Total pages in book: 180
Estimated words: 168587 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 843(@200wpm)___ 674(@250wpm)___ 562(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 168587 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 843(@200wpm)___ 674(@250wpm)___ 562(@300wpm)
“Because it didn’t matter,” she answers tightly.
“Everything matters when it comes to you,” I say honestly. It always has. She just doesn’t know that. But why would she? I’ve never made her feel that way.
Her eyes meet mine, and I can’t tell if she’s mad or disgusted with my words. Usually, I can read my wife pretty easily. But she’s getting better at hiding from me.
“It was in the bathroom, wasn’t it? Where you spoke to him?”
Her eyes drop to the bed. “Yes.”
“That’s why you were so mad me at the party,” I growl, and she hangs her head. She had gone to the bathroom in a good mood and then came back to the table with a new drink and barely spoke to me the rest of the night. Until we were in the bathtub together and I demanded to know what her problem was. “What did he say to you?”
“He stormed into the bathroom, demanding to know what I was doing.” I frown. “I told him I didn’t know what he meant. He said he had seen the hotel room.” She swallows. “I argued that I didn’t have a choice. He asked if you held a gun to my head. Or a knife to my throat. When I said no to both, he then asked me if you tied me down and raped me.” Her voice is soft, barely over a whisper. “When I said no, he asked if I had learned anything from Whitney. That even though she loved you, she knew nothing would come from it. I said it wasn’t like he tried to stop the wedding, and he said he did what he had to do. I said the same thing. He then argued that I didn’t have to come on your cock.” Her eyes meet mine, and her cheeks flush.
I just stare at her, unblinking, but my blood is boiling. If he knows she came that day after our wedding, then they had cameras in the hotel room. He said he saw the room; he wouldn’t have known she got off just by seeing the blood on the bed. I don’t think she’s put that together yet. But why the fuck would her father want cameras in there to watch her and Luke fuck? He was already going to see that she had, in fact, remained a virgin for Luke after they checked out the next morning.
“Anyway.” She drops her eyes once more when I don’t say anything, and goes on, “He said that I was acting like the slut you were turning me into, hanging all over you in front of everyone. That you don’t love me or give a fuck about what happens to me.” She shrugs. “As if I ever thought anything different.”
“Lake—”
Her eyes snap up to mine, and she gasps.
“What?” I ask, sitting down on the side of the bed.
“He also told me that our dad had a plan, and I wasn’t going to fuck it up.” She nibbles on her bottom lip nervously. “Do you think that had to do with the phone he gave me?” I don’t answer because I honestly don’t fucking know what he could have planned. “I swear I never used it. Just saw those pictures and that was it. I never texted or called anyone on it,” she rushes out.
“Lake.” I cup her face.
Her bottom lip starts to tremble. “I promise.”
“Calm down,” I tell her. “I believe you.”
She lets out a shaky breath and nods softly. Her pretty eyes swimming with unshed tears. “Come here.” I let go of her face and pull her into my lap. She curls up and wraps her arms around my neck. I wrap mine around her small body and hold her tightly to mine.
I wish she would have come to me, but I understand why she felt she couldn’t. She’s never felt safe with me. Running my hands down her bare back, I feel her small body start to shake, and I hold her tighter. Hoping that she realizes just how much she means to me. That all she needs is me. “Lake—”
My cell phone ringing interrupts me and she pulls away, lying down under the covers while I stand and remove my cell from my pocket. “Yeah?” I snap when I see it’s Colton.
“We’ve got something. On our way over.”
I hang up, not even bothering with a goodbye, and run a hand down my face, letting out a long breath. “The guys…”
“Go,” she mumbles, sniffing.
Sitting down on the edge, I reach out and gently brush hair off her face. “I won’t be long,” I assure her, and she looks up at me through her dark lashes. Leaning down, I give her a kiss on her forehead and then stand. I close the bedroom door and make my way to the front door in time to let them in and then lead them to my study on the second floor.