Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 62811 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 314(@200wpm)___ 251(@250wpm)___ 209(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62811 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 314(@200wpm)___ 251(@250wpm)___ 209(@300wpm)
“I need you to go pack a bag or two. I’m taking you to a hotel until we can get you a new apartment,” I state. “I don’t trust that landlord of yours to try anything else stupid.”
“He was upset because I’m behind on rent.” Shame colors her cheeks as she drops her gaze to the ratty carpet below our feet.
“I don’t care if you scratched his car or killed his dog. He had no right to put his hands on you.” I sigh deeply. “Look, just go pack some stuff so we can find you somewhere else suitable to stay.”
“I…I can’t afford to leave yet,” she stammers nervously.
Her words don’t make any sense to me, as I never said anything about her having to pay for anything. “What?”
“I haven’t gotten my money yet,” she confesses. “I went to talk to Lucian about it yesterday, and he says it takes time for that amount to be transferred.”
I shake my head. “I don’t care about that. I’ll handle it until you get your stuff situated. Go pack your bags so we can get out of this hellhole.”
And I definitely don’t have to tell her twice.
CLEO
Ican’t remember the last time I went to a hotel this nice since leaving Tristan and Talon’s family. It almost feels as if I’m in a dream. After spending the last few years fending for myself and barely surviving with the scraps I’ve managed to make for myself, something as simple as a clean, safe hotel room is like paradise.
“I swear I’ll pay you once I get my money,” I say, but Talon only waves me off.
“We just want you to be safe,” he says and puts my bag down on a chair nearby.
“We?” I ask in genuine surprise. Even though Tristan had his protective, caring moment yesterday, I still can’t be sure if he was just angry that someone was touching me or if he was genuinely concerned that I was being attacked.
Talon frowns at me. “Why do you seem so surprised by that? Haven’t we been helping you?”
“It’s just a bit odd considering that the two of you are the cause for a lot of the things that’ve gone wrong lately.” I shrug. “But I don’t want you to think I don’t appreciate it or anything. I do.”
He gives me a tight nod. “I have to handle something at the front desk really quick.” He points at the nightstand that holds a phone. “If you’re hungry, you can order room service. The instructions for how to do so are on the back of the menu.”
“Thanks,” I say with a small smile.
“Sure. I’ll be back in a little while.”
I nod and watch him exit the same way he came before I launch face-first onto the soft bed. A smile spreads across my face as I run my hands over the soft comforter. I can’t remember the last time I laid on anything so soft and comfortable. My body sags into the soft mattress with a sigh. For the first time in a while, it’s like I can finally take a breath. Things have been hell for the last few weeks and having a small escape—even if it’s just to a hotel room—is well needed.
My mind daydreams about everything I’ll do with my money when I receive it. I imagine having a beautiful apartment in a safe neighborhood, one where I don’t have to sleep with weapons under my pillows. I picture myself going back to school and getting a degree in something that’ll provide me with more stability than bartending does. At this point in my life, I just want a foundation that no one can take from me, one that is all mine and permanent.
One that doesn’t include my past if I can help it.
Talon is back quicker than I expect, coming in with two small buckets of ice. He puts the buckets in the freezer part of the mini fridge before turning his sights on me.
“I figured you’d be there,” he says with a smirk.
“Why’s that?”
“Because your bed at home is shit.” He leaps onto the bed and flops down beside me, putting his hands behind his head. I giggle. He used to do that a lot when we were younger. I used to always fuss at him because he’d just barge into my room and jump onto my bed, normally disturbing whatever I was working on at the time. But now, it’s oddly comforting. It feels like old times, as if we’re the same kids we used to be, but just older.
“Can’t argue with that,” I say after a while.
“I’m guessing you haven’t made it into the bathroom yet to see the shower and the tub.”
“I’ll get there, eventually.”
“I think you’ll like it.”
We sit in awkward silence for a little while longer. Things had been easier when they were mad about not knowing my name, but it’s a bit uncomfortable sometimes when we run out of relevant things to talk about. What do you say to someone that you skipped out on years ago without warning or an explanation? No apology in the world will make up for the time we’ve missed in each other’s lives or the fact that I never even came back after the fact.