Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 80261 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 401(@200wpm)___ 321(@250wpm)___ 268(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80261 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 401(@200wpm)___ 321(@250wpm)___ 268(@300wpm)
Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw the sheriff coming for me. I was about to run in the other direction, but another cop tackled me to the ground. The officer threw my ass face-first onto the dirty as shit tile floor and I instantly saw stars.
Within seconds, he handcuffed me. “You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney,” he informed, lifting me up. “If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you.”
“Fuck you!”
He body slammed me against the concrete wall. “Do you understand the rights I have just read to you? With these rights in mind, do you wish to speak to me?”
“Yeah, I’m speaking to you right now! Eat shit!”
“Sheriff!” another cop interrupted, nodding at me. “He’s a minor! That’s Billy Hayes’s son!”
For some reason, hearing him say that silenced my ass up. The sheriff turned me around to look at him.
“Chase?” he remarked, as if he knew who I was. “Holy shit. You were a little boy the last time I saw you.”
“Which time are you referring to? At my old man’s club? Or when you’d come to my house because he beat the fuck out of my mom?”
He hesitated before he searched my pockets, finding all the drugs I was able to grab in such a short amount of time. People were still running all over the house, they weren’t paying attention to us.
“Jesus, man…” he coaxed. “Your mom doesn’t deserve this.”
I shut my eyes, bowing my head in shame. My body was unable to hold itself up any longer. All the mixed emotions ached inside me. The sentiments that dwelled in the dark, hollow spaces of my core and at the forefront of my mind were alive and present.
I let them to take over, controlling every last part of my being. Darkness settled over me as I stood there in the pain pouring out of me. Only imagining her finding out what I was doing all these months.
I was surprised when he announced, “He’s clean!”
My gaze immediately opened as he grabbed my cellphone out of my pocket, watching as he hit send, calling my mother.
“No!” I screamed bloody murder as my body propelled forward with my hand over my heart.
“Hayes?” Haven stressed, sitting up beside me in my bed. “Are you okay?”
I shook away the memory.
“Oh my God.” She rubbed my arm. “What were you dreaming?”
I shoved her hands away, not wanting her to touch me.
“Hayes—”
I jumped out of bed, needing some space. I walked out to the deck and within minutes, I heard her footsteps approaching. It didn’t take long to feel her lips along my back, burning into my sweaty skin.
“Why didn’t you tell me you have nightmares too?”
“It’s not your problem.”
“But I love you.”
“Still not your problem.”
She spun me to face her, looking deep into my eyes.
“When are you going to let me in? I’m here for you.”
“I hate to break it to you, sweetheart, but the second I do, you’ll run away from me.”
“That’s not true.”
“But it won’t be the worst part, Peach.”
She winced when I growled…
“You’ll fucking hate me too.”
Thirty-Two
Hayes
“Haven, enough with the bullshit,” I demanded, walking out of my office at the bar.
She wouldn’t get off my ass since I woke up in a panic last night. My head was pounding from reprimanding myself for being so fucking careless and showing her a side to me she didn’t know existed.
“Hayes, you can’t keep pushing me away.”
I abruptly turned and she stumbled over her footing.
“Was I pushing you away when your pussy was on my face this morning?”
“You can’t use sex as a weapon. It’s not the same thing, and you know it.”
“The only thing I know is that you’re being a pain in my ass.”
She frowned.
“Don’t look at me like that.”
“Then stop hurting my feelings.”
“That’s what I do! I’m a fucking asshole!”
“Yeah, you are! But you’re also loving, caring, protective, and the list goes on and on! What’s it going to take for you to see that? To see me? I’m not going anywhere. I love you!”
“That’s your first mistake. You shouldn’t love me.”
“Oh God… We’re back to this again?”
“How many times do I have to tell you we never left?”
“How many times do I have to tell you I don’t care what you say! I know who you are inside and it fucking kills you!”
We were standing in the hallway, and the DJ was already playing music, trying to set up for the long night ahead. The doors were going to open soon. There was already a line around the building.
“We’re done with this conversation.” I snapped around, walking toward the bar.
“No, we’re not!” she yelled at the exact time police officers flew through the doors at the bar.