Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 55734 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 279(@200wpm)___ 223(@250wpm)___ 186(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55734 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 279(@200wpm)___ 223(@250wpm)___ 186(@300wpm)
“I need to call my boss,” I say.
“Let me help,” Mom says, grabbing my arm and helping me to stand.
The tears have dried. My cheeks feel tight from the crying. I grab my cell phone and call Carter Weston. He answers after a few rings, the sounds of a bar in the background. I know it’s where he spends a lot of his time when not working. He’ll even go in the mornings—not to drink, he says—but because he likes the noise of them setting up. “It blocks out the demons …”
“Yeah?” he says.
“Damon O’Connell just visited me.”
“Who?”
I quickly explain about the bar and the whole situation.
Carter sighs heavily. “He’s right. We’ve got twenty other cases that could use your attention.”
“What?” I yell, almost adding the fuck. “So you think we should just abandon those kids?”
“Kids are being hurt in unimaginable and unspeakable ways all over this city, Lily. What would you have me do? Solve every damn problem? Our job means accepting that we can’t help everyone. The case has gotten dangerous; it’s interfered with your home life. That means we drop it to the bottom of the caseload.”
“But—”
“Or we could report the incident,” Carter growls. “Then the bosses will ask why he visited your apartment, and then I’ll have to tell them you were there alone. That means both our asses. You know you’re not supposed to be handling this crap alone.”
“I know, but—”
“There are no buts,” he snaps. “Do you think I’m happy about this? Don’t you think I’d help every kid in this city if I could? But we can’t. Not even close. Forget about this case.”
When he hangs up, I jump to my feet and almost throw my phone at my bedroom wall. My head feels cloudy with the unacceptable state of it all. So scumbags can threaten people, use kids, intimidate parents, and there’s nothing we can do about it because he flashed a gun. It’s a joke.
I don’t throw my cell phone, getting a grip at the last moment. Instead, I scroll to Landon’s number. He probably needs to know what’s happening. After last night, calling him feels difficult, like there’s this mental block inside me.
Why did I stop him from kissing me? Why didn’t I just let it happen?
He’s tall, handsome, and so damn intense, but this isn’t about that.
“Should I make us some coffee?” Mom asks, knocking on my bedroom door.
“Uh, yeah,” I say, deciding to text Landon instead. Something about hearing his voice makes me feel … That’s it. It makes me feel. I don’t know how to handle that. I never have.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
LANDON
“No, sir, Doctor Coleman, our most senior oncologist, is on a short break. She’ll be back next week.”
I sit at my desk, drumming my fingers against it, tapping my foot, feeling like I want to be anywhere else and doing anything else except having this conversation. There’s too much riding on it. It’s not logical to face something like this. I can’t neatly put it on a list. Handle death …
“Well, I need the best,” I say, knowing I sound like an ass, knowing I’m stalling.
“With all due respect, I think the sooner we book this follow-up—”
“With all due respect to you, if Doctor Coleman is the best, then I want her. That’s it. Thank you.”
I hang up, actually panting as if I’ve just gone for a run. My head is spinning. My thoughts are crashing like a car collision on repeat. Months, not years …
Standing up from my desk, I pace the room, looking over at the picture of Damon. He’s sometimes called Damon the Demon on the streets, which is probably a nickname the bastard gave himself. My phone vibrates. I want to ignore it. It’s probably the doctor’s office demanding that I book the appointment, Doctor Coleman or no Doctor Coleman, but it’s Lily.
After I made an ass of myself last night, I didn’t expect her to reach out. The world suddenly doesn’t seem as dark until I begin reading her text. Damon came to her house and threatened her.
When I call Lily, she rejects it. I’m with my mom.
Are you working today?
Yeah.
Let me give you a ride.
I wait outside her apartment building, looking between her front window and the park. To think that Damon was leaning against that swing, taunting them from across the street, intimidating them. I want to crush his sneering goddamn face in. Who does he think he is?
Taking out my phone, I check my messages, even if I only checked them a few minutes ago. After I offered her a ride, Lily replied, Uh, sure.
Since it’s a text, there’s no reason for her to include the uh. Maybe I’m looking too much into it, but it’s almost like she wants to make me aware that she feels awkward. Why wouldn’t she? An older man decided randomly to attempt a kiss after an evening of work. I definitely misjudged. I won’t make that mistake again.