Total pages in book: 120
Estimated words: 116263 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 581(@200wpm)___ 465(@250wpm)___ 388(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116263 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 581(@200wpm)___ 465(@250wpm)___ 388(@300wpm)
A man who was climbing into his pickup truck paused when he saw me and Pax approaching. I felt the weight of it burning into the side of my head as he just . . . stared as we walked toward the door.
Pax twitched, and the exposed tattoos on his neck writhed over the scars they covered, as if he felt the force of it, too, and he tightened his hold on my hand. “Stay close to me.”
“I will.”
He swung open the glass door, and we stepped inside the restaurant. Three people were in line in front of us, and another two were loitering off to the side, waiting for their orders to be called. About half the tables were taken by customers.
It felt like every eye in the place swiveled in our direction.
Pax stepped closer to me. “I don’t like this,” he mumbled.
“It’s fine,” I returned beneath my breath. “I think we’re both on edge.”
“I’m not sure there’s any other way to be right now.”
I squeezed his hand. “It’s going to be okay.”
It wasn’t, but I couldn’t help reassuring him.
We got in line. The couple in front of us inched forward, trying to keep as much distance between us and themselves as they could. Unease rippled through their bodies as they cast a glance back.
I could taste their fear as they looked at Pax, at the dangerous, violent beauty that he radiated.
Or maybe what they feared was the chaos that whipped from my being.
When it was our turn to order, we shuffled forward. A young girl worked the register. Sixteen or seventeen. Her smile was kind.
I blinked, and when I opened my eyes, I swore that I was looking at my sister.
Smiling.
Laughing.
Our father’s hand fisted in her hair and yanked hard. Pain and fear bottled her whimper. “Daddy, no.”
A shocked gasp raked up my throat, and when I blinked again, the same young girl I didn’t know stood behind the counter. “Welcome to Jay’s Burgers. What can I get you today?”
My head spun and my knees felt weak.
I was seeing things. The worry was pushing me into paranoia. That was it. That was what it had to be.
“I’ll have a number three with an orange juice,” Pax told her, though he peeked over at me in concern when he felt the disturbance that echoed from my spirit.
“Small, medium, or large?” she asked.
“Large, thank you.”
She turned her attention to me. Warm brown eyes blinked back, and her face was my sister’s again.
Her lips moved but no sound came out.
Help us.
Dizziness rushed, and I had to hold on to the counter to keep from reaching for her, to keep from clambering over it to get to her.
I bit down on my tongue to keep Brianna’s name from sliding from it.
“Um, did you want something?” The girl angled her head, a perplexity furrowed deep into her brow as she waited for me to answer, her face her own again. I attempted to clear my throat when it became apparent that I’d been staring.
“I’ll have the same thing.” I croaked it, barely able to form the words.
“Aria?” Pax’s voice was razor thin. Low and harsh and urgent.
I swallowed around the bile in my throat. “I’m just . . . I need to wash my hands.”
I took off toward the restroom.
“Aria.” Panic wheezed through my name when he called out behind me. I didn’t slow. I rushed down the side hall and into the restroom. I went to the sink, turned on the faucet, and splashed cold water on my face, trying to breathe through the tumult that I couldn’t shake.
And I thought maybe I had finally snapped. Lost the sanity my parents had never thought I possessed. I wished it were true. I wished it were that easy.
But I knew.
I knew.
I smacked at the handle of the paper-towel dispenser, then ripped a piece free, my breaths ragged as I pressed it to my face and prayed it would blot out the images that racked my mind.
Behind me, the door swung open, and I whirled, expecting it to be Pax. I figured he wouldn’t let me out of his sight.
I could see that he was out in the hall, peering in at me from behind the woman who came in instead, holding the hand of a little girl with blue eyes. I could feel the war of reservations and resolve spiraling through him, and I knew he was half a second from barging in to find out what was wrong.
“I’ve got to go pee really bad, Mommy,” the little girl said.
“I know, sweetheart.”
The woman led her to the first stall, and the child turned and grinned up at her mother. “I’m a big girl, so I get to do it all by myself.”
Her mother let go of an affectionate laugh. I could feel the love that radiated from her. The solid devotion. “Okay, but let’s get you a seat cover first.”