Total pages in book: 161
Estimated words: 154882 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 774(@200wpm)___ 620(@250wpm)___ 516(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 154882 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 774(@200wpm)___ 620(@250wpm)___ 516(@300wpm)
Seizing the window frame, I propelled myself out, jumping for the branch. My calves struck the wood, and I missed.
“Ahhh!”
I tumbled through the air, striking the ground front-first. The impact boomed through my body—ripping air out of my lungs, blinding the world in pain.
“Ma— Mackenzie?” Charlie’s cry penetrated. “Mackenzie Blaine! You stay right there,” she screeched. “I’m calling the police.”
My jacket. The phoenix. She knows it’s me. She’ll tell the police. I have to go, my mind shouted. Get up. Run!
I crawled across the lawn, face soaked and crying harder as Laurel’s sobs rang in my ears. Pushing myself up on shaky knees, I took a step and fell.
Her front door banged open. “Don’t move! How dare you break into my house!”
I shoved up, swallowing the pain, and ran into the street.
Beeeeep!
Whipping around, my vision bled white in the headlights. Squealing tires rang through the street—the last sound I heard before the impact threw me off my feet.
Chapter Eight
“Kenzie!”
A hard body slammed into me, knocking me off my feet. We landed hard on the sidewalk, the shouts of Charlie, the neighbors, and the driver waking up the whole neighborhood, but none as loud as Sunny’s.
Falling on top of him, my face was in his, watching it crumple in agony.
“Sunny, what—? Are you okay?”
“My b-back,” he forced.
“What are you doing here?”
“Stupid girl,” shouted the driver. “What were you doing in the middle of the road?”
“We... have to go.”
“But—” Sirens lit the street.
“We have to go now!” Sunny lifted me and ran. He cut through two houses, sprinting across their lawns. I breathed out, but not in. The shock wore off and summoned the pain of Laurel, Charlie, the fall. I didn’t move or speak as Sunny saved me, leaving the sirens fading in the distance.
We hit club street. The noise, sounds, and smells battered me, and all I wished to do was sink into a hole where I wouldn’t be found. I frightened my daughter. Abandoned her screaming in her crib while I fled like a criminal into the dark.
“Whoa, dude.” Someone laughed nastily. “Where are they handing out the cute drunk chicks? I’ll take one home.”
I finally looked up at Sunny. “Stop,” I croaked. “Sunny, stop. Put me down.”
He stumbled into Club Heaven’s alley and set me down. I peeled off my jacket as he slumped on the brick, panting.
“What were you doing there?” My voice sounded dead to my own ears. “Did you follow me?”
Sweat beaded on his forehead. “Fucking right, I followed you. You were acting weird all evening, then you said you were going to sleep and took off. I overheard you and Sienna talking about a place you shouldn’t go, but do anyway. I’m guessing we just came from there.”
I shut my eyes, hugging myself. “Thank you for saving me. The car would’ve hit me if you hadn’t pushed me out of the way in time, so... thanks.”
“That’s it?” Sunny asked. “That’s all you have to say.”
“We should get going—”
“What were you doing, Kenzie? I saw you.” Two fingers grasped my chin—gently, but firmly, making me look at him. “You broke into that woman’s house. Why?”
“It’s complicated.”
“So uncomplicate it. Tell me the truth.”
My heart thudded in my ears, amazing me that it still beat. It felt like a dead thing in my chest. “You wouldn’t understand.”
“Try me.”
“It’s nothing, Sunny. When I was kicked out of my apartment, Luca sold all my stuff. That woman bought a necklace that belonged to my mother, and I tried to get it back. She caught me. End of story.”
Sunny’s face shuttered closed.
“That’s it,” I said, voice growing smaller. “Really.”
“You’re lying.” It wasn’t an accusation. Sunny spoke it as a simple statement of fact. “You don’t want to tell me, and you don’t have to.”
My eyes swam. “Sunny.”
“It’s none of my business. All that matters is you’re okay.” He said all the right things, and with each, the dead thing shrunk—withering inside my rib cage. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”
“Sunny, please.”
He said all the right things, but he didn’t smile. He didn’t grin or call me a silly pet name. The silver sun in his orbs, brightening at the sight of me, went out. Sunny gave me his back. “Let’s go home.”
“My daughter,” I sobbed, sinking to my knees. “She has my daughter, Laurel. She’s nine months old.” Silence filled the alley. “Sunny? Say something, please.”
“Pie.”
I goggled at him. “What?”
“Pie,” he repeated. “I know a place that’s open late. Serves the best strawberry pie you ever tasted.”
“But...”
“That’s what we need right now.” Sunny lifted me in his arms again. “Pie.”
SUNNY SLID ME ANOTHER piece of pie. He was right, it was the best damn thing I ever tasted.
“I was an intern at Caddell House,” I began. “Me and Lyla. The two of us graduated Cinco University the same year with the same degree, and got two of the eight converted internships. Lyla never liked me in school. She thought my designs were bargain basement and hers haute couture. She was kind enough to tell me every chance she got.