Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 23205 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 116(@200wpm)___ 93(@250wpm)___ 77(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23205 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 116(@200wpm)___ 93(@250wpm)___ 77(@300wpm)
I’d tried to fight, but I was no match for them. One backhand sent me to the ground hard. When I came around, I was tied to the chair. Mrs. Birch was still out, and I could hear Beau barking from somewhere inside the house.
I’d been so scared and heartbroken listening to them talk about the things my father has done. The small flame of hope I had for my father turning his life around was stomped out. But what weighed on me the most was my fear that I’d never gotten to tell Boone what he meant to me. That no matter how this all turned out, he’d been my hero. The only man I’ll ever love needs to hear those words from me.
“You’re going to be fine. I don’t think you have a concussion, but I’d still like you to wake her every hour through the night to be safe.” Dr. Adam pulls his gloves off.
“I can do that,” Boone agrees.
“And Mrs. Birch?” I ask again.
“I’ll check on her now.” Dr. Adams pulls out his phone, making a call.
He’d told me already she was okay and on her way to the hospital to get a more thorough check over because of her age. Beau is thankfully fine and has made himself at home on the end of the bed. They locked him in a room to keep him back. Thankfully they didn’t try to hurt him for protecting me. I guess they cared more for a dog than they did for a woman.
“She’s fine,” Boone tries to reassure me while the doctor talks to someone on the phone. I turn my head to face him, but he keeps looking straight ahead. I feel like he doesn’t want to look at me. “She’s tougher than all of us.”
“He’s right,” Dr. Adams says as he ends the call. “I’m keeping her overnight as a precaution.”
“Should we—”
“No,” both Boone and Dr. Adam say at the same time.
“You need to rest,” Boone orders. I don’t think he’s going to let me out of this house ever again. I’d only gone out on the porch and look what happened.
“She’s going to be taken care of, and her husband is with her.”
“Will you look at my husband's hands?” I ask.
“No,” Boone responds before the doctor can answer me. I hate whatever this is that has come over him. It’s killing me inside.
“I think I’ll leave you two be. I’ll call tomorrow to check in.”
“Thank you,” I say as the doctor leaves the bedroom, closing the door behind him. The room grows quiet, and I start to worry Boone is mad at me. He’d told me not to go outside. I hadn’t fully listened, and in my excitement I’d broken the one rule he’d given me.
“Boone, kiss me.” Finally he turns his head toward me, and his fingers tighten around mine.
“They touched you.” I flinch, pulling my hand out from his.
Is that why he doesn’t want to look at me? I don’t understand. I’d lied to Boone that first night and told him I’d been with someone else. He didn't care then—well, not enough to stop him from having me.
“Fuck!” He sounds irritated as he jumps up from the bed. “I didn’t mean it that way, petal. I mean I failed you.” He pushes his fingers through his hair. “I’m your husband. I’m supposed to protect you. I told myself that’s why I could have you, and because of your dad’s dealing it’s why it wasn’t fucked up that I bought you. I knew I’d be good to you and I’d do right by you. I’d be better than anyone else your father might have tried to sell you to and I failed!”
Hope blooms in my chest. He’s not mad at me. He’s pissed at himself because I was in harm's way.
“You didn’t fail me. You saved me.” I stand from the bed and walk over to him. “You saved me,” I repeat. “You’re my hero and I love you.”
“You love me?” He stares down at me like I’ve said the most ludicrous thing in the world.
“Well, I will be upset if what that man said about you dating that supermodel was true.” It’s terrible, but out of everything, that’s what made me livid. Sadly, it wasn’t shocking that my father’s love had a price on it, but Boone made me believe we could be real. He wanted us to be real.
“I don’t even know what you’re talking about.”
“I saw the picture.” I roll my eyes and start to take a step back. Boone reaches out and snags me around the wrist, pulling me back into him. He might not think he should be kissing me, but he’s not letting me go.
“Are you talking about Christy Campbell?” I bite my lip and look down. His hand comes to my chin, tilting my head back up to look at him. “I’ve never dated her. We both were donors for an event a few months back and posed for a few pictures. I was already obsessed with you, and there’s no way I’d ever do that to you. I’m not that man. I’m not your father.”