Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 74226 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 297(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74226 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 297(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
As I look deeply into his eyes, I can see the exact moment the switch is flipped. Ren’s confused eyes turn dark as a night without stars. His lips turn into a snarl a second before his hand wraps around my throat. My Ren is gone.
“You should have listened to Ren and kept your mouth shut, Angel.”
River.
I know without a doubt it’s him. If it wasn’t for the way his cruel fingers dig into my tender skin, it would be the way he calls me Angel, like he’s patronizing me.
His grip tightens, and I wheeze out a plea, “please stop.” I reach for his arms, wrapping my fingers around his wrist as he squeezes hard enough to cut off my air supply. With the last air in my lungs, I whisper, “I’m pregnant.”
Immediately, his fingers loosen, and shock takes over his features before he throws back his head and laughs. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. That idiot doesn’t know how to use a condom?” He finally lets go of my throat, and I don’t miss the chance of taking a step backward.
“You know, don’t you?”
“You might want to be a little more specific. I know a lot of things.”
“You know that you and Ren are the same person.”
“Oh, that little tidbit, yeah, I’ve always known. Not sure why Ren doesn’t see it. I guess he doesn’t want to believe that he would do the things I have no problem doing. Remorse is something he has, not me.”
“You have to tell him,” I beg. “He didn’t believe me.”
“Why would I do that?” He grins mischievously. “It’s better for me if he doesn’t know.”
“You have to care about Ren. He is part of you.”
“I care about no one and no one cares about me.” My heart breaks a little at his statement.
“That’s not true. I care about you.”
River scoffs. “No, you only care about Ren. You hate me.”
“I did hate you before, yes,” I admit. “But I could never hate you now, knowing that you are part of him.” I take a careful step toward him.
His expression suddenly changes, like he can’t believe I just said that. It must be hard to believe that anyone could like him. He doesn’t move as I close the distance between us until there’s only a few inches from my chest to his. I get up on my toes and tilt my head up to his so my lips brush against his.
He is stunned into silence, unmoving with shock at my sudden action. I catch the confusion in his eyes just before I close mine and press my lips to his with a searing kiss. My whole body lights up, butterflies take flight in my stomach, electricity flows between us like this is our first kiss. I guess, in a way, it is.
His lips move against mine, hesitantly, which only makes me lean in further. Lifting my arms, I wrap them around his neck, pulling him closer. His hands find my hips, his thumbs digging into my skin possessively. I moan into his mouth, and I can feel a smirk form on his lips.
For a moment, I feel a connection between us. The same connection I feel with Ren. It crashes into me suddenly, and just as quickly, it disappears.
His hands disappear from my hips before he shoves me away from him. I stare at him, stunned, as his expression turns cruel and distant.
“I don’t have time for this. Unless you want to fuck, don’t be a tease.”
“Don’t shove me like that,” I threaten.
“Or what?” He catches my bluff. “You gonna shove back? Or you gonna call your big brother to fight me?”
“Maybe I’ll stop liking you again.”
“Oh no, not that,” he mocks sarcastically. “As if I give a shit.”
“I think you do. Because I didn’t miss the hurt in your voice when you thought I hated you.”
He shakes his head. “Whatever makes you sleep better at night, Angel,” he snaps before turning away from me.
Maybe it is wishful thinking, but maybe, just maybe, I’m right, and River wants me to love him.
8
REN
It’s weird. Am I losing time? Blacking out or something? The last thing I remember was fighting with Scarlet. I’m not proud of how easy it was to lose my temper, but if there’s anybody in the world who could make me do it, it’s her.
So how did I end up here? Stretched out on a filthy, stinking mattress?
At first, I can’t remember why I was so pissed—until I do. It all comes back, slamming into me like an express train. Where the hell does she get off telling me there’s no River? It has to be something her family put her up to. They won’t rest until they have me locked away somewhere.
Just the memory of the bullshit coming out of her mouth makes my body go hot before a sick feeling spreads through me. Like a drop of ink in a glass of water.