Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 100628 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100628 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
“It’s not as bad,” she said, shaking her head.
“Show me.”
Nova let out a sigh and unbuttoned her jeans, pulling them down to her knees. She turned slightly, and another bruise came into view, this one long and thinner, ten different colors, running from her hip to her thigh.
“Jesus Christ,” I mumbled, horrified.
“It’s already getting better,” she said quickly. “Remember, you gave me that arnica stuff from your mom, and I’ve been putting it on.”
She rushed to pull her pants back up, but fumbled because her hands were shaking as bad as mine were.
“This is better?” I said hoarsely, going to my knees so I could help her gently pull the jeans back up her thighs. “Fuck, baby.”
“It’s really not that bad,” she said quietly while I buttoned and zipped her jeans. I felt her hand in my hair and froze as she slid her fingers through the strands.
Unable to stop myself, I rested my forehead against her stomach, breathing her in.
“I missed you,” Nova said so quietly I almost didn’t hear her.
“You coulda called me anytime,” I whispered back. “Dammit, Nova.”
“I’m fine, Rum,” she said, her fingers still running through my hair.
“Who did this?” I asked again, tilting my head back to look up at her. “Just tell me who did it. He won’t ever touch you again.”
“Stop,” she replied instantly, her face losing all emotion. “Just stop.”
“What the fuck?” I breathed, leaning away from her. “Why the hell won’t you tell me?”
“It’s none of your business.”
“The fuck it’s not!”
“I’m leaving,” she spat.
“No, you’re not,” I roared back, scrambling to my feet. I backed against the door as she glared at me. “Why the fuck would you let someone do this to you?”
“Let him?” she asked faintly, staring at me like I’d grown two heads.
“Well, you won’t tell me who it is,” I barked, throwing my hands up in the air.
I was halfway across the room from her, and she still flinched so hard that her hands flew up to cover her face.
Suddenly I couldn’t breathe.
“I’d never hurt you, No,” I choked out, staring at her in horror.
“I know that,” she replied, straightening.
“Sugar, just tell me who hurt you.”
I was desperate. Begging.
I was no longer angry that she wouldn’t tell me.
I was terrified that she wouldn’t and someone would hurt her again.
She stared at me silently for a long time without speaking.
“Pop.”
“Goddamn it, Nova,” I replied, my voice shaking. “Just tell me.”
I couldn’t believe she still wouldn’t tell me. I was standing in front of her, begging, and she was still evading. Giving me bullshit answers. Didn’t she see how desperate I was? Didn’t she give a fuck that it was killing me that she wouldn’t let me protect her?
Something changed in her eyes, then. Something big. Something I didn’t know how to decipher.
“I’m leaving,” she said calmly. She stepped forward. “Get out of my way.”
“Nova.”
“Just don’t,” she said softly, the words ringing with finality.
“I gave you space,” I blurted, turning as she walked around me to the door. “I didn’t fuckin’ call or text you because you said that’s what you wanted. I’ve been waiting and waiting for you to reach out and nothin’. Not a fuckin’ word. This is what you want? You’re goin’ back to whoever did this? You’re protectin’ them?”
She just stared at me.
“You want me on my knees?” I asked, dropping down. “I’m fuckin’ sorry, okay? You’re my best friend, No. My best friend. Why won’t you let me help you? Let me help you, Sugar.”
“Bye, Rum,” she said quietly. “I’ll call you, okay?”
I watched in disbelief as she left the room, closing the door quietly behind her.
I wasn’t sure how long I stayed that way, kneeling in the middle of the room staring at the door. I couldn’t even wrap my head around the fact that me and Nova had gotten to a place where she lied and hid things from me. I knew all of her history and she knew mine. The time when her mom had driven her and her brother around town, wasted out of her mind, while Nova prayed in the back seat that they wouldn’t die. The time when I’d stolen a wrench from my grandpa that had come in a set that my gram had bought him, and he’d searched for it for months but I’d been too afraid that I’d get in trouble for taking it so I’d buried it in my parents’ backyard and never come clean.
We told each other everything that mattered.
This wasn’t how things were going to go. I refused to let her keep me at arm’s length when she was clearly in some kind of trouble. Nova may get pissed and she could despise me if she wanted, but I wasn’t going to just keep my mouth shut, even if I had to point out every single bruise in front of the entire club until someone got the truth out of her.