Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 74123 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 296(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74123 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 296(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
“Oh no! Did Aunt Sharon know?”
“I’m not one hundred percent certain but it wouldn’t have benefited her if your mom was alive because she’d lose those checks she received for taking you in.”
“I feel awful. I used to have such horrible thoughts about her.”
“It’s okay now, baby. She’s at peace. Tracy and Edmond are reunited now. And one day you’ll see them both.”
Her grandmother’s words were comforting. But then another thought occurred to her.
“Grandma? You used to talk about supernatural elements a lot. I always kind of thought you were just eccentric but somehow I came back to life five years in the past.”
“Yes, I knew you never took my beliefs to heart and that’s okay. I believed enough for the both of us. Everyone has a predestined path when they’re born, but sometimes when we diverge from said path, our lives are cut short. I’ve been watching you and I saw that you veered from your destiny the minute that Caldwell boy entered your life. You were never supposed to marry him so when your life ended abruptly, your guardian, me did a little wheeling and dealing and gave you a second chance.”
“Is that how Ethan came back as well?”
Grandma smiled and took Amina’s hand in hers. “You two are connected,” she answered the question indirectly.
“You said you had to make a deal? What does that mean?”
The older woman stroked Amina’s cheek.
Amina leaned into the warmth of her grandmother’s caress. “Please tell me, Grandma.”
“I’m not allowed back into paradise for a while. I’m stuck in limbo until your life cycle ends naturally and that won’t be for a very long time. And when it does, I’ll be here waiting for you and we’ll go to paradise together hand in hand. As for now, it’s time for you to go. Like I said, you still have a lot of living to do. But you have to want it.”
Tears once against sprang to her eyes. “But Grandma, I don’t want to leave you.” She held on to her grandmother.
Grandma kissed her on the forehead. “It’s time for you to get back Amina.
Amina’s eyes popped open and the pain, of her neck being squeezed with so much force was nearly enough to make her pass out again.
With her air supply cut off, her lungs burned as if they were on fire. Despite, scratching and clawing at his arms and hands Mark continued to choke her.
Remembering a move she’d once seen in an action movie, she spread her arms wide to give her momentum and then clapped her hands over Mark’s ears with as much force as she could muster.
“Dammit!” Mark screamed, releasing her. He grabbed his ears.
His temporary disorientation gave her the chance to roll away from him. She crawled to the door and even made it to her feet but once again as she reached the door, Mark gripped her shirt.
Amina wrenched herself out of his grasp knowing that she wouldn’t get out of this hotel room without a fight. She whirled around with her fist clenched and gave Mark a right hook to the jaw.
He stumbled backward.
Amina made her way to the door once again, but then she remembered all the times he’d put her down, terrorized her, and beat her into submission, Amina realized he was owed a lot more than just one punch.
Getting in the stance Ethan taught her, she checked his chin with a left followed by a right. Then she belted him in the stomach. Rage carried her as she began to rain blows to his head and chest.
She made sure to clock him in the ears a couple times, knowing with absolute certainty that she’d ruptured one of his ear drums judging from the blood oozing down the side of his face.
Mark tried fighting back, throwing wild punches in her direction, but he was off balance and wounded.
Amina released a primal scream as she sent a blow to his stomach making him bend over. With her adrenaline racing through her veins she reared her foot back and kicked her directly in the face.
The sickening crunch of bone followed by Mark’s howl of agony didn’t stop Amina when he fell to the ground. She delivered kick after kick to his body, not caring if she killed him.
That’s enough baby.
The words were her grandmother’s but there was no one else in the room except Mark who was passed out and Candace crying on the floor holding her knee.
Just then a pounding on the door sounded. Amina turned to answer it, but her head grew fuzzy.
Finally able to open the door, her heart was lifted in relief when she saw Ethan standing on the other side.
Amina smiled tiredly. “You came,” she whispered before everything went black.
Chapter
Twenty-Six
“I’m sorry I haven’t had a chance to meet with you Glen, but there’s been a lot going on,” Ethan took a seat at the table where Glen had been waiting for him.