Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 78732 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78732 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
"Promise," I vow, pressing my lips to her forehead before making my escape from the room.
Chapter 18
Kaylee
I knew I was in trouble the second he went to leave the room, and I had to fight the urge to beg him to stay.
I didn't consider myself unsafe until the moment I wanted to cling to him just for his company and not because of what happened earlier today.
I didn't doubt him when he said there wasn't a person here who would lay a hand on me, and although he meant it in a mean, victimizing way, that's not exactly where my head went.
I shouldn't crave his hands on my skin, his lips pressed to my throat, but wishing something wasn't true and it actually not being are two very different things.
That's where the trouble I'm in stems from.
I managed to stay in the bedroom, the scent of his cologne swarming all around me, for half an hour before I had to escape. That's how I found myself standing here, looking through the windows of the walkout basement, knowing that I've never stayed at a hotel as nice as this house.
Praying that the heat of the day has mostly burned off with the disappearance of the sun, I step outside and pull in a deep fortifying breath. It's still warm enough outside, but the oppressiveness from the day is gone.
My phone chimes in my pocket, and before I pull it out, I feel guilty. Morgan is the only one who messages me, and I realize I haven't spoken to her in days.
Morgan: Just checking in!
Me: I'm such a crappy friend.
Morgan: I bet you've just been busy.
I huff a humorless laugh because we both know better, but she's just too damn nice to call me on my shitty friend behavior.
Morgan: Anything new in your world?
I take a look around, seeing the sparkling clean pool and the mini golf course to the right of it. Making a hasty decision, I snap a picture of the waterfall feeding the pool and send it to her.
I'm unsurprised by the FaceTime request that comes a second later.
"Where are you?" she asks the second the video connects.
"At a friend's house," I say, because technically Ellis is my husband, and that means he should be a friend too, right?
"A friend?" she asks in a skeptical tone. I grow a little offended by it, but realistically she should be surprised.
I've been a borderline hermit since we met, and she knows me better than anyone else in my life. She knows just how out of character it would be for me to be hanging out with anyone else.
I look up from my phone, letting my eyes roam over the property, wondering if I should tell her everything.
When I decide not to get into my last couple of days, I have to wonder why I wouldn't share such important news with her. I can't seem to come up with a reason not to, but I still don't speak up about the warehouse, the marriage, or the Mafia-like goons that seem to be keeping tabs on me for some reason.
"I apologize for not reaching out to you," I say, trying to change the subject.
"With your new friend?"
I smile at the inference in her tone. I should've guessed that she would assume correctly that it was a guy.
"What's new with you?" I ask.
She chuckles. "Avoiding the topic, huh?"
"Not much to talk about," I assure her.
"So secretive."
"It's new."
"And you don't want to jinx it?"
I shrug as I spot a bench off to the side of the putt-putt green.
I can't tell her that whatever this is with Ellis is destined to end, sooner rather than later. I can't explain to my friend what's going on when I don't fully understand myself. Everything I've done in the last seventy-two hours has been completely out of character for me, and there's no telling how many more life-altering decisions I'll make before I snap back to reality.
"This is weird," Morgan mutters. "But I guess you'll fill me in when you can."
I fight the wave of guilt because, honestly, I've made my decision to keep quiet, and I know it won't change.
"Anything weird going on in your life?" I ask, wondering if the goons from the warehouse have contacted her.
I hate that I've possibly put her in danger, and I can't help but wonder if Ellis bringing us here, where Dima and his men can't find us, somehow breaks some part of the contract that would lead them to her doorstep.
"I went on a blind date," she says with little enthusiasm.
"Yeah? How did that go?" I ask, although I already anticipate the answer.
"The blind date was a dud, but I got the number of a super-hot guy who was waiting for his car at the valet stand."
"While on your date?" I ask with a chuckle.