Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 55093 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 275(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 184(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55093 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 275(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 184(@300wpm)
“What are you doing here?” We spoke at the same time. I ignored her question and moved her back and out of the way so I could enter and close the door. I crowded her back against the wall, my body shielding her from some unseen force.
“Who hurt you? Look at me, why are you crying?” I wiped escaping tears from the corners of her eyes with my thumbs and held her face between my hands.
“Is it true?” Shit, in my haste I didn’t give thought to the fact that she might be watching that drivel. I’d rushed over but obviously commercials didn’t drag on the way they used to when I was a kid. How the fuck long did it take me to get here anyway? My thoughts were jumbled and that hurt, lost look in her eyes wasn’t helping. When her slight frame started shaking I did the only thing that made sense and pulled her in.
“It’s okay baby, everything’s going to be okay.” I rubbed her back like a baby while she buried her face in my chest and cried. That lasted for all of ten seconds before she tensed up and tried pulling back. I let her get as far as an arm’s reach but didn’t let her go. Now that she was just staring up at me I hadn’t the slightest clue where to begin. Then I remembered her question. Fuck!
“Is what true?” I knew I was only playing for time, then again I didn’t know what had been said while I was in the car on the way here so maybe it wasn’t that bad. Are you fucking bent? She’s devastated, of course it was that bad. Still, I’ve learned a lot by letting other people talk while I listen instead of just jumping the gun.
I finally released her and followed her into the living room where she dropped into a chair like there was no life left in her. “Did daddy really do all those things?” Her eyes begged me to deny, to give her back what she had up to a half an hour ago. I could do that, but what good is that for her?
“What exactly did they say?” I squatted in front of her so I could keep eye contact. After pulling herself together and wiping her nose on her sleeve for the one-hundredth time she finally got up the nerve to look at me. “That he ripped off a bunch of people and the SEC and IRS were coming after his assets. If that’s not bad enough now the whole world knows how he died as well.”
“Okay, which of those situations are you most upset about?” From the look she threw me I’m guessing there was something off about my tone, if she only knew. This is my first time… for a lot of things. Usually I avoid shit like this like the plague and I’m still not sure what the fuck I’m doing here. She’ll just have to deal with me the way I am because I don’t know any other way to be. “I’m waiting Emily.”
“Both. Why didn’t anyone tell me? What about all those people he stole from?” She got up from the couch and paced back and forth in her agitation. I didn’t say anything, as I was sure she wasn’t done yet. I just watched and waited for when she needed me. I took the opportunity to sit on the couch she’d just left so I could keep an eye on her.
Not used to dealing with fractious females here. The members of the opposite sex usually try to be all sugar and cream when in my presence. Except for this one, and of course my mother, when she thinks the infant she’d given birth to had broken one of her golden rules. She held her tongue as her pacing grew increasingly erratic and then she stopped and turned back to me with renewed fire in her eyes. Thank fuck, I’d much rather deal with the spitting hellcat than the broken doll who’d answered the door.
7
Jason
I watched the fire brew in her eyes as the tears faded away. “How am I supposed to get their money back? You knew didn’t you?” She walked over to stand before me, glaring down at me like this shit was my fault. “Yes, I knew, but I didn’t see any need for you to. What else did they say?” She slumped back against the couch as far away from me as possible it seemed, and I hid a secret smile as I realized something.
Even with her red eyes and blotchy cheeks from crying, my body had not stopped responding to her since I came through the door. Of course I’m listening to her, but as I watched her, inhaled her scent that went right through me, I knew I wanted her, and what’s more, I mean to have her. There was no longer a question as to where this was going.