Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 103852 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 519(@200wpm)___ 415(@250wpm)___ 346(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103852 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 519(@200wpm)___ 415(@250wpm)___ 346(@300wpm)
“So you’ll take me back and lock me up?” I taste salt, and it’s then that I realize tears are soaking my cheeks.
“No.”
“You will! You’ll also take Jeremy away from me for good. You’ll torture me with your silent treatment until I go mad or kill myself.”
“I will not do that.”
“You’ve been doing it already! Can’t you see that you’ve been slowly killing me? Killing us? You don’t even kiss me anymore.” I hate how my voice breaks with pain.
“That’s because you fucking cheated on me! I have only ever been faithful to you, but you met another man behind my back.”
“And you’ve been just using me!”
He sucks in a long breath, calming his voice. “Come down and we’ll talk about this.”
“What’s there to talk about?”
“Everything, Lenochka.”
“I want to know something first.” My chin trembles as I speak so low, I’m surprised he hears me, “Have you ever loved me, Adrian?”
He pauses as if the question is alien to him, but he doesn’t reply. Fresh tears stream harder at the answer he indirectly gives me. He hasn’t. Or, more accurately, he doesn’t know what love means.
Never has and never will.
“Because I loved you.” I lay a palm over my heart and fist the material of my dress. “And it’s killing me every day.”
He extends the hand of his uninjured arm. “Come down, Lenochka. Please.”
“I took your hand before, Adrian, and you smothered me with it.” I smile a little. “I’d rather die quickly than slowly.”
“Lia, no!”
I close my eyes and let the wind take me down.
TO BE CONTINUED
Adrian and Lia’s story concludes in the last book of the Deception trilogy, Consumed by Deception.