Total pages in book: 145
Estimated words: 146666 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 733(@200wpm)___ 587(@250wpm)___ 489(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 146666 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 733(@200wpm)___ 587(@250wpm)___ 489(@300wpm)
Please . . . someone find her.
“There you are.”
The voice penetrated the layers of sleep. The person had an accent, but she couldn’t place it. Fear filled her, even though she didn’t know why.
“No! Don’t touch me!” she yelled.
“Shh, Bebé,” he murmured. “You’re safe. I have you.”
“No, no, don’t hurt me. Don’t hurt me.” Her body hurt so much, and she couldn’t open her eyes.
“I’m not going to hurt you. You’re safe now. But you shouldn’t have come here. What were you thinking?”
“Sore. My head hurts.”
“I think your behind is going to hurt once you’re healed.”
Huh, that made no sense. And what sort of accent was that? Spanish?
“I’m really sorry about this, Bebé. But I can’t move you from here. Not without risking someone seeing us and calling the police.”
What? What did he mean? And why couldn’t she open her eyes?
“No, keep your eyes closed. It’s better that way. You don’t want to see my face.”
Why not?
Was he a bad guy too? Why did people keep trying to hurt her?
“I want my Daddy.”
“I know, Bebé. He’ll be here soon. Provided your brother calls him. Ahh, here he is now. I’ve got to go, Bebé. Stop getting into trouble, yeah? It upsets me.”
What? Who was this guy? And why was he calling her Bebé? And how come that sounded so familiar?
“Greer! Oh my God! Fuck. Motherfucker!”
Was that . . . was it Cash?
“Cash?” she asked with a whimper, trying desperately to open her eyes so she could see him. Make sure it was really him.
Because she didn’t know what the hell had happened tonight. All she knew was that she was frightened half out of her mind and she couldn’t take much more.
“It’s Cash, Greer-bear. You’re safe. Don’t worry, I’m going to get you help. Fuck, call the cops.”
“We can’t call the cops,” another voice said.
She whimpered. Who was that? Were they going to hurt her?
“Easy, Greer, it’s all right. Ralen is a friend.” Cash gathered her into his arms, holding her against his chest. “She’s my sister and she’s hurt. She needs help.”
“Isn’t her boyfriend a doctor? Call him.”
“Fuck. Fuck!” Cash swore. “I don’t know if I want him around her. He’s obviously not taking proper care of her. She’s in a bad neighborhood and look at her! She’s been fucking beaten up! What if . . . what if she’s been raped again?”
His voice cracked, his pain bleeding through.
Oh no.
He sounded so upset. But Cash hadn’t asked her anything about that. She hadn’t even been sure that Aidan had told him.
“All of her clothes look like they’re intact. I don’t think she’s been raped,” the other guy said.
“But you don’t know that. Look at her.”
The pain in Cash’s voice took her breath away. Did he . . . did he really care about her?
Maybe love her a little bit?
“Look, if you won’t call her boyfriend, then call your brother. He must know someone who can take care of her, but we can’t afford to call the cops. You know that, Cash.”
“Fuck. Fuck! Who the hell did this to her?”
“I don’t know. But we’ll find the fucker. Or Ortega will. He’s protective of her.”
“Why the hell wasn’t he protecting her better?” Cash snarled.
Who? Who was meant to be protecting her?
“Because we told him to back off, remember? That she was safer now that she was here in Billings,” the other man said. “And he’s meant to be in New York.”
“Obviously, she wasn’t safer here! Look at her!” Cash cried.
She hated hearing him so upset.
“I don’t know what to say to you, man. What was she even doing in this part of town?”
“I don’t fucking know,” Cash replied. “Shit, she’s shivering. We can’t stay here. We have to take her to the hospital.”
“If we take her to the hospital, then the cops will come sniffing around asking questions. We can’t have that. Maybe we can somehow drop her off.”
“Then you go,” Cash said. “But I’m getting her the help she needs. I haven’t been there for her, I’m not just dumping her and running. Fuck, I stayed away from her all this time because you and Dante said it was safer for her, but I can’t do it anymore.”
“Okay, man. We’ll figure it out. Fuck.”
“The clinic,” she whispered in a hoarse voice.
“What?” Cash asked.
“Hack’s clinic. Want him, Cash.”
“You want him? Even after he let you come to this side of town on your own and you got fucking beaten up?” Cash asked harshly.
“Love him.”
“There’s a free clinic not that far from here. Do you think that’s what she means?” the other guy asked.
“Yes,” she whispered hoarsely. “Want my Daddy.” A sob escaped which sent pain through her side.
Christ. Ouch. What the fuck had that asshole done to her?
“All right. Even though I’m going to have fucking words with him about taking better care of you, we’ll take you to him. Okay?”