I was busy opening packages, he went straight to the fridge. He was too grown up for my peace of mind, but he was still a growing boy. “Did you find anything?”
“I mean, there’s some milk, butter, cheese, and eggs.” He shut the door. “Date’s good on the milk.”
There was a knock at the door. Caleb hurried to the door and looked out the peephole before opening the door and stepping back to let Riot inside with three pizza boxes.
“You’ll have to heat it up because it was in the fridge, but it was from tonight. I can go get something else if you don’t want leftovers.”