Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 44932 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44932 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
The doorbell rang. Pippa froze in the guest room. Who would that be? She listened to see if Zale had heard. The sound repeated. After grabbing Toothie, Pippa scanned the room, searching for a hiding spot. She didn’t know what gave her bad vibes, but everything inside her was on high alert.
“Go to the back of my closet, little girl. Don’t come out until I call.”
Zale’s voice sounded harsh—so much different from when he usually spoke to her. He didn’t pause but continued to the door. Pippa fled across the hall into the master bedroom and into the back of the closet, hiding herself behind his clothes. She gasped when her arm hit an open metal door. Barely visible in the light from the bedroom, Pippa checked inside an opening, noting a box of ammo and some metal rectangular things. It didn’t take a genius to put the pieces together. Zale was armed.
“Who is it?” his voice called from the front of the house.
She could barely hear him. Leaving her spot wasn’t an option. Pippa slid the clothes apart a fraction, trying to follow what was happening.
After a second’s pause, Zale spoke again. “I don’t recognize you. Show me some identification.”
Again, a few heartbeats later, Pippa heard the door open with a slight squeal. She strained to hear.
“Hi. What’s up?”
She cursed inside, not being able to hear both sides of the conversation. How well did she know Zale? Could she trust him?
Yes. Zale won’t put me in danger.
Needing to trust someone, Pippa leaned back against the wall and tried to calm her pounding heart. It was ridiculous, but she had more faith in Zale than in anyone else.
“Gotcha. I’ll be more careful next time.”
Did she just hear him close the door? Footsteps approached.
“Pippa, it’s okay. Just my elderly next-door neighbor’s adult son. He didn’t like the way I mowed his dad’s yard. Asshole.”
The last of her tattered courage evaporated, and she slid down to the floor. Tears cascaded down her cheeks. Her body shook and she couldn’t stop it.
“Pippa? Oh, God, sweetheart.”
She heard a clunk, and the metal door slammed quickly above her. Zale lowered himself down next to her. He gathered her into his arms, drawing her away from the wall, and lifted her onto his lap. Wrapping his arms around her, Zale rocked her.
“It’s okay, Pippa. I’m not going to let anything happen to you. You’re going into shock. I think everything has collapsed in on you. Focus on my voice and touch. You’re not alone.”
She buried her head into his shoulder and looped her arms around his neck. Pippa pressed herself against his hard form, absorbing his heat. She’d never felt so cold. Her teeth chattered.
“Baby girl. You’re frozen. Can you talk to me?”
She shook her head. Pippa couldn’t form words to tell him how terrified she was. She’d kept herself from panicking for hours in that car as she tried to think of something she could do. There had been nothing. She’d even considered running once when he’d stopped on a deserted road for her to pee, but there’d been nowhere to go. Just open fields.
“I couldn’t get away.”
“You survived, little girl. You waited for your opportunity, and you ran. I think you were smart and brave.”
“I don’t feel very brave,” Pippa whispered.
“You get to feel however you want. I’m very proud of you.”
She couldn’t believe how good his praise felt. Pippa didn’t know why his approval meant that much to her, but it did. Tightening her arms around his neck, she wiggled closer.
“Still cold, kitten?”
Pippa nodded. “Is this ever going to get better?”
“It is. We’re going to make it better.”
“How?”
“Tomorrow morning, we’re going to the police station. We’re going to tell them what happened and make sure whoever is involved in your abduction pays,” Zale said with steel in his voice.
“I-I don’t want to do that,” she stammered, leaning back to meet his gaze. The fear in the pit of her stomach rekindled.
“That’s the only way to stop your fear, Pippa. You can’t keep looking over your shoulder. You take back your life.”
Hope battled fear inside her. Could she ever feel safe? She couldn’t live with this paralyzing terror. Pippa jumped as his fingers slid through her hair, interrupting her spinning mind.
“You’re okay, Pippa. I’m going to make sure of it. Will you trust me?”
Pippa couldn’t think of anyone she’d trust more than Zale. Even after less than twenty-four hours, she knew he was rock solid. “I trust you.”
“Thank you, kitten. Let’s get out of this closet. Okay?”
“Okay,” she whispered.
“Good girl.” He reached to the side for the fierce alligator stuffie that had fallen out of her arms when he’d scooped her onto his lap. “You hold on to Toothie.”
Zale slid a muscular forearm under her legs and powered his way to his feet in a move that made Pippa aware of his strength. He carried her into the bathroom and set her on the vanity. Grabbing a washcloth from the towel rack, he wet it and wiped the traces of her tears from her face.