Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 73153 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 366(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73153 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 366(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
Chapter Sixteen
Trevor held my hand in his as we walked into his house. His little brother Lucas had called Trevor from Glenda's phone, asking him to come home and keep the bad people away.
I wanted to cry when Trevor told me. The poor little guy shouldn't be having flashbacks and nightmares. He was only five, for fuck’s sake.
I knew Trevor wanted to hurt his parents for doing this to his little brother. Since Lucas had walked through the front door with Dale and Glenda, Trevor had taken a protective role over Lucas—almost like the father Lucas had obviously never had.
Lucas looked up from his position on the couch when we walked into the living room, his red-rimmed eyes meeting Trevor's. He immediately jumped up from the couch, running to Trevor and wrapping his arms around Trevor’s legs. Trevor let go of my hand, kneeling down to lift him up. "What bad guys are bothering you this time, Luc?" Trevor asked him as Lucas laid his head on Trevor’s shoulder.
Trevor had decided to call Lucas, Luc. Lucas hated being called by his real name because he said bad people called him Lucas.
My heart really ached for the kid.
He dug his face into the crook of Trevor’s neck and sniffled. "Mama and Daddy were hurting me, Trev,” he whispered, like telling on them was a bad thing.
I understood his fear. I was always terrified to talk about what happened at home. His five-year-old mind wouldn’t fully grasp yet that he was never going back to his parents again.
Trevor squeezed him gently, giving Lucas that sense of security that he so desperately needed. "Hey, little man, nobody is ever going to hurt you again, okay?"
Luc nodded, tucking his head under Trevor's chin. Trevor gave me a small smile. "Sorry, baby girl," Trevor whispered softly, obviously feeling bad that he had to bail on his plan of us spending the day together.
I shook my head at him. "Don't apologize," I told him with a small smile. "Your brother needs you."
He sighed, leaning down to kiss me. "You're so perfect. I swear, I couldn't ask for a better, more understanding girlfriend."
A small smile tilted my lips, my cheeks heating crimson at his words, which in turn made a small smirk tilt his lips up. I heard something crash upstairs suddenly, and I flinched, my heart jumping up into my throat. Paul came running down the stairs and immediately shot me a sheepish look when his eyes landed on me. "Sorry, Tracey. I accidentally knocked over a lamp."
I smiled at him, and he walked over, slinging an arm around my shoulders. I tensed, but slowly relaxed, reminding myself that Paul wasn't a threat. He was like the big brother I'd never had. Ever since he found out about my encounter with my dad, he had been hounding Trevor about how I was holding up.
It was nice to have people that cared.
I just had to keep myself out of that dark hole.
Trevor glared at Paul’s arm around my shoulders, making Paul laugh at him. "Relax, Trev, you know I don't want your girl."
Trevor glared at him. "Doesn't mean I like you touching her, either,” he snapped, still holding Lucas in his arms.
Lucas looked up from Trevor's shoulder, giving me a small smile. "Trace," he said to me, cutting off the last part of my name, "will you play with me?" He timidly asked.
I nodded, letting a smile curve my lips. I couldn't help but see myself in this little kid. He was so scared of the world, but I knew Trevor would help him overcome everything as he grew up.
Trevor had a knack for helping people heal.
Trevor set Lucas down on the floor, and Lucas instantly latched onto my hand, pulling me away from Paul and Trevor, over to the living room where he had some cars and a teddy bear that he immediately snatched up. He sat on the floor, dragging a box from under the coffee table. It was a race track. He slid it to me. "Will you help me put it together?"
I nodded at him, giving him a small, encouraging smile, noticing the fear in his eyes when he asked me to help him.
I couldn't even begin to imagine the shit he went through before he was taken from his parents. No kid should be scared to ask for help. It was fucking ridiculous.
But I could relate.
His eyes lit up in excitement when I opened the box, pouring the contents onto the floor. Someone took a seat next to me, and I knew without looking that it was Trevor just by the way my body was instantly drawn to him.
I looked over at him once he was settled, and he wrapped a hand around the back of my neck, pulling my lips to his to kiss me softly. I had to force down the moan that wanted to rise in the back of my throat.