Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 77857 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77857 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
He’d been in my home. He’d been around my things. My mom’s things.
This was happening. I hadn’t imagined it. I’d thought leaving would fix it. He’d let me go. How wrong I had been. And now … now, my mom was happy. I couldn’t ask her to leave it all. Not because I’d trusted the wrong guy. This was my problem. Not hers. I needed to figure out how to protect her.
Forcing my legs to move, I walked back to the ring, picked it up, and shoved it into my bag. It wasn’t safe for Saxon here, and he was sitting out there in the car, waiting on me. I had to get him away from this place. Grabbing the last few things I needed, I hurried out of the trailer, locking it behind me. Although I wasn’t sure what good that did. Nothing seemed to be able to stop Tyde.
Hide. I had to find a place to hide. Get a new job somewhere safe. Maybe Mom would start staying at Garrett’s more. I could move the camper. Find a more hidden place to park it. Explaining that to my mom though would be difficult. I couldn’t let her suspect anything. If she did, we’d be gone within hours.
Saxon was out of the car and holding open my door when I reached the vehicle. I gave him a smile that hid the terror currently gripping me.
“Sorry it took so long,” I apologized.
He frowned. “You were barely in there.”
It had felt like I’d been in there for years.
I climbed into the car and buckled up, then studied the trailer for signs of Tyde being there. I heard Saxon get in and close the door. He didn’t need to come back here. I was putting so many people in danger. I would leave tonight if it wasn’t for my mom. She’d panic. Freak out and find me. I had to do this so that she stayed calm.
“You good?” he asked me.
No. I was so far from good. “Yeah, just tired.”
“That’s understandable. You’ve had a long day.”
I simply nodded. Thankfully, he didn’t ask more questions on the drive to Trev’s house. Other than asking me about my music preference, we sat in silence. It gave me time to think, although I didn’t have an answer to my problem by the time we drove under the big arch leading into Hughes Farm.
“Wow,” I whispered when we pulled up to the mansion that the Hughes called home.
“It’s impressive,” Saxon agreed.
“They live here?” I asked, already knowing the answer but still amazed.
He chuckled. “Yep.”
I wished I could have seen my mom’s reaction the first time she saw this place. She would have been thrilled. This was a new, exciting experience. Her favorite things in the world. There was no way I could take this from her.
Opening the door, I stepped out, still taking in the sprawling property.
“Looks like Trev invited some people. I know those cars,” Sax said, carrying my cake that Trev had bought me in his hands.
I glanced over to see two expensive sports cars and three luxury SUVs parked to the far left of us.
“I’m giving you a heads-up now. There are at least three girls here who would lick his fucking feet if he told them to. One for sure will be topless. Trev’s pool parties normally end up a little wild.”
Topless? Great. I was going to get to see Trev making out or groping boobs. Not what I was in the mood for today of all days. I simply nodded. If that was the case, then I knew which bikini I was wearing. I’d brought two. That information made my decision for me.
“Thanks for preparing me,” I replied.
We walked up the stairs to the house, and Saxon rang the doorbell. A short, round, older lady opened the door and beamed up at Saxon, then turned to me, still smiling.
“Come in,” she said, stepping back. “It’s always good to see you, Saxon. How are your parents?”
“They’re doing good, Ms. Jimmie,” he replied. “Uh, is Garrett home yet? This is Gypsi Parker—”
“You’re Ms. Parker’s daughter. Of course! You are as beautiful as your mother. Come, come. I have your room all prepared for you. Mr. Hughes and your mother have gone out to dinner, but they’ll be returning soon. Trev is out at the pool with friends if you want to get changed and join them. I was just about to take out some refreshments to them. What is this you brought, Saxon?”
“Chocolate peanut butter cake. It’s Gypsi’s, but she’s going to share.”
She reached out and took it from him. “I’ll go put it in the kitchen cooler until she wants it,” Ms. Jimmie said to him.
I was glad Mom wasn’t here. It would give me time to relax. She knew me too well, and fooling her was more difficult than it was with others.