Total pages in book: 176
Estimated words: 167257 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 836(@200wpm)___ 669(@250wpm)___ 558(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 167257 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 836(@200wpm)___ 669(@250wpm)___ 558(@300wpm)
Thinking I might have offended him or hurt his feelings—however improbable—I rushed to apologize. “You’re right. I’m sorry. You could do anything you set your mind to. I don’t know why I said th—”
“I’m fucking with you, Dream. It’s not that kind of golf.” He cackled at the look on my face.
I swear I felt my eye twitch—my only warning before I lost my composure completely and cussed him out. He grinned throughout my entire tirade as if he thought my tantrum was cute—right up until I told him his mother should have swallowed him.
Losing the tenuous grip on his own cool and snatching me up by my neck, he brought our faces closer—his mean and mine terrified—before scolding me. “My mother is the only woman I’ll kill for, and as bad as I want to fuck you, your fine ass is not exempt, so watch your fucking mouth, Atlas.”
“Let me go.”
He choked me a little harder as a cruel glint entered his eye. “Apologize first.”
“You’re hurting me!”
“Apologize!”
I swear even the windows shook under the force of his roar, making my fear heighten and a whimper slip free. “I’m sorry,” I forced out around his hand on my throat.
He didn’t release me immediately, holding me a second longer as his green gaze pierced my own, checking to make sure I meant it. I expected him to shove me away and take me home, but true to the psycho he was proving to be, he gently stole a kiss before releasing me. I coughed a little and rubbed my sore throat as he sat back and relaxed in his seat.
“As I was saying,” he continued calmly, like he hadn’t just choked me, “this is like mini golf, but way more fun. I’m too busy to come as much as I’d like, but Roc convinced me to make the time tonight. Joren and Golden are probably up there too,” he mumbled.
I didn’t respond as I checked my neck in the visor mirror for marks. Finding none, I sighed my relief and debated asking him to take me home. In the end, I was too terrified of what I’d do if he said no. And what he’d do when I tried to leave anyway.
He’d probably drag me, kicking and screaming, past hundreds of spectators before letting me call an Uber, and frankly, I’d rather avoid the drama. As soon as his back was turned, I’d quietly slip away and be safe inside my motel room before he even noticed I was gone.
I could feel his perceptive gaze on me before he gave up on getting a response out of me and climbed out of the car. I waited as he rounded the green hood of the Jailbreak and helped me out. His hands were gentle, but I knew now it was a lie. Even now, I could feel my body wanting to put more space between us.
Rowdy had been mad and annoyed with me before, even threatened me a few times, but he’d never actually hurt me.
I felt even more discombobulated because he had shattered the illusion that I was safe with him, and I didn’t know where to go from here.
I guess I only had myself to blame. Rowdy had never given me any real reason to think he’d never hurt me. It had only been my foolish hope that he never would.
I didn’t fight him when he linked our fingers together or when he led me toward the building.
Because it still felt good.
It still felt right.
I despised him even more for the deceit.
Inside the building, there was barely any room left to breathe as people either waited in line to pay or crowded around the bar in the next room.
Through the glass window on the other side of the lobby, I spotted more patrons outside, huddled around the patio furniture in each section. They were either eating, cheering, arguing over scores, striking the balls—or attempting to strike the balls, I thought as I watched a girl swing and miss.
From every direction, above and below, the white golf balls went soaring, but I didn’t get to see where any of them landed before Rowdy led me to the set of stairs on our right. As we headed up, Rowdy’s phone rang, and my jealousy didn’t seem to get the memo that I was done with him because my eyes flew to his screen to see who was calling.
My nostrils flared when I read the name Sissy. Rowdy’s fake ass sucked his teeth and grumbled like it wasn’t some bitch he was probably fucking while trying to call the shots with my pussy.
I snatched my hand away from him, and when he glanced back at me with a confused frown, I sneered at him. Shaking his head, he continued to lead the way. I guess he’d finally grown tired of fighting me, so I took that as a small victory and hoped that after tonight, he’d leave me the hell alone.