Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 84838 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 424(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84838 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 424(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
“You remember, huh?”
I nodded. My heart started racing so fast I thought it might explode in my chest. “Where am I?”
“Don’t worry about that right now. Just know that you’re okay.”
Everything in me screamed to either run or prepare to fight, but I couldn’t move. Every inch of my body was in excruciating pain. I quickly glanced around the room, noting that I was in a strange place I’d never seen before. It was some kind of make-shift hospital room filled with medical equipment, which entirely freaked me out. “Did you do this to me?”
“Fuck, no,” he growled, startling me even more. “I’d never do something like this.”
“I want to go home.”
“I know you’re scared, but you’re okay.” He ran his hand gently over my head. “No one’s going to hurt you.”
I tried to concentrate and remember what had happened to me, but it was all a blur. I had no idea how I’d gotten hurt or how I’d ended up in this room with him, and I certainly didn’t know why I was there. “Are you going to kill me?”
“No,” he scoffed. “Wouldn’t have taken the time to patch you up if we were going to kill you.”
Every word seemed to come slowly like I was forcing them out of my mouth. “Then, what am I doing here?”
“I was hoping you could help me figure that out.” He removed his hand from my head and took a step back. “You got a name?”
“Remington. Remington Taylor.”
“Okay, Remington.” He crossed his arms as he looked down at me with a fierce expression, sending a cold chill along my spine. “Can you tell me how you ended up in our club’s dumpster last night?”
“What?” Surprised by his question, I inhaled a quick breath, causing me to wince as I answered, “I d-don’t...I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You were attacked last night.” The intense look in his eyes only grew when he said, “I was hoping you could tell me who’d done this to you.”
“I don’t know. I can’t remember. Everything’s so...” My eyes were burning and I was exhausted. I tried to remember what had happened to me, but nothing was coming to mind. Not that it mattered. I didn’t want to know how I’d been hurt or who’d done it. I was in too much pain to even think about it. All I wanted was to curl up into a ball and wait for someone to come and save me. Unfortunately, that wasn’t going to happen. Lying here completely alone, no one had a clue as to where I was—not even me. I tried to sit up, and a choked cry forced its way up my throat. I dropped my head back on the pillow and groaned, “I just want to go home. Please just let me go.”
“Why? So they can finish what they started?” His tone was harsh and unforgiving as he spat, “I hate to break it to you, but you’re gonna have to stay here for a while. It’s the only way we can keep you safe.”
“None of this makes any sense.”
“Well, let me explain it to ya. If the people who hurt you...the ones who stabbed you twice and left you for dead in that fucking dumpster find out that you’re alive, they’ll do whatever it takes to hunt you down.” His expression softened as he added, “So, there’s no headin’ home for you, at least not until we know what the fuck is going on.”
If I could simply pull the sheet over my head and close my eyes, then maybe I’d wake up from this nightmare, and it’d all be over. Knowing that wasn’t going to happen, I shook my head and started to sob. “I didn’t ask for any of this.”
“I’m sure you didn’t, but there’s clearly someone out there who wants you dead, and I’m gonna need to know why. It’s the only way I can stop them from coming after you again.”
“But I’ve already told you. I don’t know.” While I couldn’t remember exactly what had happened, I knew in my heart at least part of what he’d said was true; otherwise, I wouldn’t have been lying here in such complete agony. “I don’t know what else to tell you.”
“Well, you best be figuring it out—and fast—because time is not on your side.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Before today, the only thing I had to worry about was if I’d remembered to go to the grocery or if I had enough gas in my tank to make it to work. Now, my life was in actual danger, and I had no idea why. That realization had my level of panic rising to a new plateau. My mind was racing, and I was on the verge of having a full breakdown when the back door opened, and an older man came into the room. I was relieved to see that he seemed friendly and hadn’t come to finish me off. He had a short beard that was more gray than black and soulful, kind eyes that immediately set me at ease. With a warm smile, he looked over to me and said, “Well, look who’s awake!”