Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 63842 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 319(@200wpm)___ 255(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63842 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 319(@200wpm)___ 255(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)
“You need to leave.” My hands curled into fists under the table.
“I wanted to check in, see how my little star is doing.” His voice dropped, intimate and venomous. “You’ve gotten quite the viewership, you know. That video has made the rounds. More people than you can imagine have seen exactly what you look like when you’re --”
“Stop.” The word came out sharper than I expected.
His smile widened. “Oh, those videos are nothing compared to others I’ll have. You know. As soon as I make them. Will you be more cooperative this time? Or will we have to do things the hard way?”
My hands trembled, but I kept them hidden under the table. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.
“The thing about videos,” he continued, leaning forward, “is that they never really go away. Knight can try to scrub them all he wants. Your ex-con boyfriend can play protector. But I’ll always be there, Jade. In every job interview. Every new friendship. Every potential relationship. They’ll find it eventually. Because I will make sure of it. You’re going to be as miserable as you’ve made me, Jade. Mia was going to be my prized possession, and you ruined everything.”
“Perhaps you should have thought about that before you took advantage of Mia’s absence to assert your dominance over me, Eric. No. I shared a part of what happened that day to ruin your relationship with Mia, but that situation was of your own making.”
Eric’s face changed. The practiced smile vanished, his expression hardening. “You ungrateful whore.” He reached across the table and grabbed my wrist, fingers digging in with bruising force. “I own you. You’re nothing but a slave to my every whim. You think your new friends will protect you? They won’t. Especially after they’re all dead.”
“Let go of me.” I kept my voice level.
“You took away my happiness. Now I’m going to take away yours.” His voice had gone soft again, almost tender. That was always when he was most dangerous. “When I’m done, you’ll be begging me to let you come home.”
“I said let go.” I yanked at my arm, but he held tight, his thumb pressing into the soft underside of my wrist.
“You don’t give the orders here, Jade.” He leaned closer. “You never did.”
Movement caught my eye beyond Eric’s shoulder. Inferno was crossing the street toward the coffee shop, his attention on his phone. He glanced up, scanning the patio, and his expression changed when he spotted us. Anger flashed across his features as he went back to his phone, tapping with his thumb before putting the phone to his ear. He spoke as he changed direction, heading straight toward our table. For a split second, I thought Inferno was angry at me, like he might think I’d welcomed Eric’s attention and knew Rip wouldn’t like it. But when I looked at Inferno again, I saw his gaze centered squarely on Eric.
Eric didn’t notice. He was too focused on me, on making sure I understood exactly how powerless he believed me to be. “You think you’re safe?” His grip tightened further. “You think these bikers can protect you? They’re criminals, Jade. I don’t even have to do anything to remove them from the situation. One call to their parole officers and half of them go back to prison.”
“Let me go, Eric. I’m not telling you again.” I spoke through clenched teeth.
“Or what?” Eric’s lip curled. “What exactly do you think you’re going to do if I don’t let you go?”
I stared directly into his eyes and said what I should have said years ago. “Whatever I need to.”
I spotted Rip through the coffee shop window. He balanced two fresh drinks in his hands as he navigated between tables toward the door. He found me through the glass, then immediately locked on Eric’s hand gripping my wrist. I recognized the look on his face. I’d seen it in court the day Eric’s lawyer tried to break me down with Eric looking on so smug. Rip would have no problem killing him. Right here, in front of everyone. And then he’d go back to prison. I couldn’t have that. The very thought made me panic. I absolutely could not imagine the rest of my life without Rip there to keep me safe.
Rip set our drinks on an empty table by the door and stepped out onto the cafe patio. Inferno also approached from the street, phone still pressed to his ear. They were both coming to rescue me. Again.
The realization hit me with sudden clarity. I didn’t want to be rescued. Not this time.
“You’re hurting me,” I said loudly enough for the people at nearby tables to hear.
“Lower your voice, Jade,” Eric hissed, his fingers digging deeper. “Or I will hurt you. You know I will.”
I thought about every talk I’d had with Ada. Every self-defense move Rip had taught me. Every night I’d spent rebuilding myself piece by piece. I wasn’t the same woman Eric had broken anymore. I wasn’t whole yet, but I could see myself getting there eventually.