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)
I stumble down the front steps, crying out in pain, and manage to make it halfway across the front yard when Fury barks my name.
I don’t stop.
I have no idea what my plan is, considering I don’t have a car or a phone, but I can’t stay here. I will not be anyone’s burden. I’m not here for a pity party. He thinks I’m weak; he has no fucking idea what it’s like to be so afraid of one single person. To say I have no backbone, how dare he?
“Fuck, Alexis, stop.”
I don’t.
I won’t.
I scurry toward the gate until he stops me with a careful hand around my upper arm. It’s a gentle stop, one that ensures he doesn’t hurt me, but I’m not about to sit back and take him touching me after what he just said. Jerking my arm from his grips, I wail in agony as my ribs pinch and burn. Fury immediately releases me, putting his hands up to show he isn’t going to try and touch me again.
Panting, I drop my hands to my knees, unable to take the pain any longer.
“Alexis, listen ...”
“Do not,” I grind out through gritted teeth, lifting my head just enough to look at him. “Do not tell me to fucking listen. How dare you? Is this some sort of joke to you?”
“You only heard part of a conversation.”
A bitter laugh bubbles out of my throat. “Oh, well, do enlighten me. Because I’m not certain how you calling me weak and saying I have no backbone could be misinterpreted.”
His jaw tics, but he doesn’t say anything.
I straighten, just a little. “I can’t believe I trusted you. I actually thought you could help me, when all along you’re just looking at me as this pathetic, broken little woman you need to help so you can be rid of her.”
“You’re fuckin’ overreacting. If you’ll just listen.”
“Fuck you,” I yell, kicking a heap of dust in his direction and immediately regretting the movement.
“Alex,” Bonnie’s sweet voice fills my ears, and my eyes whip to hers.
“Do you feel the same? After all, you were telling him not to get involved with me. None of you have any idea, do you? Not a single fucking one of you. Tell me, Bonnie, have you ever been afraid in your life? Truly, soul crushingly afraid? To the point where your stomach is always in knots, your adrenaline is always running, and you’re terrified to say the wrong thing every single second of every single day?”
She closes her mouth and shakes her head slowly. “No.”
“No. You don’t. Well let me tell you, I do know what it’s like. I feel that way every fucking day. He scares me, so badly that when he’s around, I withdraw into myself, scared to say the wrong thing because I know what he’ll do. I have no voice, I have nothing, and you’re all here calling me weak.”
Bonnie shakes her head, going to take a step forward, but I stop her by throwing my hand out in front of me. “Don’t.”
“I think you’re incredibly strong,” Bonnie tries. “I was wrong, I’m sorry.”
“It’s too fucking late for that. Screw all of you.”
I turn and hobble toward the gate.
“If you leave, he’ll kill you,” Fury calls.
I pause, turning to stare at him. “If I stay, I’ll kill you.”
His face goes slack, and, for a moment, hurt flashes across his gaze.
It takes me back, and I’m momentarily stunned.
“You’re in pain, if you go out there, you’ll get worse. Please, just let us help you,” Bonnie tries.
I shake my head. “I can take care of myself.”
“Alexis,” Fury growls. “Don’t leave this compound.”
“Try and stop me, Ford. If you do, I swear to everything, I will kill myself fighting you.”
With that, I walk out.
I don’t have a plan; I just start hobbling down the road.
A moment later, a car slows down beside me. The window rolls down and Bonnie stares at me. “I’m not letting you walk into town. You can hate me all you like, but at least let me take you somewhere safe and get you some help.”
I pause, wanting to scream at her to go away, but I know right now I am out of options. I can’t stay at the club, I can’t go home, and I have no phone or car. She’s the only chance I have.
“I’m getting in, only because I can’t take another step. It doesn’t mean I’m okay with what you said.”
She nods, and I hesitantly get in.
Stretching out her hand, she opens her palm and exposes two white pills. Then, she reaches toward the cupholder and hands me a water bottle. I don’t hesitate, I don’t even ask what it is, I just know I need something to help with the pain. Swallowing it, I close my eyes and lean my head back against the headrest.