Total pages in book: 11
Estimated words: 10371 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 52(@200wpm)___ 41(@250wpm)___ 35(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 10371 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 52(@200wpm)___ 41(@250wpm)___ 35(@300wpm)
Lucca’s lips move, pulling back into a sinister grin as he speaks, but I can’t hear what he’s saying. All I can do is drown in the chaos. My eyes drift to a dark spot forming on the floor beneath my father’s head.
Blood. The puddle grows bigger and bigger, and it seems like forever before Lucca stops. I can’t look away from his hands. They’re coated in blood—so much blood. My entire body starts to shake when his eyes find mine. His penetrating stare submerges me into icy water. I’m afraid. I want to move, to run before he hurts me too, but I can’t make my limbs work.
Pain blankets every inch of my body. The darkness in Lucca’s eyes fades slowly, and he looks down at my father and back at me. The person I thought he was all along, the white knight, a friend, reappears.
Lucca crosses the room, fear overtaking his features as his gaze sweeps over my body. I struggle to move, trying to scoot away from him, but any type of movement makes the throbbing in my head worse.
With his powerful arms, he picks me up off the floor and holds me to his chest. I push with all my strength, trying to escape him, but I’m in too much pain. Too far gone to care what happens next. The coppery tang of blood is all I can smell as I breathe through my nose. Lucca peers down at me, his eyes liquid pools of amber.
“Call an… ambulance…” I croak, afraid that my father may be dead before they arrive.
“Everything is going to be okay. He’ll never hurt you again. I swear on it. No one will, not so long as I’m breathing,” he whispers, and I want to cry, but the tears aren’t there. I’m broken. The man I thought would never hurt me, that would save me from everything, just took my entire life and crushed it into a million pieces.
7
Lucca
My heart thunders as I bring the cell to my ear. I’m frazzled, looking between the road and Claire, who is lying back in the passenger side seat, rivulets of blood trickle down from her ear. I hope it’s not as bad as it fucking looks.
The only person that can help me is Julian. I’ll be indebted to him from this day forward, but wasn’t I already? After the third ring, he picks up. “I hope you’re calling to tell me that you got the job done.”
“The job is done. I’m calling about something else.”
“What do you need?” Julian might be a young boss, but he’s nothing less than powerful.
“I need a cleanup crew, and your assistance with the police.”
“What the fuck did you do?” He growls into the phone, and I know I need to clear this up before he gets some guys to start digging a shallow grave somewhere on his property.
“There was this young girl next door. Her father was beating her. He hurt her… bad, and I’m on my way to the hospital with her, but I know the moment I walk through those double doors, they’re going to call the police and start asking questions.” I pray that I don’t sound as weak as I feel.
There is a long pause, and I worry he might have ended the call. Claire groans in the passenger seat, and I press my foot against the gas pedal, willing the car to go faster.
“You should keep your nose out of other people’s business.”
I don’t want to beg, but I’m not above it. Claire is just a kid; she doesn’t deserve this. I’m close to breaking down when Julian speaks again.
“You’re a good worker and loyal to the family, so I will extend you a helping hand, just this once.”
It takes everything inside me not to audibly sigh.
“I’ll make some phone calls. They won’t give you hassle.”
“Thank you,” I say, my eyes darting to Claire. Her face seems even paler than it did a second ago.
“Don’t thank me yet. You don’t even know what I want in return.” I don’t get the chance to respond. The phone goes dead, and I pull it away from my ear and drop it into the cup holder. All my attention is back on Claire. I don’t care what I have to do for Julian, what hoops I have to jump through, or who I have to kill.
It’ll be worth it so long as Claire is taken care of and no one asks me any questions.
“Everything is going to be okay, butterfly. I’ve got you…” I tell her. I know the words I’ve just spoken are the truest I’ve ever said to anyone. I will take care of Claire.
As soon as we arrived at the hospital, they took her into a room to evaluate her, making me stay in the waiting room. Which is where remained for the past two hours.