Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 81977 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81977 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
I tried losing myself in work, the work I had put aside to take her shopping today. She was such a delight, found such pleasure in the littlest things. I wouldn't let my mind go to the fact that she was this way because Cliff Sanders had deprived her for so long, when I think of her being a small child at his mercy my stomach hurts.
Fuck, I can't do this. She'll just have to be mad at me for a while, the more I think of it the more I feel like an unfeeling cad for leaving her there. I was hounded by an unsettling feeling in the pit of my gut, had been fighting it ever since I drove away and left her there. Please don’t let her hate me for what I’m about to do. “I’m coming Blossom, for better or worse you’re mine now and I take care of my own.”
I was pulling on my jacket when my phone finally rang, without even looking I knew what it was, my heart raced and my blood ran cold. "Thorpe."
"Ah sir, there seems to be some sort of altercation taking place in the residence should we intervene?"
"Yes, subdue and contain, I'm on my way." This is your fault Gideon, you knew what type of man this was and still you let her go there, how could you? I will have to beat myself up later right now my only thought was getting to her. I didn't call my driver, I took the Aston out myself I needed speed.
I reached the house in less than fifteen minutes, as I walked up to the door I could hear her father railing against my men. I kicked in the door and walked in on my worst fucking nightmare.
One of my guards had the asshole sequestered in a corner of the room while the other sat on the stairs with a crying Ashley. Without uttering a word I walked over to the stairs and picked her up. Her little body was trembling uncontrollably and I wanted to commit murder. I had to shake the blood from my eye before I could see to her. I took deep calming breaths so I wouldn’t scare her anymore than she already was before kneeling at her feet and drawing her into my arms.
I checked her over for any sign of physical harm but there was none evident. I took a sigh of relief at least she'd been spared that, I hoped.
"What happened here Ashley?" I kept my voice level though the rage threatened to choke the fuck out of me. I can’t end her father in front of her. That’s what I kept repeating to myself as I awaited her answer.
She was crying too hard to answer so I turned to my men, they would’ve everything that went on inside the house. "What happened?"
"We heard breaking glass and screaming then crying, we weren't sure what was going on so we called you."
"Thanks guys! Did you hit her?" I looked at the man whose neck I imagined wringing.
"I didn't touch the little bitch."
I made to step towards him until I remembered I was holding her in my arms. She cringed at his outburst and I drew her closer to my chest as if to shield her from his words. How many times had he called her that and worst? The stupid fuck; not now Gideon, take care of Blossom first, deal with him later.
Without another word I turned and walked up the stairs with her still clutching me as if afraid I will leave her. Never a fucking again, at least I had the asshole to thank for giving me this golden opportunity. I kissed her brow and gently passed my lips across hers. “Which room is yours baby?"
I spoke softly as if to a child, she had yet to say a word and I had no idea of the extent of his latest attack and how traumatized she might be.
She pointed out her room to me and then buried her face in my neck. It's when I opened the door that I saw the destruction. Everything I’d bought her had been either broken or torn to shreds. This too was my fault, she'd tried to warn me, but I stupidly believed that my threats would keep him in check.
It seems his hatred of her far outweighed his fear of me, or my retribution. I turned and left the room with her still in my arms. She won't be needing anything here after today.
Downstairs my man was still standing guard over him, I wanted to plow my fist in his face but that would mean putting her down which I wasn't ready to do.
I sufficed myself with giving him a glare, in that look I told him everything he needed to know. His tyranny of her was at an end, now mine of him will begin.