Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 69155 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 346(@200wpm)___ 277(@250wpm)___ 231(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69155 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 346(@200wpm)___ 277(@250wpm)___ 231(@300wpm)
“What was it like there?” I ask her, sitting on the sofa.
She leans forward, placing her elbows on her knees. “It was fine. Honestly. He treated me well, for the most part. It wasn’t a violent existence. He took care of me, he fed me, he loved me. Sure, he gave me drugs and I will admit my life was somewhat of a blur, but I was living that life on the streets anyway. Only I was in a whole lot more danger out there.”
“He never hurt you?” I ask, quite shocked at this revelation.
She shakes her head. “Not really, no. I mean sure, there were times ... he got angry or I did something wrong, but mostly, he was good to me. I was his favorite, I know that. But I loved him. He loved me. I know that nobody believes that, how could they, they only see what they want to see, but it’s the truth. Just because it was broken doesn’t mean it wasn’t real.”
My god.
This girl is tugging at my heartstrings in a way I haven’t felt in such a long time.
I feel her words more than she’ll ever know.
“I know what you mean,” I say to her, my voice soft. “I know because I have lived through something nobody could understand either. Hell, I didn’t understand it half the time, yet I couldn’t walk away. I truly loved him, though. In the most twisted, sick way. I did. I really did.”
“Is he the one who hurt you?” Cova asks, her eyes meeting mine.
“Yes.”
“Briella told me you were in hospital because your ex hurt you. I’m sorry that happened.”
“It’s life, isn’t it?” I say bitterly, then give her a smile.
She smiles back. “Yeah, I suppose it is. Listen, I like you. You’re the first person since I’ve been in this god forsaken place that I’ve actually wanted to talk to. I’d like to hang out sometime ...”
I give her a bigger smile than the one I was already giving her. “Sounds great to me.”
And just like that, I have found someone who understands.
“I’M NOT SNOOPING, ALARICK,” I mutter, crossing my arms. “I already gave you something good to go off, but I’m not going to look into Blanche. I’ve told you this, and I mean it. I’m sorry you don’t like it, but you have to know I’m not risking everything for something I know isn’t a thing.”
“It is a fuckin’ thing,” Alarick growls, pacing his office, arms crossed. “You’re refusin’ to see it, but it’s real and you’re the only fuckin’ person close enough to find what we need.”
“What we need is to find Dax, what we need is to do a search on his house, what we need is to get into that god damned house and look around. What we don’t need is to waste our time looking into an officer that has nothing to do with this.”
Kendric, who is sitting on the sofa beside Bohdi, stands and walks over to me, stopping in front of me. “You need to do this.”
“I’m not doing it, Kendric.”
His eyes hold mine, angrily. “You’re wastin’ fuckin’ time because you refuse to believe that he has anything to do with this. We find out what he knows, we find Dax. You want me to go down?”
“Fuck you,” I snap, angrily. “You know damn well I don’t want you to go down. I’m doing my best.”
“No, you’re fuckin’ not.”
Rage bubbles in my chest, and I struggle to push it down. I’m trying to help them, but they’re so set on Blanche that they’re not seeing anything else. They’re not even willing to consider that they’re wasting time. I’m not risking everything for them to be chasing their damned tails with the wrong fucking thing.
“God dammit, I’m not listening to this anymore. I have things to do, I have a person to find and you’re all wasting time on Blanche when you could be out there finding Dax.”
I turn and walk toward the door, but Kendric walks up behind me and stops me, hand on my shoulder. I turn, jerking my shoulder from his grips. I’m wild with anger and he’s staring at me in a way that tells me he damn well knows that. “You’re working at his house tonight, at the very least, look around.”
I shake my head, frustrated.
“I’m going to meet him for lunch. I’m not discussing this. I actually have a job to do.”
“Where are you goin’?” Alarick asks.
I look to him. “What?”
“Where are you goin’ for lunch?”
“The Water Bar, why?”
“I was curious. Nothin’ major. Keep your eyes peeled, Zariah. You’ll see we’re right about this, I just hope it’s not too late.”
I make a loud, angry sound in my throat and storm out.
I’m frustrated.
And fuck them.
Seriously. Fuck them.
I stop in the toilet before I leave, and just as I’m walking out, I slam into a hard body. Kendric puts his hands on my shoulders and pushes me back in, slamming my back into the basin. “What are you doing?” I cry, shocked.