Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 65354 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 327(@200wpm)___ 261(@250wpm)___ 218(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 65354 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 327(@200wpm)___ 261(@250wpm)___ 218(@300wpm)
My heart started racing. I crouched down and froze as I saw Lucas walk into my house, seemingly unaware of me in the kitchen, and make his way towards my studio.
Ryder picked up the phone after the third ring.
“Hey—”
“Ryder,” I quietly interrupted.
“What’s—” he started to say.
“Tell Perry to come to my place immediately. Side door.”
“What? Okay.”
The line went dead.
I grabbed a knife from the counter and slowly made my way to my studio.
Lucas was standing there with his back to the door looking at my almost finished picture. In one hand he had a picture I had finished the week before. He walked up to the painting and went to take it off the easel. He pulled away his hand and turned the palm towards him to see the wet paint stain his hand.
He looked to the left and then the right and slowly turned around. His face was ashen and his eyes grew wide as he saw me with the knife pointing at him.
Lucas dropped the canvas and raised his hands.
I screamed as loud as I could.
“What are you doing here, Lucas?” I asked, sounding braver than I felt.
“Your SUV? I—I thought you weren’t here,” he said.
At that moment, Perry arrived. His gun was drawn and he nodded at me. I stepped back and Perry entered my studio. Lucas got down on his knees. Perry pulled out a pair of handcuffs and began reading Lucas his rights.
“Elyse?”
Ryder stood in the doorway.
“How did you get here so quickly?” I asked, dropping the knife to the floor.
He walked up to me and pulled me into his arms. “I was hoping to surprise you and I was in the neighborhood.”
I started to cry. Memories of the worst night of my life started to flood my mind and I could not fight the emotions.
Ryder led me into the living room and sat me down. He got me a glass of water and listened to me tell what happened.
A few moments later, two officers appeared. One started taking down my statement while the other took photographs and began dusting for prints.
“Did the alarm not work?” Ryder asked after the police left, taking Lucas with them.
“The room was stuffy,” I replied. “I opened the side door for some fresh air. Something I never do. This was my safe space.”
“Your safe space is now with me. I’ll protect you,” Ryder said as he kissed my forehead.
He took me to the studio, left much the same as before everything happened. Ryder stared at my work with an expression of awe on his face.
“This is incredible, Elyse. Your work takes my breath away.” He shook his head and turned to face me.
“Good,” I stepped into his arms and gave him a slow kiss. “Perry told me what you two cooked up about this place, which through no fault of yours or Perry’s didn’t prevent me from letting in a burglar.”
“I want you safe always.” He looked into my eyes. “You need to focus on something else. I’d love to take you to dinner tonight.”
I had him make a list of what he wanted in a house over dinner, which was perfect as I thought about our future home together instead of what had happened that afternoon.
I still felt weird doing this and wanted every detail I thought I needed. I took it and read through the wants and needs, chuckling. “This sounds like a great house already.” There was a budget at the bottom of the paper that reminded me of just who my boyfriend was.
“I think so.” He paid the bill, and we headed out. We drove his car to the condo and went right to bed, making good use of the time. I slept deeply despite what had happened the day before. I kissed him goodbye in the morning and settled back on the huge bed to close my eyes again. I had an afternoon shift at the store, but nothing more planned. Tori met me at the end of that, and as we left the store to grab dinner I told her about what happened the day before as we walked to the restaurant. She was silent as she listening to me retell the story. She shook her head and swore under her breath at the end.
“I had no idea that Lucas was so scuzzy,” Tori said as we arrived at the pizza place.
I felt confident all of a sudden. I had a man who loved me, a baby on its way, people cared about me, my art was selling, and I’d confronted a thief. Life was good.
“Why are you smiling?” Tori asked.
I shrugged my shoulders. “Where’s your tablet? Let’s start looking at houses.”
I took the tablet she handed me after we ordered pizza.
“I feel like I’m mooching,” I said as I found the first real estate site that came up.