Total pages in book: 134
Estimated words: 133182 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 666(@200wpm)___ 533(@250wpm)___ 444(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133182 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 666(@200wpm)___ 533(@250wpm)___ 444(@300wpm)
“Okay…” Amanda drawls out, looking at us both like we’ve suddenly turned into a couple of weirdos. Then she sighs and shakes her head. “Whatever.”
Taking a step to the side, she lets me take the lead.
Walking in front, I lead them up to James’s bedroom, thinking it will give us the most privacy until I hear them both gasp.
“Oh my god, what happened here?” Beth asks as she peeks into the room.
Shit. I totally forgot about the little fight James and I had before they got here.
The floor is covered in clothes, mostly my thongs, and half my toiletries are spilled on the bed.
I cringe. “Uh… it’s a funny story actually…”
Grabbing me by the shoulders, Beth turns me to face her and looks me hard in the eyes. “Sophia, I’m serious this time. Are you okay? Is everything okay?”
Amanda whips a switchblade out of nowhere and waves it around menacingly. “Yeah, do I need to cut his fucking balls off?”
Beth and I both look at her in shock.
Out of the three of us, Amanda has changed the most since we were kidnapped and sold by the Russians. Probably because she endured the most during our captivity.
I never saw what happened to her when we were separated.
What they did to her.
What was so bad that all she could do was cry and fall into an unresponsive stupor whenever one of the men tried to touch her…
And I don’t know all the gory details, but through Beth, I know enough to make me sick.
Sick to the very depths of my soul.
The friend standing in front of me now, the chick dressed all in black with all her glossy brown hair chopped off above her ears, waving a switchblade around with every intention of using it, is not the same girl that was grabbed that night with me. That sweet girl is gone, replaced by a woman that’s harder and stronger.
For better or worse.
“I’ll do it,” Amanda says, looking me dead in the eyes. Her eyes hard and shimmering with old, repressed rage. “Just tell me yes and it’s done.”
And I know she would.
There’s no doubt in my mind she’d chop James’s balls off for me if I asked.
Hell, she’d probably do it even if I didn’t ask for the fun of it.
“It’s not what you’re thinking…” I say softly.
“Then what is it?” she part asks, part demands, both of her brows lifting and her jaw tightening. “Because I still don’t understand what the fuck is going on. Or why the fuck Johnathan let him take you. It doesn’t make any sense to me.”
I glance at Beth, seeking a little help.
But she just looks at me as if she’d like to know too.
Unfortunately, I have no fucking clue what is going on or what any of this is. If they would have asked me two days ago, I would have told them that James was forcing his presence on me. That he was kidnapping me. That he was harassing me.
But today?
Today… fuck, I don’t even know what is going on today. Not after last night or this morning.
All I know is that I don’t completely hate him, and I believe he is being sincere with me.
Sincere when he says he wants to protect me and take care of me.
Something more is going on with what happened with my father. After all the stuff James showed me yesterday, I know something is going on.
And I need his help to figure it out.
Not knowing what to tell them, besides what James keeps saying to me, I simply say, “He’s keeping me safe.”
Amanda frowns and repeats, “Safe?”
I nod my head and sigh.
“What is he keeping you safe from?” Amanda asks.
When my face falls at the thought of trying to explain it, Beth glances sharply at Amanda.
Unspoken words pass between them. Words I can only guess at.
But whatever it is, Amanda gives her own sigh a second later and nods her head. Then she turns her attention back to me. “So he’s not hurting you? Just to be clear?”
I shake my head and feel my cheeks warming with heat. “No, he’s not hurting me.”
Not in the way she’s asking, at least.
Amanda scowls as if she’s not entirely convinced. “You’re sure?”
“Amanda,” Beth says sharply and frowns at her.
“Okay, okay, I’m sorry. I’m just worried,” Amanda says and throws her hands up in front of her.
“Don’t be sorry, it’s fine. Really. I would be worried too if it was happening to either of you. Thank you for looking out for me,” I say, looking between them.
Hoping that will put an end to the whole thing.
They both smile at me.
Then Amanda looks down at the switchblade she’s still gripping. A thoughtful expression passes over her face before she retracts the blade and holds it out to me.
When I just glance at the switchblade in confusion, she takes a step forward and places it in my hand.