Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 90855 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 454(@200wpm)___ 363(@250wpm)___ 303(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90855 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 454(@200wpm)___ 363(@250wpm)___ 303(@300wpm)
“Please j-just hear me out. It’s all I ask.”
“Fawn...she needs you.”
“I l-lied, I s-said her mom’s n-not letting you in—-” But then realizing that his words could be misconstrued, Grant said in a rush, “B-but you can go there a-anytime. N-no one’s g-gonna stop you.”
He didn’t stop knocking on the window as he spoke, a part of him hoping that the nonstop rapping sound just might convey his desperation. That, or annoy the hell out of Reid Chalkias until the other guy was forced to speak to him directly.
“S-she asks for you every day.”
His knuckles started to feel tender, but Grant kept knocking on the window.
“Please. She needs you.”
More minutes passed, and his knuckles were now raw, his voice hoarse. “Please. She doesn’t d-deserve to suffer more than she already has. So p-please. Come.”
****
He appeared by her doorway, looking every inch the Prince of Darkness. Hand-tousled ebony black hair, eyes hidden behind dark glasses, and his lean, powerful body sheathed in a black leather jacket, white shirt, and jeans.
He started to walk towards her bed, and her heart, which was ironically the least bruised part of her body, started to squeeze until it was even more painful than the stinging wounds on her face.
The distance between them continued to shrink, and the more her heart wept.
She watched him slide into the vacant chair next to her bed with exquisite grace, watched him turn to her, his gaze still hidden behind his glasses.
He was so, so close to her now.
And yet—-
Why wouldn’t her heart stop weeping?
A full minute passed, neither of them speaking.
Finally, the prince reached for his glasses, slowly, gracefully pulling them away from his beautiful face—-
Ah.
She saw his eyes.
And knew.
Fawn quickly turned her back. “I’m tired.” Her voice was thin and pinched, like someone unable to breathe. And it was hard, oxygen unable to find a way to get past the tears.
Behind her, the prince said softly, “I warned Bennett this would happen, but he didn’t believe me.”
She didn’t speak, only squeezing her eyes shut.
You’re such an idiot, Fawn Cornwall.
“But now that I’m here – may I ask...if you’re alright?”
She raised her arm, giving him a thumbs-up in the air without turning back.
The prince chuckled.
It was a husky, sexy sound, a familiar sound, and her heart continued to weep.
Four days. It had taken him four days to visit.
You’re such an idiot, Fawn Cornwall.
This was the part where her other self would usually come to drive her crazy, playing the devil’s advocate, but this time it remained hurtfully silent, almost as if everything in her wanted Fawn to finally hear what the prince had done his best to tell her all along.
She heard the sound of his chair scraping against the floor, and her heart jumped.
No.
She heard the unmistakable sound of the prince coming to his feet—-
“You’re really going?” Her voice came out thin, low, and dull.
“Yes.”
Her heart shriveled.
You’re such an idiot, Fawn Cornwall.
She had always known he was cruel.
So why, why dear God, why did it still surprise her that he could be cruel to her?
Because she thought he loved her?
She could no longer help it, pushing herself up as she turned around to face him, asking brokenly, “Why?” Her voice shook. “Why is nothing I do not enough?”
The prince’s beautiful face remained blank.
“Just tell me—-”
The prince’s sigh cut her off. “You know why, Fawn.” His voice was viciously gentle in its politeness, someone who was being cruel to be kind. “You already know.”
Ah.
You’re such an idiot, Fawn Cornwall.
She shook her head. “I d-don’t.” She didn’t give a damn if she was being an idiot. She wanted, needed, to stay an idiot.
“You’ve been here for four days.”
And yet he hadn’t come.
She said desperately, “Grant said m-my mother banned you—-”
The prince raised a brow. “And you believe that alone could stop me from visiting?”
You already know.
She stammered, “Grant’s p-parents are powerful—-”
The prince’s lip curled. “And I’m not?”
You already know.
And just like that, they were back to square one.
Her heart weeping—-
And the prince not giving a damn.
A crazed laugh escaped her, even as she started to cry—-
“Are you seriously doing this to me now?”
The prince’s face hardened. “There’s nothing I hate more than someone who uses tears to get her way.”
Ah.
She couldn’t stop laughing and crying. Finally, finally. She was able to make the prince show some kind of emotion, but of course it had to be disgust and irritation.
When the laughter and tears didn’t stop, the prince said, “This isn’t going anywhere.”
She watched him walk away.
She wanted to call out to him.
She wanted to tell him she loved him, she loved him so, so much, she loved him forever—-
But she just couldn’t stop laughing.
She couldn’t stop crying.
She had a feeling if she stopped——
The door closed behind the prince.
And still the laughter continued to spill, the tears continued to fall.
Grant burst back into the room, stumbling towards her.