Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 66732 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 334(@200wpm)___ 267(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66732 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 334(@200wpm)___ 267(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
I realize I’m crying when he pulls out of me, tugs his pants up but doesn’t bother to close them before gathering me in his arms, taking a seat on the couch and cradling me against him.
“Did I hurt you?” he asks, pressing my cheek against his chest. “Fuck. I should have been gentler. Shit, Phee, did I hurt you?”
I curl into him, shake my head so he knows he didn’t hurt me. He’s so big, so much bigger than me, and when he wraps his arms around me it’s the safest I have ever felt. Ever in my life.
“Silas,” I start, because I need to tell him. I need to say the words. I need him to know how I feel, how this is real for me. But I don’t get to finish. Neither of us gets to say another word because the door slams open, crashing against the wall, and that’s when I realize the orchestra has stopped playing. And there, standing in the doorway, are Sly and Ethan Fox and three police officers behind them.
18
SILAS
“What the fuck?” I’m on my feet in an instant. I set Ophelia on the couch and drape the dust cloth over her lap, covering her as I tug my pants closed.
“Well, Phee, this is certainly not what I expected out of you,” Sly Fox says to Ophelia who is staring wide-eyed, face burning red. “You, though? Well,” he gestures to the police officers who enter. I grab my shirt up off the floor, tug it on. “You I’d expect no less from.”
“Mr. Cruz, you’ll need to come with us.” One of the cops moves behind me, while the other two flank me.
“What the hell is going on?” I ask.
“Really? As if you don’t know?” Sly asks, gaze shifting to Ophelia. He shakes his head. “It’s evil, what you’ve done to that girl.”
“Sir, we need to head to the station,” a policeman says, taking my arm.
“What for?” I tug free.
“Cuff him,” Sly tells them as Ethan picks up Ophelia’s dress and throws it at her.
“Get dressed, for fuck’s sake,” Ethan snaps, noticing the ruby choker on the stool and sliding it into his pocket.
“Mr. Cruz, let’s go.”
“I said cuff him,” Sly says and one of the officers takes out his handcuffs.
“What’s going on?” Ophelia asks. She stands and wraps the dust cloth around herself. I look over at her, those tears still wet on her cheeks and I realize I’ll never know what she was about to say. When she meets my eyes, I see fear in hers.
“There’s been a fire,” Ethan says, moving toward her, gaze roaming over her, his lip curled in disgust.
I want to step between them, to keep him from getting too close to her, but one of the officers cuffs me while the other two grip my arms and keep me from her.
“What fire?” Ophelia asks.
Ethan sneers at me. I don’t know what the hell is going on, but whatever it is, it’s a win for him.
“You didn’t mention it before you fucked her?” he asks.
I tug at my arms to get to her but the officers tighten their hold on me.
“No, I guess you wouldn’t.” He takes a step toward Ophelia and she takes one backward. “Guess that would dampen the mood.” He turns to his father. “Get him out of here, Dad. I can’t stand to look at him.”
Sly gestures to the officers who begin to walk me to the door, but I resist. “What the fuck is going on?”
“You screwed up this time, Silas,” Ethan says. “The security system on the Hart house was still operating, but I’m guessing you didn’t know that.”
No. No I did not. Ophelia looks at me, her brow furrowed.
“What are you talking about?” she asks Ethan.
“Your boyfriend here… wait, do I call him a boyfriend? A fuck buddy? What?”
“You fucking bastard!” It takes all three of the officers to hold me back.
“Ethan. Enough,” Sly says then, to Ophelia. “There was a fire, my dear.”
“What fire?” Ophelia asks.
“At your house.”
A beat passes before Ophelia’s face goes white. “What?”
“I’m sorry, sweetheart,” Sly says, not sounding sorry at all. “It’s gone. Burned to the ground.”
“I don’t understand.” Her voice is barely above a whisper.
“You’ve lost everything,” Ethan tacks on for good measure.
I look at Ophelia’s stricken expression.
“And guess who the cameras picked up walking out of there just two hours ago?” Ethan announces victoriously.
Ophelia turns to me, mouth agape.
“Yeah, O.” Ethan tells her. “Silas here is all over it. He burnt down your house then came here to fuck you before you found out. I guess technically he fucked you twice.”
She only stares up at me and I stare back. She can’t believe I’d do that, surely. Why would I? All their things were still inside that house. All their memories. Their history.
“Is that true?” she asks me.