Total pages in book: 176
Estimated words: 167257 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 836(@200wpm)___ 669(@250wpm)___ 558(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 167257 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 836(@200wpm)___ 669(@250wpm)___ 558(@300wpm)
He peered over his shoulder at me. “You’ll see.” I held my breath as I watched him stand. “Give me your hand.”
I hesitated for only a moment before shaking my suspicion off and extending my arm. He secured it to the bedpost and then did the other. “You’re still wearing clothes,” I noted breathlessly. It was an attempt at flirtation, but I only sounded nervous. It was then I noticed what he was wearing.
All black—like a thief in the night.
For some reason, it sent a chill down my spine, and I tugged my arms, testing the restraints. I looked at Rowdy and the cold look in his eyes had me realizing what a stupid idea this was. “I-I changed my mind. I don’t want to be tied up.”
Rowdy ignored me as he started for the door. I sucked in a breath when he opened it. I was afraid I’d blown it and he was leaving until another figure, also cloaked in dark clothes but much smaller than Rowdy, emerged from the shadows.
The intruder pulled back the hood covering their head, and when I saw the face underneath, I opened my mouth to scream.
Rowdy had his gun out and pointed at my head before I could make a sound.
“Hello, Professor Saunders. Or is it Todd now since your husband left you for someone less psycho?”
My initial fear faded away as anger returned at seeing her. “I’m not the one who’s sick, father-fucker.”
Atlas’s smile was a little too sharp as she gazed down at me. “You got me there, teach.” I watched her walk over to Rowdy, who was leaning against my dresser, letting Atlas run the show. She gripped his black hoodie in his hands and forced his head down. Rowdy, still under her evil spell, returned the kiss she demanded. It felt like it went on for hours as they licked, sucked, and bit at each other. Finally, Atlas pulled away from the obscene kiss and looked at me. “But if you ever had that dick, you’d understand.”
“You disgust me.”
“Don’t worry, Professor. I’ll be out of your hair pretty soon.” Hope speared sharply in my chest that I might get out of this alive until she said, “I didn’t think you deserved to die. All you did was be a little messy over a crush, but Rowdy insisted since he doesn’t like loose ends. You understand since I’m sure you were planning the same for me. Nice as I am, I actually convinced him to make it quick and was prepared to just let him put a bullet in your brain and be done with it…until I found these.”
She tossed something on my stomach, and I looked down to see the letter I’d written to her mom, accusing her daughter of incest. Underneath it was the letter I’d written to Rowdy’s parents with the same message and another to the radio station.
She sneered down at me. “I guess all’s fair in love and war, huh?”
My lips parted, and I lay frozen while Atlas lifted the gasoline can I didn’t know she was holding and tipped it over. I was helpless to move as she doused me in gas, so I screamed. I cried for help as loud as I could, not caring if Rowdy shot me. It would actually be a blessing if he did.
But he didn’t.
I looked into the eyes of the man I had loved my entire life, and for the first time, I found a soulless monster staring back at me. He didn’t love me, didn’t care for me even a little bit. If only I had realized it sooner.
“A-A-Atlas…Atlas, please! It was never my intention to hurt you! I just wanted—”
“I understand, Professor. I used to think grief made you do things, but love…” She looked back at Rowdy, and he stared back at her, his green eyes softening as they watched each other. “Love will have you follow it into the depths of hell if that’s what it takes.”
She tossed the can aside and lit a match while my mouth parted in horror. Our gazes met briefly over the flame, and then she said, “See you in hell, Professor.”
Atlas tossed the match, and all I knew was pain.
I burst through the doors of Pride of Kings, escaping the freezing winter rain I’d traveled through to get here. Tuesday stared after me, wide-eyed, but didn’t try to stop me as I went through the blue door that led into the workshop.
It felt like déjà vu.
“Owen! Owen! Owen! Owen! Owen! Owen! Owen!”
Big Punisher’s “Still not a Player” was blasting through the speakers, but my voice still carried, drawing the attention of the other mechanics as I ran past their stations until I reached Rowdy.
Hearing me, he climbed out of the black Ford F-150 he was working on and caught me when I slammed into him.