Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 89758 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 449(@200wpm)___ 359(@250wpm)___ 299(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89758 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 449(@200wpm)___ 359(@250wpm)___ 299(@300wpm)
Finally, he nodded his head. “Okay,” he replied.
Henley beamed so brightly that it was as if I had just given her something instead of the opposite. She stood back up, and I focused hard on my words, knowing I needed to speak. She wouldn’t understand my silence.
“I don’t know how to thank you for this. It’s—no one—I’ve never—well, no one has ever helped us before. I am at a l-l-loss as to what to s-s-sa-say or do.” That was the truth. I was clueless. I was very close to bursting into tears.
Henley glanced back at Rio, who had stood quietly behind her since their arrival. It was clear by the expression on his face that he did not want to be here. He was here because of Henley. I could see the uncertainty there in his eyes and the concern. Henley being around me worried him. I understood. Right now, I was worried about our safety too.
“I, uh, I should tell you that I do not know …” I paused then and looked down at Cullen. He didn’t need to hear what I was going to say. Bending down beside him, I took his small hand. “Hey, buddy, go back and watch your show, okay? Let me tell them bye, and then I will get you a snack.”
His eyes lit up at the word snack . He nodded his head then, forgetting his new friend, and ran back to the sofa. The promise of a snack always seemed to work. It was still new to him. Having food in the kitchen that he could eat between meals.
I turned my attention back to Henley and Rio. As much as I didn’t want to look at him or speak to him, he was here with her, and he needed to hear this. It was clear his concern was for her safety, and her helping us could put her in danger.
“I don’t know what Tory was doing exactly, who she might have owed money to.” I paused, shifting my gaze between the two of them. “I’m not sure yet if I should be expecting someone to show up, demanding money or payback of some sort. It’s not a world I’ve ever lived in. It’s her world. Not mine. The little I know of it is that her addiction causes her to make selfish decisions,” I explained quietly, not sure if Cullen was trying to listen or not.
“Having help with Cullen so I can work would be great, but for now, I need to stay close. I can’t put you or anyone else in danger. I’ve got to wait this out,” I finished.
Henley’s expression didn’t change. “You’re afraid you and Cullen could be in danger, but you’re not sure?” she asked me matter-of-factly.
I nodded.
She looked back at Rio and said nothing. He, however, seemed to understand what she was saying without words. He gave one nod, and she turned back to me.
“I’ll look into things. I can find out if your sister left behind any debt,” Rio said.
“Thank you,” I replied, not sure how he would do that but thankful he could and was willing to.
“He will also stay here tonight to make sure you’re safe,” Henley added.
“He d-d-d-doesn’t n-need to do th-that,” I stammered, feeling my face heat at Rio’s reaction to that.
He would not want to be here or help me.
“If Tory owes someone, then, yeah, I do,” Rio said.
Henley smiled, obviously pleased with the plan.
I stood there, confused by him agreeing to stay and afraid to try to argue. My words were once again a struggle. I stared at Rio, torn between wanting the security of him being here and hating the idea of owing him anything. Even gratitude.
Chapter Seventeen
Rio
What the fuck had I just agreed to? I looked over at the kid. He was supposed to be watching the movie, but his gaze locked with mine. He knew he’d been caught listening, and his eyes went wide before he swung his attention back to the television.
How many times had people come knocking on our trailer door, demanding money from my mother that she didn’t have? How many times had I hidden in my room, under my bed, in my closet, while she paid them back with sex acts that I could hear? How many times had she left with them and not come home for days? How many fucking times had Tory done this to her son?
I turned my attention back to Bryn. “I’ll stay just to be sure no one comes tonight. Then, tomorrow, I will handle things. I know who she was tied up with, and most of them were arrested. They won’t stay locked up forever, but when they are free, Tory should be, too, and she can clean up her mess.”
Bryn massaged her temples, then sighed before finally looking at me. “Whatever n-n-needs to be done to-to-to keep Cullen s-safe,” she said.