Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 115619 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 578(@200wpm)___ 462(@250wpm)___ 385(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115619 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 578(@200wpm)___ 462(@250wpm)___ 385(@300wpm)
She is who I need to be thinking of now. How can I feel otherwise? Aching for Callum is pretty much the same as spitting on her memory. I still don't know for sure whether Dad is right and Callum is the one who killed her, but until I know, I have to at least try to remain neutral.
Which means conditioning myself out of obsessing over him morning, noon, and night.
I'm miserable, but that's how it has to be. I hate this sense of this dark, ominous cloud following over me. Instead of rain, guilt and shame shower me all day long. I can’t believe I made it so easy for him to manipulate me.
The parking garage is mostly empty by the time I exit. A few people decided to stay late, but everyone else filtered out a little before me. Even with a backlog of work, I can't bring myself to put in the extra time when I'm so sad, not to mention feeling overwhelmed. It’s not like I’m leaving early, anyway. I’m so wound up in my own thoughts, and need to get home that I don’t hear the door opening.
Or the echo of footsteps behind me.
I don't see him until he's right behind me, his gorgeous face reflected in the window as I'm about to unlock the car door. Even if I want to scream, there’s no time to react. I've barely registered his presence when he clamps a firm hand over my mouth, snaking his thick arm around my waist, before pulling me flush to his muscular chest. Panic grips me by the throat. Is this where his true intentions are exposed and I discover that my father wasn’t lying?
God, I hope not. This would be a terrible way to go.
Somewhere in my mind, an alarm goes off, and I finally struggle in his grasp.
Fight. Don't give up.
“Fuck, it’s been too long since I touched you. Stop squirming, or I’ll end up fucking you against the car door,” Callum growls in my ear.
The deep timbre of his voice sends goosebumps across my flesh. Some of the fear and anger have receded, yet that doesn’t mean I’m not running away from this psycho the moment he releases me. The car door in front of me opens, and he releases me with a shove, forcing me to crawl across the seats.
My hands slip on the cool leather as I put as much distance as I can between us. I didn't recognize his car parked next to mine. Then again, I wasn’t paying attention. Stupid me. I should’ve known leaving the protective nest of my father’s house that he would track me down. A man like him refuses to let what he wants slip through his fingers, and apparently, I’m what he wants today. Callum climbs into the backseat casually like he didn’t just abduct me. He smooths a hand through his dark hair, and I swallow around the knot in my throat.
No matter how handsome he is, I must remember that he’s not a knight in shining armor who was sent to rescue me. He’s the villain, only capable of putting his needs before others.
“What is wrong with you?” I demand, my body trembling.
Anger and fear battle it out. I want to punch him in his stupidly gorgeous face and run away. Adrenaline courses through my veins, and I reach behind me, flailing around while trying to find the door handle.
“Child locks,” he grunts. “To keep little girls from jumping out of the car when they shouldn't.”
I wish—God, how I wish—I could hate him. That sitting this close to him didn't set off a fire in my soul. I wish I didn't want to throw myself into his arms and bury my face in his neck and revel in his nearness. Being near him after days without him feels like I just took my first sip of water after going thirsty for days. My soul is refreshed even if my mind recoils with horror.
I find my voice again while straightening out my blouse with shaking hands. “What the hell do you think you are doing? You can’t just show up at my work and force me into your car. There are cameras, and anyone could have seen. Are you trying to get the police called?”
“Do you think this is the first time I’ve grabbed someone and thrown them in the back of my car?” He lets out a chuckle, and I'm glad he does, even if it terrifies me. It helps me harden my heart so I don't make the mistake of begging him to take me back. I need to be strong, and that would be very weak of me. I have to remind myself that he did not tell me the truth about him still being married and might also be my mother’s killer.