Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 84072 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84072 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
Briggs walks around the couch, leaning down, he kisses Tia on the top of her head.
When he straightens back up, she looks up at him walking away. “What about Wren? Doesn’t she get a kiss goodbye?” Tia asks curiously.
Briggs’s lips curl up into a smile. He walks back toward us, stopping in front of me. He leans down and kisses the top of my head. It’s an innocent gesture, but one that has butterflies taking flight in my stomach. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to this tender side of him.
Briggs leaves, and I finish watching Tia’s show with her. It’s a cute little cartoon that almost holds my interest, if it wasn’t for my stomach growling.
When the show is finally over, I take Tia to the kitchen. She sits down at the table and looks at me expectantly.
“Just bear with me. I don’t know where anything is.” I giggle nervously as I open the fridge first to pull out the milk. Then I start looking through the cabinets for bowls. When I find those, I open the drawers for spoons.
“Cereal is in there.” Tia points at a door.
I open it, realizing it’s a large walk-in pantry with shelves stacked of food. I find the cereal with ease and take everything over to Tia, where I pour her a bowl and one for myself.
“Thank you!” Tia says, before digging into her breakfast.
I pick up my own spoon and dip it into my Frosted Flakes. I bring it to my mouth but don’t get chance to get the spoon past my lips.
“Are you my brother’s girlfriend now?” Tia asks between bites.
I slowly bring my spoon back to my bowl, desperately trying to find a good answer. The truth is, I don’t know what we are. We never discussed it, but it’s clear that we are something.
“Mhhh, I don’t know,” I tell her honestly. “It’s complicated.” That’s an understatement. Me and Briggs are more than complicated. A seasoned couples therapist couldn’t figure us out.
I think about all the bad things he has done to me and frown, but then I think about all the good times, the ones where he protected me and was sweet to me. He definitely changed, but is it enough to actually build a relationship on?
We eat the rest of our breakfast in silence, and I’m grateful for no more questions coming from Tia’s curious mind. When we are done, I take both bowls and load them in the dishwasher.
I’m about to ask Tia what she wants to do next when I hear the front door unlock. “Sounds like your brother is back already,” I say, a moment before I realize it’s not Briggs who has returned.
Robert stumbles into the kitchen, a menacing look on his face as he realizes I’m here. “Tia, go to your room, now,” he orders harshly.
Tia gives me a scared glance, and I nod in response, telling her without words to listen to her dad. Tia gets up from the kitchen table and speed walks toward the staircase.
“What the fuck do you think you are doing in my house, you ungrateful little slut?” he sneers at me when Tia is out of earshot.
“Briggs invited me to stay here,” I say, my voice small and unsure.
“My son doesn’t have the right to! This is still my house, and you don’t belong here.” He takes a menacing step toward me, and all I can think about is how I wish Briggs was here. I glance toward the door, willing him to appear and protect me from his father, but we remain alone.
“I’ll just leave,” I offer, not knowing where to go or how I’m going to get there.
“I have a better idea,” Robert spits, taking another step toward me. “Why don’t I show you the rest of the house?”
My heart beats out of my chest as I realize he is not letting me go. Fear spreads through me faster than it ever has with Briggs. I glance around the room, looking for a way to escape, but Robert is standing in front of the only exit.
Nevertheless, I have to at least try. Making my feet move as fast as I can, I run around Robert and head toward the door.
“No you don’t!” he yells, grabbing me by my hair as I try to push past him. His fingers tighten around my hair, my scalp burning as he pulls me toward him so hard I almost lose my footing. “You little slut, are coming with me.”
I can barely make my legs move fast enough as he drags me down the hallway while I fight him tooth and nail.
“Let go of me!” My desperate pleas fall on deaf ears.
He opens a door and flings me into the doorway, letting go of my hair. I stumble forward, realizing too late that the door leads to a set of stairs.