Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 32755 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 164(@200wpm)___ 131(@250wpm)___ 109(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 32755 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 164(@200wpm)___ 131(@250wpm)___ 109(@300wpm)
The apartment smelled like her. Damn it, he felt an ache deep in his gut, one that wasn’t going away. Hands clenched, he made his way toward her bedroom, taking his precious time so he didn’t scare her. All he wanted was to watch her. Arriving in her bedroom, he saw she was already asleep. One of the pillows was in front of her body and she held it tightly. This was not a calm sleep, but one fraught, and he couldn’t have that.
Removing his jacket and boots, he rounded the bed so that he was behind her. Being ever so careful, he slid in, wrapping his arms around her waist, and holding her. Another whimper escaped her, but when he pressed his face against her neck, the tension in her sleeping body seemed to ease. The panicked breaths faded away. Callie, slowly, with him holding her, began to sleep peacefully. He would hold her for a lifetime and more.
“Oh, Callie,” he said. “You have to know deep in your heart that I would never hurt you. I would never dream of taking you from this world.” He pressed a kiss to her temple. “All it took was a picture.” He kissed her again and breathed her in.
He needed this just as much as she did. He didn’t want to stop. Closing his eyes, he held onto her, feeling his own heart start to slow down. She comforted him as he did her.
“I will always protect you. I will always be here for you, and nothing and no one will take you away from me. Not ever.”
He pressed his lips together a little afraid to say the words aloud. They would be so easy to say. So easy to tell her. But he’d never said those three words to another soul. Ruin, the Bogeyman, had never loved anyone in his life, until Callie. She had entered his world, a woman he was meant to kill, but he loved her more than anything, and in some crazy way, he wanted to try and build a life with her.
Chapter Nine
It had been three months since Callie learned the truth about Ruin, and she stared into the mirror of her bathroom with a little more dread.
For a couple of weeks, she could pretend vomiting in the morning and the scent of coffee had something to do with a mysterious illness, but not anymore. Not after nearly a month. Her breasts were starting to feel sensitive and her skirts and pants were a little uncomfortable. Her clothes were not fitting great.
She was pregnant, she was sure of it. Pregnant by a man who had been sent to kill her.
It was a Saturday morning, no work today. She needed to get a pregnancy test and try to come up with a plan. She placed a hand on her stomach. The evidence was right there in the swelling and the morning sickness. She couldn’t drink coffee anymore either, and certain foods made her feel sick. This was not a good thing. Even as she was terrified of the prospect of being pregnant, a tiny part of her was a little joyous. She would be a mother, have a child of her own. It sounded like a dream and a nightmare at the same time.
Running fingers through her hair, she knew she needed to get a grip. Ruin would be out there waiting for her. Splashing water onto her face, she attempted to freshen up. She grabbed her toothbrush, some toothpaste, and scrubbed at her teeth. Afterward, she swigged back some mouthwash, cleaning away the vomit. Once that was done, she started to feel a little like herself.
She looked at her jeans and shook her head. They had stopped fastening last week, so trying to put them on would be pointless. It was so embarrassing. She had no choice but to grab the only pair of sweatpants she owned, and a large shirt that had seen much better days. She ran a brush through her hair, but left it in disarray. Now was not the time to be neat.
She could be pregnant.
Grabbing her bag, she left her apartment, rushing toward the main door. If she ran, there was no doubt Ruin would get suspicious. If she made her way toward a busy part of the city, where a potential artisanal market had come to visit, she’d be able to make her escape. With a semi-plan in mind, she started walking.
The moment she stepped out onto the street, she was aware of Ruin. He looked terrible. It was the first time she had allowed herself to look in his direction. His suit was crinkled, his hair a mess, and there was several days’ worth of growth on his face. That wasn’t all. She stared into his eyes. He was torn. Callie couldn’t move. She looked at him and saw a man who was hurting. This was not a man who had complete control. He was a man in pain. Callie pressed her lips together. You need to go and get a pregnancy test.