Total pages in book: 130
Estimated words: 118333 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 592(@200wpm)___ 473(@250wpm)___ 394(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 118333 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 592(@200wpm)___ 473(@250wpm)___ 394(@300wpm)
“Saffie,” Saffie offered and gave Adelita a weak smile.
“Saffie.” Adelita noticed all eyes were on her. She turned to me, and my chest fucking cracked. She gave me a shaky smile, then chin high, said, “I am ready to go back to the room now, Tanner. I believe I was never meant to have left under your president’s order, yes?” I wanted to bring her to me, fucking crash her to my chest, but I knew if I did, she would fall apart. And that would humiliate her. Adelita had her father’s pride. A pride I would never break in front of my brothers. In front of anyone.
Taking her hand, I turned and pushed through everyone. “I’m taking her to my room,” I told Styx as I passed the prez. I didn’t wait to hear what he had to say about it. I knew Adelita was a few minutes away from breaking, if the shaking of her hand was anything to go by. As we reached the hallway I heard the quickening of her breath. I pushed through my door, pulled her inside and flicked the lock.
When I turned, it was to see Adelita’s face and body crumble. In seconds, I had her in my arms, keeping her from dropping to the floor. Adelita was shaking with racking sobs. Her hand came out and held onto my shirt, but her hands were trembling so much they slipped from me. Scooping her up in my arms, I took her to my bed and laid her down. I kept my arms around her as she broke apart. I kissed her head. I fucking kissed every part of her I could. My shirt grew wet with her tears, but I didn’t give a shit. Adelita had every right to cry. She’d just found out her papa was not only a fucking trafficker, but liked to fuck kids too.
As if she was reading my mind, Adelita lifted her bloodshot eyes to me and asked, “How old is she?” Her voice was raw and hoarse from crying. I knew she meant Saffie.
I tried to think. “Not sure. Fifteen, I think? Somewhere around that age.”
Adelita’s eyes squeezed shut. “And how old was she when she came here?”
I shrugged. “Don’t know, princess.” I sighed. “If you’re asking how old she’d have been when your old man . . .” I left it there. I didn’t need to end that sentence. She knew what he’d done. “Young. She’d have been real fucking young.”
Adelita’s face fell and more tears streamed down her face. “Did you know about the trafficking?” I shook my head. Adelita wiped her eyes. “I don’t know my father,” she whispered and stared across the room at nothing. “I have no idea who I have been living with my whole life, but he is a stranger to me. A demon who has just been discovered residing in a man. A man I love.” She swallowed and rested her head on her bent legs. “She’s a child, Tanner. A child.” Adelita’s bottom lip shook. “He . . .” She winced. “She’s a small child . . . and requested her, he—”
“Stop,” I instructed. I knelt up on the bed and cupped her face. “Stop fucking thinking it right now or else you’re gonna lose your mind.” Adelita’s hands gripped my wrists and her eyes squeezed shut.
“I can’t . . .” she whispered. “I cannot simply erase the thoughts from my mind.” Her head bowed like she had no energy left to keep her head upright. “The look on Saffie’s face . . .” Her shoulders dropped too. My hold on her face seemed to be the only thing keeping her from falling to the bed. “Her mother’s face hearing her daughter had had that experience . . . the mother herself . . . and the blonde who had relations with Garcia.”
Adelita lifted her head and there was a fucking storm brewing in her dark eyes. “I knew him, Tanner. I dined with him at my father’s table. We broke bread and drank wine. I . . .” Adelita’s face flushed with what looked like embarrassment. “I enjoyed his company.” I tensed. “Not like that, baby,” she said quickly. Her eyes lost some of their clouds when she saw my jealousy. “Just . . . in that he seemed like a good man.” She laughed a single laugh. She stared at the monitors I had in the corner of my room. But I knew she wasn’t really looking at anything. “My father was right. You were right.” She turned to me. “When we first met you called me a naïve, privileged princess who knew nothing of the world. Stuck in my ivory tower built on blow.” Her bottom lip trembled. “And you were right. Only I wasn’t alone in that tower.” Adelita squeezed my wrist like I was her only fucking anchor. “I thought I lived there with knights . . . turns out I was trapped amongst monsters.”