Total pages in book: 140
Estimated words: 137144 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 686(@200wpm)___ 549(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 137144 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 686(@200wpm)___ 549(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
“I’m never taking you back, Lily.”
She shook her head. “No, no, no. That can’t happen! You don’t know what you’re doing! I need the pills. I need them, Harvey! I need them. You have to take me back! Take me back!”
“Lily!” he said sharply. “Look at me. Now.”
There was no way she could ignore him, and she turned her gaze to him, staring into his face. How was he so gorgeous? It wasn’t fair that he could be so handsome because it made it extra hard for her to think straight.
What was it that she was upset about?
“I need you to breathe, Lily. Just breathe. Everything is going to be all right.”
She didn’t know how he could be so certain. She shook her head. “The pills. I need the pills.”
“Okay,” he said quickly. “We’ll get you some pills, okay? I’m going to look after you. But to do that, you’re going to need to listen to me. Do you understand, Lily? I’m in charge and you need to listen to me.”
Why was someone always in charge of her life? Although she couldn’t deny that an instant calm came over her at his words.
“But before we do that, I need to have someone check you over and decide whether you’ve been correctly medicated.”
Lily shook her head, feeling panicked again. “No, no, you don’t understand, Harvey. I’ll hurt you. Without them, I’m going to hurt you.”
2
Harvey had run several scenarios through his head when he’d made the plan to take Lily.
He thought she might be scared or angry.
Harvey could deal with anger, and he could deal with fear. What he didn’t want was for her to shut down.
He didn’t fully know what was going on with her. But he was determined to find the real Lily under that mask.
But this wasn’t a scenario that he’d come up with. He’d never thought she would react this way.
Harvey knew that he’d basically kidnapped her. He’d just swept her up and carried her out, because that was what was best for her.
Sure, it might be considered arrogant and non-consensual.
But he didn’t care.
There were very few people who would dare tell Harvey Gallagher that he couldn’t do something. And even fewer who he would actually listen to. So even if she had protested, he wouldn’t have paid attention.
He’d been waiting for the chance to take her. And he’d been running out of patience.
Sure, it would be a nuisance if her mother called the cops. But right now she had other things to worry about.
Like being arrested for hiring someone to threaten Clem.
It had been the perfect opportunity to take Lily.
What fucking medication had she been on anyway? And who had prescribed it for her? And what did she mean she’d hurt him if she didn’t take her pills? At the moment the only person that she was hurting was herself.
He didn’t like that she was bleeding, and that she wouldn’t let him touch her, help her.
He had to change that.
Because Harvey should be the person that she always came to when she needed help. No one else. He wanted to be the center of her universe, the person she turned to for help, for comfort, for protection.
Harvey was determined to be her everything.
And he always got what he wanted. Even though this time, he’d had to be patient and wait for the right moment.
He had no intention of letting her go back on those pills, not unless it was something that his doctor okayed for her health. However, he had a feeling there was nothing wrong with her.
He needed to get his hands on those pills.
First things first, though.
He had to get Lily inside and doctor her hands. As well as keep her calm until he could get Michaela here to check her over.
“Lily, we’re going inside now. I’ll get you settled in and clean your hands, okay?”
“My pills,” she repeated.
There was a strange look on her face, almost as if she wasn’t quite with him. And he didn’t want her drifting away again.
So he took a risk and grasped her chin, holding it firmly as he peered down into her face. He didn’t want to frighten her, but he also needed to make her look at him.
“Lily, listen to me. We’re going to sort out your pills, okay? But first, we’re going inside so I can clean up your hands. I don’t want them getting infected.”
He dropped hold of her chin, not wanting to push her too much, too fast.
Her gaze dropped to her hands. “Okay.”
Harvey could hear the confusion and fear in her voice.
It was time for action.
Any delay was just going to hurt her.
And that was completely unacceptable.
3
Lily was in a daze as she followed Harvey into the cabin.
It was actually larger than it looked from the outside. The ceiling was high and peaked and the wall across from them was basically all glass, offering an amazing view of the forest beyond.