Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 78732 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78732 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
"Long enough for me to run upstairs and grab my things," she says, her eyes full of mischief.
I turn to follow her toward the staircase, but she presses a hand to my chest.
"If you go up there with me, we probably won't leave until tomorrow," she says.
"I like where your head is at," I say, my body already getting ready in anticipation of the things we can do with each other after confessing our true feelings.
"Not so fast, Romeo," she says, her hand firm against my chest. "I'll be right back. Five minutes."
I'm itching to follow her up the stairs, but with what I have in mind for her later, I really need to stay on her good side right now.
Chapter 36
Kaylee
How is he here?
I look over my shoulder and find Ellis watching me ascend the stairs. It's like a fairytale, and instead of thinking about just how unrealistic this is, I'm going to revel in it.
I'm going to stop second-guessing myself and finally give myself a chance to be happy.
His explanation of what I heard him say was simple, and I could see the shock on his face when he asked me if I had been asleep the other night during his confessions. He was being genuine.
He's nothing like Troy, and I can't continue to punish him for the heartache another man caused. It isn't fair to either one of us.
He jolts when I trip over the damn dress because I'm not paying attention, but I hold up a hand to him as he begins to climb the stairs to get me. I swear he'll end up wrapping me in bubble wrap if I'm not careful, and I don't think I've ever felt more precious to someone else than I do to him at this moment.
My smile is wide when I enter the room, not bothering to turn on the light and using the light from the landing so I can grab my bag. I knew it wouldn't take me long to gather my things because I didn't bother to unpack.
I head to the bathroom, swiping my dirty clothes from earlier off the counter, but a shadow fills the doorway when I turn to leave.
I smile at first, thinking it's Ellis and I just can't see his face from the way it's backlit by the light outside the room. It's very reminiscent of the time we stayed up late talking and he could see my face in the moonlight but I couldn't see his.
I realize much too late that it isn't him. I should've known that because this man is wearing a suit rather than a giant purple eggplant costume. He's on me before I can scream, with one hand covering my mouth and the other wrapping around my throat.
He presses until my vision begins to swim, and as much as I fight against him, his hold is just too strong. Before my vision fades to black, I feel cheated. I should've at least had one night of bliss with my husband before I died.
***
If I thought my head ached when I woke up this morning with my stomach sloshing full of wine was bad, it has nothing on how my head feels now.
I realize my arms are tied down at my sides when I try to raise them to press my fingers into my throbbing forehead.
I don't have enough time to figure out what the hell happened when I notice a shadow looming over the bed.
I try to scream but there's something in my mouth, and the threat of what it might be nearly has me wrenching. I cough against the fabric, but it's wedged inside my mouth so tightly that barely any sound comes out.
I blink up at the person, but their face is covered with a mask. The familiarity of it makes my skin crawl. It takes a handful of breaths before I realize it's the man who tapped Ellis on the shoulder not long ago and asked to cut into our dance.
Is this retaliation for being denied?
Who gets so upset at a simple rejection that they knock someone out and tie them up?
The possibility of what else he can do makes a shiver of unease race up my spine.
Oh God. What could he have done before I came to?
I try my best to do a full-body scan, getting a little distracted at my mission when I realize that moving my legs is impossible because I'm tied at both the ankles and the knees.
"Please," I beg into the gag, but the word is intelligible.
I don't know if my dress rode up with him trying to get me onto the bed or if he forced it up. I don't feel like my body has been invaded, but just the thought of it being possible makes a rumble of sobs swim up my throat, making it difficult to breathe.