Total pages in book: 266
Estimated words: 250787 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1254(@200wpm)___ 1003(@250wpm)___ 836(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 250787 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1254(@200wpm)___ 1003(@250wpm)___ 836(@300wpm)
“Got it. I’ll see what I can find out.” He hangs up.
I immediately call Charlotte. It goes straight to voicemail, so I leave a short message and hang up, return to my bike, and head back to the house, needing to figure out what my next move is.
ANNABELLE
I find myself driving back toward the house that I was running from yesterday. I was arrested and had to call someone. I avoided calling my mother because she’ll ask too many questions. I’m still unsure what happened. I was thrown into a cell and was granted one phone call. I chose Wesley. He was the only option I had. My fake friends would judge me, and I can’t afford to jeopardize that situation. Plus, it gave Wesley a reason to be there for me. To make us feel closer.
Turns out, he didn’t have to bail me out. I was just in holding. Who the fuck knew? I sure didn’t. I’ve never been in that situation before. He took me home and ran me a bath. The tight cuffs left bruises on my wrists. I have a knot on the side of my head from it hitting the hood. The police officer’s fingers left bruises on my upper arm when he dragged me from my car to his.
Wesley wants to sue the police. I laughed. Men like him think the system is broken. If he only knew the Lords existed, he’d see just how fucked he truly is.
Wesley stayed the night with me. Last night after my bath, he took me to get my SUV, and while he cooked me breakfast this morning, I turned my cell on and had one message. It was from Haidyn.
“Ten o’clock tomorrow. I’ll text you the address.” He didn’t even bother to say his name. Not like he had to. I recognized his voice the moment I pressed play.
Was it coincidence or luck that he wanted to see me all of a sudden? I’m thinking the latter. But it’s not like I can turn him down.
Pulling up to the gates that I sat at yesterday morning, I punch in the code that he sent me with the address, and it opens. The house comes into view. The pictures I saw don’t do it justice. It’s much bigger in person and too pretty to be hidden in the woods.
Coming to a stop, I turn off my car and get out. Walking up the steps to the front double doors, I knock.
One of them swings open, and I look up to see Haidyn standing there. I’ve never seen him outside of Carnage other than in the photos the Lords gave me. He’s got a white towel wrapped around his neck draped over his broad shoulders, dressed in a T-shirt with the sleeves cut off and gray sweatpants. Judging by his wet hair and sweat covered forehead, I’d say I interrupted his workout. So he either forgot I was coming or didn’t give a fuck.
“Haidyn.” I nod, and he steps to the side. “Thank you,” I mumble, entering the house and running my hand through my hair. I wore it down today to try to put on more makeup than usual for daytime wear to cover my bruises. Thankfully, my eyes aren’t swollen.
He slams it shut behind me.
He’s in a mood. Of course, he is. I don’t even know why I keep doing this. Because you want this. Do I? I was given a choice, and this seemed like the best one at the time. I’m trying to prove to my family that I’m the daughter they were meant to have. That I’m not a quitter. All I ever wanted was to make my father proud. Typical woman trying to do the impossible. Especially considering he’s dead. Not like he’ll know what I end up doing with my life.
“Do I even want to know how your day is going?” I ask, looking up at Haidyn.
His narrowed eyes land on mine, and I can feel my heartbeat in my cheek. “What the fuck happened to you?” he barks out.
“I’m fine,” I say defensively. How the hell can he tell? Guess I did a shittier job than I thought covering up the marks.
He steps into me and reaches out. I hold my breath when the tips of his fingers run the length of my forehead and gently down the side of my face, pushing my hair back.
I shove his hand away, getting annoyed and self-conscious. “I said I’m fine.”
“Does this have to do with your car being on the side of the road yesterday?”
The hairs on the back of my neck rise. “Have you been following me?” The thought has my stomach doing flips. Does he know where I live? Who I am? No. He can’t know that much. If he did, he wouldn’t be concerned. Instead, he’d be killing me right now. I live in this city too and can drive on the road outside of his house. He can’t prove I was stalking him. Shit! Unless he’s got cameras out by the gate. No. No. No. I stayed far enough away not to be seen for that very reason.