Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 61861 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 309(@200wpm)___ 247(@250wpm)___ 206(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61861 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 309(@200wpm)___ 247(@250wpm)___ 206(@300wpm)
We have to wait for an outcome, and she asked for me the moment she woke. Her parents weren’t happy about that, but there’s nothing they can do about it either. We’ve been together too long. We’re a couple.
Sitting up and taking the cell from his hand, I watch her long blonde hair as she walks out followed by Amy. They seem to talk before two other men get out of the car and walk toward her. I go to turn the video off because I don’t want to see what happens next.
Quinn places a hand over his cell to stop me. “Keep watching.”
I reluctantly do and a smile tugs at my lips. She kicks one of the guys straight between the legs, and just as the other guy grabs her she bites his hand, but then she freezes. Her eyes fall back to the building, and I know what she’s hearing. She’s hearing the gunshots. They put her in the car, and that’s where the video ends.
“Is this all you know?” I ask.
He nods his head and looks to the bed where Livia’s sleeping. “The men have started to arrive.”
I stand up and crack my neck. Sitting all day isn’t good for me. Walking over to Livia, I kiss her forehead before I walk out the door with Quinn following behind me.
“How is she?”
I look back in the room where she still lays there asleep.
Have I ruined her life because I couldn’t pick her? I hope not.
“She’s healing. They’re going to assess her in a few days.”
He doesn’t say anything at first, he’s careful with his words. “But she’ll be able to walk again?”
I nod my head. “Yes, the doctor said so.”
He scratches his head then his cell dings. His eyebrows scrunch together, and he pulls up his phone again. “So, she’s tougher then we gave her credit for?”
“What?” I ask, confused.
He hands me his cell. This time images of the black car that she was forced into. And then something happens. The door opens, and Barbie goes with it. Rolling straight out into oncoming traffic.
“What the fuck,” I yell.
Quinn’s lips turn up in a smile. “Fucking badass that one.” He laughs. I don’t find it funny. Because I don’t know what happened, the only thing I’m thankful for is that she’s not with them anymore. At least, that’s what I hope.
“I’ll be by tonight.”
He nods, walking away.
Walking back into the room, Livia’s awake and watching me. “You don’t want to be here, do you?”
I step to her side and touch her hand. “Of course, I do.”
“Where is she?” she asks, not moving. Her eyes wide. Her hair on top of her head in one of those messy buns.
“Who?”
Livia rolls her eyes at me. “Don’t play games with me, Ryken. Where is Saskia?”
“I don’t know.”
She pulls her hand back. “You really don’t know? Or are you lying? Which you seem to do a lot of with me lately.”
“I really don’t know.”
Livia looks past me then her eyes fall back to me. “I want you to choose me over her. Why is that so hard to do?”
“I don’t want to talk about this now, Livia, you’re healing.”
Her hand scrunches at her side. “Don’t pity me, I deserve more than that. I want to know why?”
Sitting down in the seat next to her bed, my hands lay on my legs as they bounce up and down.
How do you tell someone the real reason without shattering them into a million pieces?
“Because I love her.” Looking back up to her, I think she knows it. I’ve told Livia before that I love them both. She just didn’t expect me to repeat it.
“Do you love her more than me?” I go to tell her no, but the lie sticks to my teeth. “I want the truth... I need the truth.”
“We should talk about this when you’re better. There’s no need to do it now.”
A single tear slips free from her eye. “Don’t bullshit me, Ryken. I fucking love you so much it got me shot. Don’t bullshit me. At. All. Tell me the truth.”
My leg bounces because I want to tell her, but not right now. Except she wants to know. So I don’t know what to do.
“Ryken...” she repeats my name.
“I love her more than I love you.”
She turns her head away from me. “I want you to leave, Ryken. I want you to leave and never come back.”
“Livia...” I say, touching her hand that’s scrunched on the bed next to her. She pulls it away quickly.
“No, I knew it. I always knew it. From that first moment. I tried not to see it, I did my best. But you can’t unsee it once you do. It burns in your brain. The guy you love... loving someone more than he loves you. Now please, kindly... fuck the hell off.”