Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 77372 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77372 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
I dropped my hand as a toothless grin appeared on my face. I watched her as her face changed. I must have looked like I was crazy as I continued to stare at her for a few seconds.
“No, I'm not done playing this little game. I like when others come around and accuse me of being a manipulative bitch. Then again, you would know, since that’s all you are. It’s not my fault Daimon wants me and not your sorry ass self. It’s not high school and you can’t hide behind your family’s wealth anymore. Touch me one more time and I’ll have you arrested for assault,” I said coldly.
“Just try,” she smiled. “I’m coming for you, Addie. I'm warning you Daimon is mine and you should stay away from him,” Clara declared. I inched closer to her. My grin growing as I watched her take a misstep back, causing her to almost fall.
“You can try, but know that Daimon is mine and he knows it.” The elevator dinged and it was my cue to leave. “Bye, Clara.”
I walked into the elevator and stood tall, but the moment the doors closed I fell back. The angry red marks of Clara’s slap pulsated on my face. It hurt, bad.
I finally found the car and waited for my father to emerge from the door out front. When he did, I began the drive back home. He was lost, pensive as he stared out the window of the car. I watched him as he looked out the passenger side window, not bothering to acknowledge some of my questions. I was grateful he hadn’t noticed the large welts on my face.
Once we were outside of the house, he opened the car door and barely said good-bye to me as he headed inside. I left and drove to the diner. Once I was close I decided to park the car a few blocks away. I let my head fall back onto the headrest and quietly sobbed. I closed my eyes, remembering how listless my father looked. The lively, loving father I had was now despondent and lost. “I did it,” I kept saying as I cried. I grabbed onto the steering wheel and hung my head. The anguished feeling of being a failure and somehow not being able to correct this situation tied me down like an anchor. I fucking tried, I tried so fucking hard, it hurt; it burned inside me. I failed them both. I failed them all. Had I not asked my mother for something special, had I just shut up, she would have lived and not lost her life senselessly in a stupid hit and run. My father wouldn’t have been broken and Sofia would have had a promising future. But no, I had to ask, I had to push and in the end I caused all of this. I did all of this. No matter how hard I worked, no matter how many hours I put in, everything I touched fell apart. I couldn’t hold it together. I couldn’t make it better. I kept crying, lamenting at how much I had fucked everything up.
When a loud knock startled me, I jolted up from the steering wheel to see Daimon standing there. The look on his face showed me he wasn’t too pleased with me. The moment our eyes met, his face changed and he reached for the door to open it. It was locked, but still he tried, his efforts making the car shake.
“Open the fucking door, Addie,” he bellowed. I sat transfixed at how he looked at me. “The door!” he barked as he banged on it.
I pressed the button and he opened it with such force, the door nearly flung off. He reached inside and turned me to face him. He bent down in front of me and looked up at me.
“Why? Why are you crying?” he asked anxiously.
“It’s been a long day and I'm tired,” I said quietly.
“Bullshit,” he hissed. He reached for my face and I recoiled back. He took my face and turned it. He growled the moment he saw the marks. “Did he do this to you?” he asked as he gritted through his teeth. Daimon’s eyes went frigid and cold as he stared at me.
“No.”
“Addie, don’t fucking lie to me,” he said annoyed.
“He didn’t do this to me,” I said weakly. “I told you I had a hard day.” I half-smiled as I wiped my tears away.
“Why?” he asked, but I shook my head. “Addie, let me in!” he pleaded.
I stared down at him, watching this man. The tormentor of my life and he wanted me to let him in. I quickly wiped the last of my tears and stood up from the car seat. Daimon stood up and blocked my way.
“If it wasn’t your fucking ex then who hit you?” he demanded.