Total pages in book: 30
Estimated words: 27599 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 138(@200wpm)___ 110(@250wpm)___ 92(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27599 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 138(@200wpm)___ 110(@250wpm)___ 92(@300wpm)
I nodded in understanding. When I first started this company, I’d been a one-man show in my sophomore year of high school with way too much time on my hands. It started off with watching people’s houses on the weekends or after school. And then, I bought cameras. And a family in our neighborhood decided to play my “game”. They paid me to install and run their security—only I actually caught someone stealing their kid’s bike.
They began paying me more. Word spread. By the time I graduated high school, I was somehow running security for multiple houses. By the time I graduated college, my business was off the ground and fucking booming.
And now, I was a goddamn billionaire that ran security for politicians, celebrities, and regular people.
“If you need help, let me know,” I instructed.
He nodded. “Appreciate it.”
Montana let out a snore, interrupting our conversation, and I chuckled, turning back to face my computer screen.
8
Montana
I wasn’t ready to do this. I don’t know what the fuck I’d been thinking this morning when I decided therapy was the right thing for me. Because I could barely sit still in my seat as I waited for my name to be called.
Blaze was sitting on one side of me, and Jonah was on my other side. John was texting me, helping keep my mind occupied.
“Is it too late for me to back out?” I nervously asked.
“I’ve already paid the $250 required to see her,” Blaze told me. He placed his hand on my thigh and squeezed until the point it was painful. The constriction around my lungs eased enough for me to breathe comfortably. “You’re going to be fine,” Blaze promised me.
“Look at me,” Jonah coaxed. I turned my head to look at him. Blaze tightened his grip on my thigh again, grounding me. “You’re so fucking brave for taking this step on your own, Montana. We’re both incredibly proud of you. You can do this. You’re going to do this. The first session is always the hardest. The others will be easier to get through once you know what to expect.”
My phone vibrated in my hand, and I looked down at it to see another text from John. This one was a picture—a stupid meme where the cat was sitting with its legs spread, and it said “Look at my balls, bitch! Look!”
I laughed a little, shaking my head.
You’re so fucking stupid, John. –Montana
His response was almost immediate.
Bet it got your ass to smile. –John
I rolled my eyes. A door opened. My muscles tightened, tension threading through my shoulders again. A feminine voice called my name. Blaze released me, and I stood up, drawing in a deep breath. Jonah gently squeezed my hand and then released it.
“Montana?” she asked as I walked up to her. There was a kind smile on her face. She was wearing a pair of black leggings and a plain black hoodie, her wavy hair left hanging around her shoulders. Her face was make-up free, and when I looked down at her feet, I noticed she was only wearing a pair of fuzzy socks.
I relaxed. She didn’t look at all clinical, which helped. A lot.
“Surprised by my outfit?” she asked as we walked down a hallway.
“To be honest, yeah.”
She laughed a little. “I don’t like being uncomfortable. This is what’s comfortable, and since it’s my office, I can wear whatever I want.”
I smirked a little. Even though she was going to end up diving into the horrifying depths of my mind, I already liked her. I felt like I saw some of myself in her because I had an I give no fucks attitude, too.
“I’m Tinsley, by the way,” she told me. “I’m sure you already figured it out, but I wanted to make sure you knew anyway. I don’t like being called doctor. Let’s keep it friendly.”
Worked for me.
She pushed open a door and gestured for me to go inside. The walls were painted a dark red color—almost burgundy, but not quite. Her furniture was black, and she had purple and orange lights strung up around the ceiling. Behind the couch, white twinkle lights floated down. Blackout drapes were closed over her windows, keeping out light.
I loved it. Instantly, I felt comfortable and at ease.
“Like it?” she asked, shutting the door behind her.
“This is fantastic,” I breathed. I took a seat on the couch, wondering how a room like this at John’s might help me when I started hitting lows.
She took a seat in the other armchair and propped her feet up on the ottoman in front of her. “Get comfortable,” she instructed. “You’re going to want to be as comfortable as possible.”
Oh, boy. Maybe that was supposed to make me feel at ease, but it did anything but.
I slid into the corner of her couch, so I had a wall at my back and a wall at my side. I instantly wished I had one of the pillows Blaze had bought me so I could squeeze it to me. No one knew I hugged them at nighttime when I was by myself.