Total pages in book: 154
Estimated words: 142664 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 713(@200wpm)___ 571(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 142664 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 713(@200wpm)___ 571(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
I didn’t pull the covers away from her face; I just dragged her into my arms and held her as close as the bulky duvet would allow. I didn’t speak or try to get her to. I was just here when she needed me.
It was she who got closer, she who snuck her hand from under the covers to clutch at me. She wasn’t making a sound, and neither did I. She’d talk if and when she wanted to; just as long as she wasn’t crying, I was fine with whatever. Then again, given what they said and their reactions, crying might be better?
She maneuvered herself until she was practically on top of me, and now I was the one covered with the hot-ass duvet. I didn’t complain, though, even when she moved around until she was settled, using my body like some kind of springboard.
Once she was settled, sprawled all over me with no care for my comfort, which I didn’t mind, I decided to test the waters. “Do you want to talk about it?” She shook her head no, which was enough for me. I just held her closer, tighter, and kissed her head.
She still didn’t speak, but I knew the minute she fell asleep because her body relaxed and her breathing became even. I waited a few minutes more before sliding out from under her and leaving the bed and the room. I was pissed beyond belief and barely holding it in.
I headed to my office and called up my head of security. “Why didn’t I know that her parents have been reconciled for ten fucking years?”
“Um, you didn’t ask us to look at them.”
“Do it now, I want everything by tomorrow morning.”
I hung up the phone and sat for a minute more, trying to get my breathing under control. I can’t fire my team for something that was my fault, I guess, but I wanted to, which isn’t fair. I’m just mad because she’s hurt, and I have no experience with this shit.
This isn’t something I can throw money at or browbeat my way into, all of which I would have no problem doing. But I don’t know what to do about whatever the hell this is. She hasn’t spoken one word and now she’s asleep, and I have no idea what to expect when she wakes up.
So, all I can do for now is get her as much information on the situation as I can and go from there. Now I sit here wondering how I myself would deal with this if I were in her shoes. Her brothers say she’s not mad but hurt. I think I would prefer the former because the way she’d just shut down can’t be good.
I don’t remember falling asleep the night before. I’d come back to bed and got her and myself undressed so we could at least be comfortable. She hadn’t even stirred while I took care of her, but she’d crawled onto my chest as soon as I got back into bed beside her.
I guess it’s something that she sought me out in her distress, but I’d still rather she scream and yell at me. My eyes flew open with the morning sun, and I looked down at her immediately.
Her head was still on my chest, and she was still passed out. “Baby?” I kept my voice low and even just in case she wasn’t ready but her eyes came open immediately onto mine. “Do you want to postpone our honeymoon?” She just shook her head, fought her way out of the covers, and headed into the bathroom.
I laid there a few seconds more, hoping for the best before heading out of the room for the office, where I expected to find the information I’d asked for the night before. As expected, there was a folder waiting, and it was thick enough to tell me that there was plenty in there.
I scanned it first just to be sure there wouldn’t be anything to hurt her even further before putting it aside. I called her brother next, “Brian, you’ve got five minutes. Tell me what I need to know so I can help her through this.”
He didn’t even argue; he just jumped right in. The gist of it was that their Mom had suffered some kind of mental break when she realized her main focus was on her youngest child, who she noticed was still suffering four years after the divorce. Then they all just went on what I call Operation Save Alyssa. Only no one thought to tell her.
I get it, she was twelve going on thirteen, way too young to know some things, but that was ten years ago. “What about when she got older.”
“It just never seemed like the right time. We didn’t know they were dating all this time, though, or whatever the hell they were doing. We only knew that they were on speaking terms. Everything was about healing the family and doing what was best for Alyssa because she was the one who took it the hardest or the only one who showed it at any rate.”