Total pages in book: 15
Estimated words: 13385 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 67(@200wpm)___ 54(@250wpm)___ 45(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 13385 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 67(@200wpm)___ 54(@250wpm)___ 45(@300wpm)
An old man, who had definitely seen much better days, stumbled out of her house, clearly drunk off his ass.
The math began adding up in my head. The smell of alcohol. The bruise on her face. His broken knuckles.
Turning to her, I grasped her pale face in my hands. “Selma, baby, who is he?” I asked her. Her bottom lip trembled, fear clouding her wide, blue eyes. “Baby, whoever he is, I won’t let him hurt you. I fucking swear to you that I won’t. Who is he?”
“My father.” Her words were shaky and so quiet, I had to strain to hear her.
I gently stroked my thumb over her cheek. “Did he hurt you?”
Her tiny little nod was all the answer I needed. I handed her my phone. “The passcode is three-nine-five-one. Call the police and let them know you’re attacker is here. Do not get out of this truck, no matter what happens. Understand?”
“Remi—”
I gently shook her. He was coming closer, and I didn’t want him anywhere near her. “Do you understand, Selma?”
“Yes,” she whispered.
I pressed a tender kiss to her forehead before shoving open my truck door and getting out. The old fucker ambled down the stairs, his boots thudding with every step he made. I arched a brow at him. “Bit early for day drinking, isn’t it?” I taunted.
“Fuck you,” he seethed. “And tell that bitch to get out of the truck. She has something of mine.”
I shoved my hands in my pockets. My guard was up, and I was tracking every move he made. “She answers to no one but me, and I told her to keep her pretty ass in my truck. So, that’s where she’ll be staying. I suggest you leave.” I cut my eyes to the white Texas plate on his truck—NLT1495 on his license plate—and looked back at him. “Get your ass back to Texas. You don’t belong here.”
“She owes me!” he yelled. I saw his swing coming from a mile away, but I let him hit me. Because then, breaking his nose would be considered self-defense.
When my fist clocked him in the face, he yelled, his hand clutching his bleeding nose. Blood poured down his chin, staining the front of his ratty old t-shirt. Sirens reached my ears, and he glared at me. I smirked. “You like jail, asshole?” I asked him. “Because that’s where you’re about to fucking go.”
“You piece of shit,” he growled.
I chuckled and stepped out of his way when he stumbled toward me, making him hit the side of his truck. Two police cruisers pulled into the driveway. I walked over to the passenger side of my truck and helped Selma out, wrapping my arm around her waist once her feet were settled on the ground.
“You okay?” I softly asked her.
She cupped my swelling jaw, a frown tugging at her lips. “He hit you,” she said softly.
I shrugged. “Small price to pay to be able to press charges against him, baby.” Leaning down, I softly molded my lips to hers, kissing her soft and slow. She relaxed against me. “Come on. You need to give your statement. I think it’s time to tell me and the officers what happened.”
She nodded and grabbed my hand in hers, linking our fingers together. “Thank you.”
“For?” I asked as I led her to the officer who was waiting to talk to us. Two other officers were trying to wrestle her uncooperative father into the back of one of the cars.
“For being here for me. Helping me. Saving me.”
I softly smiled down at her. “I’ll always save you, baby. Don’t ever doubt that.”
nine
Remi
Selma stepped out of my bathroom wearing a pair of my boxers and one of my t-shirts. She was toweling her blonde hair dry as she made her way to my bed, where I was currently sitting. She hadn’t said much since the cops left her house. Even though she could have stayed there tonight, I’d put my foot down. I needed her with me for a little while after the way I found her yesterday.
She took a seat beside me, and my arm came up to wrap around her on instinct. “How are you feeling?” I asked, my voice low.
She sighed. “Relieved, I think.” She dropped the towel to her lap, staring at the hardwood floor of my room. “I haven’t seen them since I was eighteen—fifteen years ago.”
I was hoping she would open up to me now. I wanted to know everything about her but not for selfish reasons. I wanted to know so I could comfort her properly.
“Why did he drive all this way? How do you think he found you?”
She grabbed my hands in hers and began playing with the skull ring on my middle finger. “My mom passed away, I guess. And I’m guessing she left everything to me. I’m sure I’ll get contacted by someone eventually, but I really don’t care what she left. I don’t want it. Anything she left behind will only hold painful memories. As for him finding me…” Her voice trailed off. “I’ve got no idea. I never tried to hide though. There was no reason for me to; I literally walked out the front door with them sitting right there in the living room.”