Total pages in book: 42
Estimated words: 38157 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 191(@200wpm)___ 153(@250wpm)___ 127(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 38157 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 191(@200wpm)___ 153(@250wpm)___ 127(@300wpm)
“You have to hate me,” he said, his voice catching at the end. “A man like me isn’t good for a girl like you.”
He was wrong, so very wrong.
“If you say so,” she murmured. Leaning in closer to his bare chest, she kissed him gently, then her tears flowed even harder as the words flowed. She could not hate him. “You did that because you had to.”
I felt like a real woman. You make me feel like a real woman.
How could she get him to see? This was the moment, here, in the dark, when they were alone and bared to one another, when she could entrust herself to him. In the light of day, they’d have to pull up their facade again, feign hatred and maybe even violence. Who knew what tomorrow would bring?
Resting her hand flat on his chest, she spoke frankly, softly. “You were not the one who took my innocence. You were not the one who stole my purity. I was defiled long before you ever touched me.”
She’d said too much.
Trust me, he’d said. Could she trust him?
“I don’t hate the man I call Daddy,” she whispered, tracing a finger along the prickly dark hairs on his chest. “You’re the only man I’ve ever called that.” She made a face of disgust, as if she’d eaten something rancid, and her mouth twisted. “But my father… I hate him. I hate him so much.”
Cole’s hand reached for the back of her neck and squeezed. “He violated you,” he said, the barest lilt at the end of his voice, a question. One tilt of her head with closed eyes was all she could muster.
It still came to her in the night, the sickening hopelessness and terror, the nausea she felt when touched by soft, greedy hands. She needed the strong, sometimes painful touch of the hardened man who now held her, the loss of control with him that somehow freed her from the shackles of shame and bitter memories.
She nodded her head again. Had she said too much? But no. His grip tightened and to her surprise, his whiskered lips grazed the top of her forehead in a fierce kiss.
“Soon. So soon, you will see, it will all come to light. Until then, you need to trust me. If I say fight me, you fight me. If I say obey me, you obey me.” He paused and his voice deepened. “And Aida, if I say run, you run.”
A chill ran down her spine and the small hairs on her arms rose, but she nodded.
“Yes, sir,” she whispered.
Cole’s voice had hardened when he spoke, though he still spoke low enough that no one would hear him but Aida. “I can’t say much to you, not now. But you mark me, Aida. He’ll never lay a hand on you again. His day will come. He’ll pay for what he’s done.” His voice was deep and menacing now. “I’ll see that he does.”
It was with that final promise that she became devoted to him. She would trust Cole to exact justice. If anyone could, it would be him.
The tears started afresh as she squeezed her eyes shut and nodded. She hiccupped and wiped the back of her hand across her eyes. “I’m a mess,” she sniffled.
“Aren’t we all,” he replied, which made her giggle.
“Well, I suppose we are,” she said. A brief pause, then she whispered, “Daddy?”
Heat flared in his eyes. “Yes, darlin’?”
“Can they see us now?”
He shook his head. “No, honey.”
“Good,” she said, as she pushed herself up on her elbow and leaned in to kiss him.
Chapter Thirteen
By night, Love, tie your heart to mine, and the two together in their sleep will defeat the darkness. ― Pablo Neruda
Cole held her until she was breathing softly on his chest, her body stilled and at peace. Given what would happen next, it was now imperative that she trust him. He breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that somehow, he’d broken through to her. As he watched her still, sleeping form curled up on him, he did his best to tamp down the feelings toward her that had now shifted. He’d wanted to keep her distanced, but now that they were nearing the end of their time together, he no longer wanted to push her away. She was no longer simply part of the plan. She trusted him. She submitted to him.
He’d kill the fucking bastard that violated her.
She’d still obey him, though. His jaw clenched as he thought about the dangers that lay ahead of them. He lay with her in his arms, until the wisps of moonlight gave way to dawn. Gently, he pushed her onto the bed and tucked the blanket around her as he got to his feet. He retrieved his shirt, careful to avert his eyes so he wouldn’t be looking toward the peephole, buttoned it and grabbed his bandanna, tying it around his neck loosely, so he could slip it up and under his eyes when the time was right.