Total pages in book: 139
Estimated words: 127146 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 636(@200wpm)___ 509(@250wpm)___ 424(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 127146 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 636(@200wpm)___ 509(@250wpm)___ 424(@300wpm)
His father moves closer, pulls his leg back, and lands a harsh kick to his stomach. A scream threatens to escape my throat, but I press my palm to my lips to hold it in. Tears build behind my eyes. How. What...
All the old aches, the new ones too, seem meaningless against this assault. No one should have to endure abuse like this from their own parents. Not even an asshole who makes me regret the majority of my choices over the past couple of months.
I have to do something. I step back and turn to peer back through the door that leads into the party space. Lee is on the other side, casually standing, acting as if he knows nothing about what is happening on the other side of that door.
How can they call themselves friends? No, there isn’t anything I can do to help, but they could. They’re rich and powerful. Money can buy you anything you want, right? Rage drives me forward, and I march right up to them. I push any and all fear aside and press a finger into Lee’s expensive suit jacket.
“How can you consider yourself to be a friend when you know he’s getting his ass beat right on the other side of that door, and you aren’t doing a damn thing about it?”
The look he gives me at that moment should have me tucking my tail between my legs and running for the hills, but if I’ve learned anything, being quiet doesn’t always get you what you want. Sometimes you have to get loud, you have to make noise.
“Don’t look at me like that. I asked you a damn question.” I give him a shove, and his expression changes in an instant.
He drops the pretty boy charm, and the lethal shark, ready to attack at any given moment, steps into place. Those pearly white teeth of his gleam in the light when he snaps at me.
“Word of advice, Drew might play nice with you, but I won’t. Don’t talk about shit that you know nothing about. He doesn't want us involved, so we help how we can and pick up the pieces afterward. That's all we can do.”
Furiously, I shake my head. "That's fucking bullshit, and you know it."
Maybe I’d be scared of him under different circumstances, but not today.
“If he wanted us to help, he’d tell us. Now run along because as smart as you appear to be on paper, you sure as hell don’t know when to leave well enough alone.”
Flickering flames of rage burn deep inside my chest. I clench my fist tightly, wanting to lash out and inflict pain on this idiot. He’s not a friend. He’s nothing. Even as the urge to wipe the pointed look of annoyance off his face rips through me, I know he’s not worth it. Not even a little.
"Smarts have nothing to do with being a friend. I hope the guilt of doing nothing eats you alive. Maybe you can stand to sleep with that, but I can’t. If you won’t do something, then I fucking will. Where is Sebastian? Maybe he’ll listen to reason.”
“None of your business. You’d have to have a conscience to feel any type of guilt, sweetheart. Drew’s been enduring this shit much longer than you’ve been around.” His dark tone is a warning. “Don’t assume I don’t give a fuck about my friend. It might lead you to find yourself in a world of trouble.”
“Fuck off,” I growl and spin on my heels, stalking back to the other entrance.
I’m not going to waste any more time sparring with that asshole. I notice as soon as I cut through the hall that it’s empty. My pulse spikes, and I barely catch sight of the kitchen door swinging open.
Shit.
I rush down the dimly lit corridor, not bothering to stay quiet. I can’t hear much of anything except the heavy beating of my own heart and the ragged breaths entering my lungs. My adrenaline spikes once I reach the end of the hall, and slowly I peek around the corner and into the kitchen. I catch sight of Drew's father holding him down by the neck against the counter. The room is empty, though I imagine there might be someone guarding the door on the opposite side of the room.
Of course a rich man like him wouldn’t want anyone to discover the truth, to see the real monster beneath the perfectly painted mask. His father leans down and whispers something into his ear. Drew’s entire body goes still, a statue cast in pain and anger. Whatever his dad just said hurt him far more than any of the punches.
It’s a good thing I don’t give a fuck about any of their rich asshole bullshit...
CHAPTER 35
DREW
Bitter cold sweeps through me, a numbness if you want to call it that. Though I can already feel the bruise forming on my cheek from where I hit the wall. There’s a table beneath me, but I don’t feel it. All I hear are his words ringing in my ears.