Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 84407 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 422(@200wpm)___ 338(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84407 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 422(@200wpm)___ 338(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Eric: A piece of paper isn’t going to keep me away from you.
I shove my phone into my back pocket, too worried about Dare to wonder if Eric’s threats are empty. Cordell seems to be on the phone, whispering quietly to someone. Matty gives me a nod of encouragement before he follows me to the back of the shop. He stops in the doorway, letting me know he’s there if I need him, but I’m not worried about me.
I find Dare in the drawing room, sitting at his desk, disheveled black hair has fallen in front of his eyes. “Is my client here?” His voice sounds like he’s swallowed glass, and he smells like whiskey.
“You missed all your appointments,” I say softly, and some instinct has me walking toward him as if I’m approaching a wild animal. “Where were you?”
He finally looks up at me, his icy eyes bloodshot and broken as he gives me a cold, dead stare. “You should leave.”
My throat feels thick and my stomach rolls at his words.
“What are you talking about?” I ask, afraid to hear his answer.
I move closer, but I pause when he yells, “Just go home, Logan!”
I stand, frozen in a mixture of shock and sadness, but something in the back of my mind whispers that I knew this would happen. I knew it was too good to be true. I just don’t know why.
“We both knew this wasn’t going to last,” he says, echoing my thoughts, his voice lower but no less detached.
“Yeah.” I nod. “I guess we did. But you’re clearly fucked up, and I’m not going anywhere until I know you’re okay.” Dare has employed me, protected me, sheltered me, and loved me even when I fought it. Even if this is the end for us, I’m not walking away from him.
I grab the first aid kit off the supply shelf behind me before walking over to where Dare sits, dropping to my knees in front of him. His knuckles are bloody and appear to have pieces of bark protruding from the torn skin. He doesn’t object when I take his hand in mine.
“So you were in the woods,” I say, more to myself, as I pull the splinters of bark out and clean the cuts with an antiseptic wipe. His elbows rest on his knees, hands hanging down as I work. He doesn’t stop me. Doesn’t even look at me.
Once I finish, I sit with my palms on top of my thighs, waiting for him to say something—anything. I can’t see his eyes with the way his hair falls in front of them, and I have the urge to brush the inky black strands away. Using one finger, I do just that, and his scowl deepens, eyes clenching shut, almost as if my touch causes him physical pain.
“What happened to you?” I try once more. Yesterday, I had a boyfriend who would move mountains for me. Who couldn’t keep his hands off me. Today, he doesn’t even want me near him.
Dare stands abruptly, his chair rolling into the wall behind him, then storms out of the drawing room without a word. I stand and walk back into the main room. Cord has Dare by the shoulders, trying to get him to focus on what he’s saying, and I’m surprised to see Asher and Camden, Cordell’s brother, coming toward me.
“Give me a few. I’m going to take him next door. Get some coffee into his drunk ass and see if I can figure out what the fuck is going on,” Asher says, his tone brusque.
I nod, sliding my hands into my front pockets. Camden gives my shoulder a squeeze with his tattooed hand.
“He’ll be all right,” he says knowingly. “We all have our shit. Believe me, this has been a long time coming.”
Asher seems to be about as confused as I am, throwing a questioning look at Camden.
“I’ll be here,” I say, biting the tip of my thumbnail.
Cord, Camden, Asher, and Dare all head out, leaving me with Matty. Dare looks over his shoulder at me, and the tormented look in his eyes crushes me. How do you fix someone when they won’t tell you what’s broken? As soon as they’re out the door, I cover my face with my hands, and Matty pulls me into his arms. I let him hug me for a minute before stepping away. I don’t want to cry right now.
I pace back and forth by the cork board on the wall, full of flyers and pictures—including the ones of Dare and I from Halloween—for what seems like hours. In reality, only twenty minutes have passed. Done with waiting, I decide to go check on Dare.
“I’ll be right back,” I say to Matty as I push open the door. I’m halfway between Bad Intentions and Blackbear when I hear my name called from somewhere to the right. I look over to find Eric prowling toward me.