Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 32913 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 165(@200wpm)___ 132(@250wpm)___ 110(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 32913 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 165(@200wpm)___ 132(@250wpm)___ 110(@300wpm)
“Hmm. I suppose that’s not entirely correct,” Sully responds. I didn’t hear him move, but I sense him closer to me. My body recognizes his. It takes me a second to process what he said, though.
“I see you’re starting to understand things.” Jeremiah folds his arms to match my father’s. Seeing the two of them standing side by side mimicking one another helps cool the tingle that was still lingering between my thighs.
“Sully?” I turn my head to glance up at him. He’s right behind me now. I fight the urge to not lean back into him. He’s got his eyes trained on my father and Jeremiah.
“Yes, you’re right,” Sully says. My heart drops for a second. “I completely understand that Orchid can go wherever the fuck she wants to go. Too bad for you two assholes, it's not you she wants to go with.”
Okay, I’m totally turned on again. Sully has his own little magic button to my body. He can flip it so easily, and I’m humming away.
“This is a nice place you have here.” My father ignores Sully’s words. I don’t think they actually register in his brain. The concept of a female having a choice is something he can’t compute.
“It’s insured,” Sully clips back. Now I’m the one not understanding.
My father clicks his tongue. “You don’t want to play this game with me. You can’t always be her shadow.”
“I’ll spend my life being her shadow if she lets me.” Sully smirks. But this time it isn’t the sweet one I usually get from him. No, this one is different. It’s sinful. I bite the inside of my cheek, holding in the gasp of want that’s trying to slip past my lips.
As much as I want Sully’s words to be true, they can’t be. I know how relentless not only my father can be but Jeremiah too. I can’t remember a time when he didn’t stare at me like I belonged to him. There has never been any sweetness in the way he looks at me either. No, it always felt sinister. It was as if he enjoyed the fact that I didn’t want him back. I think that might be part of the appeal for him. Most of the other girls my age at the compound wanted him, and they outwardly showed it to a degree. He’s used to getting what he wants.
“What about your own back?” My heart drops. Did my father really say that? Did he just threaten Sully?
“That’s not a good idea. You shouldn’t have …” My words trail off when Sully wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me back into him.
“Take your best shot, motherfucker. Some of the best have. Me and your God both know you’re not even close to being the best.”
“Orchid, do you know what you’re doing? What’s got a hold of you?” Jeremiah drops his arms. His voice even goes soft for a second. I’ve heard him use it on some of the other girls, and it’s always followed with their giggles. The only thing it does for me is make my skin crawl, but he doesn’t get that.
“No,” I answer truthfully. I feel Sully’s body tense. “Not fully. Yet.” I lick my lips thinking about the way Sully’s lips felt pressed against mine earlier. I can’t help but want to know every inch of Sully.
Sully’s arm tightens around me. “You pricks are trespassing. Don’t make me call the sheriff. I’m done with these games.”
Jeremiah starts to say something, but Father grabs his arm and mutters something to him I don’t catch. He pulls him back toward the truck.
We stand there in silence as we watch them drive away.
“See? I have to run, Sully,” I say when their taillights fade into the distance. “If they hurt you because of me, it would kill me.”
“You running would be the one thing that could kill me.”
11
SULLY
“Sit tight.” I ease Orchid into a chair at my kitchen table, then stride to the front of my house to make sure Tweedledick and Tweedledipshit have truly left. Their truck is gone, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be back. In fact, I know they will. Men like that have never been told ‘no’ their entire lives. It’s like a foreign language to them. One I’m happy to give lessons on.
When I get back to Orchid, she has her fingers twisted together as Orion is trying to get her attention.
“Oh, hey buddy.” She scoops him into her lap and kisses him on top of the head. “Sorry, I was just thinking is all.”
“Don’t worry about those two.” I hitch a thumb over my shoulder. “They’re gone for now.”
“For now,” she repeats with a wince.
I sit across from her and take one of her hands. “You know they’ll be back, don’t you?”
“Yes.” Her bottom lip trembles.