Total pages in book: 195
Estimated words: 185573 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 928(@200wpm)___ 742(@250wpm)___ 619(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 185573 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 928(@200wpm)___ 742(@250wpm)___ 619(@300wpm)
“Going somewhere?”
A light flips on, and when I glance in the direction of the voice, Kodiak is on the sofa in the living room, sitting like a sentry in the dark. Challenge flashes in his eyes when my face falls, and I’m not thinking clearly when I bolt. I don’t even know where I’m going, but I run down the hall toward the room at the end.
I skid through the doorway and manage to slam it shut just as his footsteps echo down the hallway. He’s coming for me, and I have to get away. I flip on the light to look for a window, but when I do, my heart jumps into my throat.
An image on the wall captures my attention, followed by a hundred others. The breath in my lungs suffocates as I stare at the girl who could be my twin. There are so many pictures of her. Articles, letters, and… an entire freaking shrine. That’s what this is.
Who the hell is she?
In my shock, I barely register that the door opens behind me. But when I feel the air change, it triggers my natural instinct to run. I try to head for the bathroom, but this time, I only make it as far as the doorframe when he grabs me from behind and yanks me against him. When I fight back, he hauls me to the bed and presses me facedown into the mattress, using his palm to pin me in place.
“Stop,” he commands.
“You’re insane!” I scream at him. “You have a shrine for that woman in your bedroom. Oh God, please don’t kill me.”
His dark laughter does nothing to allay my fears, and when he rolls me over and forces the tangled mess of hair from my eyes, I have a direct view of the psychopath holding me hostage. And Lord help my soul, he’s the most beautiful monster I’ve ever seen.
“I told you what I wanted,” he snarls. “Running isn’t an option for you, Bianca. You can make this all go away. All you have to do is tell the truth.”
Curling my fingers around the fork in my hand, I take a deep breath and try to hold back my tears. I don’t want to stab him, but what choice do I have? He’s out of his mind, and I can’t trust him.
He’s waiting for an answer when I silently count to three and thrust the fork upward, lodging it into his forearm.
“Sonofabitch,” he hisses.
Storm clouds roll through his eyes, and I know I’m screwed. But when I notice the blood seeping from his wound, I start to gag. It’s a reflex.
“Oh God.” My stomach churns violently. “I stabbed you!”
Those are the last words I manage before I vomit up my dinner.
Chapter 18
Madden
—PAST—
“Do you have anything to share today, Bianca?”
I feel her eyes on me as everyone’s attention turns to her. It’s been two days since her parents left, and the staff made it abundantly clear that I’m not to speak to her. She hasn’t tried, either. At least not in front of anyone. I stopped going to our spot at the lake at night, so I have no idea if she’s been there. I told myself I don’t care either way, but that’s a lie. I’ve been a surly fuck, and it’s all I can do to sit here and listen to people carry on about their problems day in and day out.
I’ve been here for a year doing this bullshit, and honestly, I’m just fucking tired. I’m ready to leave and never come back. I’ve been coasting along, not giving a shit about anything, but she made me give a shit about her. I still haven’t quite wrapped my head around that, but it doesn’t matter. I saw the control her family has over her. I can’t change that, and it would be better if I just accepted it now. Bianca is a good girl, and she proves it when she finally speaks up, doing exactly what her parents told her to.
“Yes, I’ll share today.”
I pull my hoodie lower over my face and slump down in my chair, acting like I don’t give a fuck while I settle in to listen.
“I guess the reason I’m here is because I feel like I’m failing everyone in my life,” she says. “No matter what I do or how hard I try, I can’t make everyone happy. And it’s killing me inside because I don’t want to hurt anyone.”
My leg moves, tapping against the chair as agitation builds inside me.
“And what about you, Bianca?” the counselor asks her. “What do you want?”
“I want…” Her voice fractures, and I glance up to see tears welling in her eyes as she shakes her head. “I don’t know anymore. I’m so confused.”
I stand abruptly, knocking my chair back as I do, startling everyone.