Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 64751 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 324(@200wpm)___ 259(@250wpm)___ 216(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64751 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 324(@200wpm)___ 259(@250wpm)___ 216(@300wpm)
My knees shake.
“Indeed,” Ethan murmurs.
Fury doesn’t say another word, he just disappears.
The moment he’s gone, Ethan spins on me, lashing out and grabbing my arm, pushing me up against the wall. “How fucking stupid do you think I am?”
My knees tremble.
“It’s nothing, Ethan.”
“Do you think I don’t know where you’ve fucking been? I track your car, you stupid fucking bitch. You have been at that club, and you think I haven’t figured it out. Are you fucking him?”
“No,” I cry, shaking my head. “No. I have just been dropping Hope off and helping her. I swear.”
“You’re a fucking liar.”
“Get your fucking hands off her.”
Fury’s voice is a whip, and it travels right up my spine.
Ethan releases me, turning to face the angry biker staring him down, his eyes stone cold. “This is none of your concern, biker.”
“You lay a fuckin’ hand on her again and I’ll ...”
“Fury, stop,” I blurt.
“Fury?” Ethan laughs bitterly. “And you want me to believe there is nothing going on. Come, Alexis. We’re leaving.”
“You’re not takin’ her anywhere.”
Fury stands like a force at the exit to the hallway, refusing to let us past. He’s terrifying, and I know he could take Ethan down with one swing of his fist, but that would end so badly. Not only would I lose my job, but probably my life, too.
“Stop,” I cry out. “Not here. Not now. Please. Just let us leave.”
Ethan takes my arm. “You wouldn’t want to cause a scene and have her lose her job, now would you, biker?”
Fury’s jaw tics.
“Uncle Fury?”
Hope’s small voice comes from behind Fury, and he immediately gathers himself. Turning, he stares down at her. “What is it, honey?”
The way he talks to her has my heart racing.
He cares about her.
So much.
“I need to use the bathroom.”
Fury looks back up at Ethan, who is grinning now.
He knows as well as I do that Fury won’t act out in front of Hope, and he’s right. Tugging his hand, Hope has him turning, and as his gaze rolls over mine, I can see the wild rage in his depths. He wants to stop this, but he knows he can’t. As Ethan pulls me past him, I know that my night is about to go in a direction that I will never come back from.
Everything is over for me.
Fury just made sure of it.
8
Sitting in my car, staring down at my trembling hands, I try to gather myself. My breathing is ragged, my mouth is tender, and there is blood running from a wound in my head. My ribs feel as though they’re broken, and every breath is like fire. Ethan made sure that I would never, ever cross him again. He ensured I knew that for the rest of my days he was in control.
I can’t live like this anymore.
The pain and anguish I went through tonight was enough to cripple something inside me.
I don’t want to suffer anymore.
I want out.
So, I ran.
I don’t know where I was planning on going, but I knew that I couldn’t stay for a single second longer. Even if it means I spend the rest of my life in prison, it has to be better than this. If I didn’t run, he could have killed me tonight. I’m sure he would have, if I didn’t stop the attack by fleeing. He nearly caught me as I ran out the front door. For a split second, I knew that if he caught me, I would die tonight.
He's tracking my car, and I know that he will find me if I don’t get out of it, so that’s what I do. I pull over on the side of the road, I leave my phone inside, and I get out. Every single part of me burns as I take one step after another, walking into the darkness on the highway, unsure where the hell I’m going.
I walk down the side of the road for what feels like hours.
Every single car that approaches, has me hiding behind a thick tree, terrified it will be Ethan. It’s the low rumbling sound of a motorcycle that brings me pause. One singular light comes toward me, and I don’t run. I don’t run because I only know one person in this world who rides a motorcycle that sounds like that. As it slows, the light shining on my broken and bruised face, part of me prays it’s actually Fury.
He might just be the only person who can save me now.
The motorcycle comes to a stop, and heavy booted feet hit the pavement. Before I know it, he’s in front of me, his hand cupping my face as he tips my head back. I can’t see him, we’re in pure darkness, but I can feel him. His fingers graze over my face, feeling every inch of it. I know he can feel the warm blood, the puffy swollen eye and most especially, my split lip.