Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 107630 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107630 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
I enjoy the roughness of his palms on my thighs. I let his thumbs brush over the backs of my knees. And when his hands rest on my lower legs, I throw my arms wide in a T and tilt forward, trusting that he’s got me. And he does, balancing me by leaning back instinctually.
“I’m flying!” I shout into the nonexistent wind.
I hear his laugh, and then I’m pushing off his legs to dive into the water. When I surface, I wipe my eyes and find Ben staring at me in surprise.
“A little warning next time? I thought you were falling,” he says, but he’s smiling.
Maybe I am. A little.
Chapter 10
BEN
The beach area of the lake Hope took me to was surprisingly empty when we arrived. And also, calling it a beach is pushing the word to its limits. It’s basically a sandy dirt shoreline. But she did say that it’s more of a “town secret” than the advertised dockside beach, where they haul in actual sand, plop umbrellas down, and have vendors toting coolers to sell snacks to the loads of visiting people. And for the entire time that we swim in this more private spot, the shore has stayed vacant.
Until now.
“Hope!” a voice yells, startling Hope enough to cause her to splash in the water, sending a bit into my eyes.
Wiping my face, I turn to look toward the shore, and I feel Hope retreat into herself instantly. “Shiiiiit! That’s Roy,” she hisses.
I figured that out by the furious look on his face and the way he’s standing, legs wide and arms held out at his sides to make himself look larger and more intimidating. Guessing he doesn’t like seeing me with his girl.
No, not his girl. Hope’s her own woman now.
“Maddie sold you out.” I knew I didn’t like that woman or the way she was looking at Hope, but Maddie should’ve minded her own business and left us alone.
Too kind, Hope instantly forgives the shopgirl, who doesn’t deserve a bit of her good heart. “Yeah, she probably thinks she’s helping me in some twisted, weird way.”
“What d’ya want to do?” I’ve already come up with a dozen ideas, most of them involving the two of us leaving this beach and never seeing Roy again. Some of them are even legal. Several definitely aren’t.
How often do you think they dredge the lake to look for bodies?
Hope sighs heavily. “I should talk to him.”
Nope. It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell her fuck no to that shit, but I bite it back. This is part of the process for her. She’s going to have to stand up for herself to Roy’s face. It’s the only way she’ll truly be free. But just because I know it’s true doesn’t mean I like it.
“Then let’s go,” I say, taking her hand and starting toward the shore. Because if she’s doing this, she’s doing it with me by her side. That’s a damn-straight surety. “Can I give you a little piece of advice?” She dips her chin, looking like she’d take any and all advice to make this moment not so awful. “Say what you think, what you feel. If it messes shit up, so be it. Because the alternative is not saying it, and then it’ll fuck you up inside instead.”
“I think maybe I’ve already done that,” she whispers. “The fucked-up inside part, I mean.”
“Nah, you’re sorting yourself out pretty well, I think.” I flash a knowing grin at her, completely ignoring the asshole glaring at us from a few feet away. Her lips twitch as though a tiny hint of a smile is trying to get out, but the gravity of what’s waiting melts it away. “One more thing.”
“What?”
“I’ve got your back no matter what. I won’t let him hurt you—physically, mentally, or emotionally.”
Once we’re on solid-ish ground, Roy still waits for Hope to come to him, like he’s some righteous king standing on pomp and circumstance on his ancestral land. But when she’s close enough, he reaches for her hand, ripping it from mine. “What the fuck are you doing here? Who’s this?” he snaps.
The only thing that keeps him from meeting my fist firsthand is that Hope yanks her hand away from his, effectively shaking him off. “Ben. He’s a friend.”
“You let all of your friends touch you like that?” Roy sneers, accusing Hope of so much more than a little game of Titanic.
Secretly, I’m glad he saw. In fact, now seems like a real good time to adjust my dick in my shorts. I don’t try to hide the move, and Roy’s eyes narrow sharply, knowing full well what has me stiffening up even in the cold lake water. Hell, this neon atrocity is nearly suctioned to me now that it’s wet, so he can probably see for himself what Hope’s doing to me.