Total pages in book: 40
Estimated words: 37654 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 188(@200wpm)___ 151(@250wpm)___ 126(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 37654 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 188(@200wpm)___ 151(@250wpm)___ 126(@300wpm)
“I know. And I think you know I wouldn’t be anywhere I didn’t want to be.”
“Even to get back on everyone’s good side? They said you were in trouble because of me.” I knew I sounded pitiful and small, but right now, that was how I felt.
“I’m in trouble for two reasons. Neither of them were your fault. Now. Do you want to stay with me?”
“Yes.” The whisper was a broken one. Of all the times my dad had roughed me up or beaten me or had me beaten, this was the worst. In both the physical and mental sense. Everything seemed to have happened to me at once. Walker’s blatant rejection and warning to leave, followed by the sleazebag my dad had forced me into proximity with, then the beating. I was tired. Just… so fucking tired.
“Good. That’s good. When you’re feeling up to it, I need you to help me with Dog and the puppies. She will only let you near her pups without snapping and growling.” I could hear the affection in his voice.
“I know how much you love Dog.”
“Not sure I’d say I love her. She showed up one day and refused to leave. I call her Dog so I don’t form too much of an attachment to her. She doesn’t trust easily, but she trusts you. Also, your puppy is already missing you.”
“She’s traumatized. Because I couldn’t get her back to you.” My jaw was starting to ache, but I needed to get this out before I had to stop. “I was headed back to the compound with the pup. I’d packed a bag and was going to ask Iris if I could stay here. For a while. My dad, he…” I could feel another bout of crying trying to start. This whole day just sucked. “He was trying to push me toward a man who was supposed to have a way for him to get elected governor. I’m not sure, but I think he might have promised the guy he could have me if he could get him elected governor.”
“You got a name on him, sweetheart?” Sting again.
“Just a first name. Glen. He was about my father’s age, so in his late fifties maybe?”
“I’ll see what Wylde can find.” Atlas was close, and it wasn’t long before I felt Rose’s weight leave the bed. “I’ll check in on the two of you every couple of hours. Blossom, I will make sure I physically see you. I will not rely on Walker only.”
“You don’t have to do that.” The very last thing I wanted to do was cause more trouble.
“I will. Or one of my brothers will. I don’t want you to feel like you’re trapped.”
“I won’t. I just want to sleep. My face hurts.”
“OK, guys. She’s done.” Stitches came to my other side, and I could feel him doing something with the IV tubing at the bend of my arm. “This will help with the pain and also help you sleep, Blossom. Don’t fight it. Just let it take you.” I could feel the slight sting when he pushed some medicine into the tube as he continued to talk. “Walker, make sure she has ice on her face and eyes for twenty minutes every hour or so. Put something between the ice pack and her skin. That will help the swelling. I’m giving her morphine, so she should sleep. If she needs more in the night, call me.”
They continued to talk, Stitches giving Walker instructions. Walker kept hold of my hand, rubbing his thumb over the back of my hand where he held it in a soothing manner. Gradually the voices dropped away. Then I sighed and let the blackness take me.
Chapter Five
Walker
Two weeks later…
I was pretty sure sweet little Blossom was plotting my death in unspeakable, gruesome ways. That damned puppy -- which I’d already sold two days after she’d been born -- wouldn’t leave her side and, when I’d tried to give her to her new owner, the little hound had proceeded to go batshit fucking crazy. She’d snarled and barked, twisting this way and that, fighting with all she had in her.
Blossom either heard the commotion or had missed the pup and come looking for her. She now rode the scooter the old ladies had provided for her as fast as it would go out to the parking lot where the transaction was taking place, and the pup did her level best to make a beeline to Blossom. She limped off the scooter, took two steps, then promptly fell to the gravel with a cry, her feet still hurting even after two weeks off them. I lunged for her, trying to catch her before she fell, but I wasn’t fast enough. Which meant I’d only thought the fucking pup had gone batshit fucking crazy before.