Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 60965 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 305(@200wpm)___ 244(@250wpm)___ 203(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60965 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 305(@200wpm)___ 244(@250wpm)___ 203(@300wpm)
Until I see who it is. It’s Evan, and I can hear Kat screaming at him to break us up. They need to stay out of it.
“He tried to hurt her! He put his fucking hands on her!” All the boiling rage rises to the surface and I take it out on Evan. Everyone needs to stay the fuck away.
Liam deserves everything that’s coming to him.
I get one more punch in when Liam lurches for me, and his head snaps back from the blow. It lands square on his chin, and my knuckles scream from the sharp impact against his jaw. His lip splits, but it throws him off. As I lunge forward, Evan’s hand grabs my fist and he twists his body to the side, making me fall forward. He pins my arm behind my back and again grabs me, my back to his chest.
My breath comes in heavy pants and I struggle harder when I hear Jules cry out. I can’t see her, and I can’t see Liam. I shove backward, but Evan’s a strong bastard.
“Knock it off,” I hear him grit through his teeth as the sound of a car pulling up catches my attention. I lift my eyes and see the headlights, but no one gets out. No sirens. It’s not the cops… yet.
“Think about Jules,” he tells me, his breath close to the back of my neck as I push back against his grip. “It’s only about Jules, all right?” he says as I stop struggling.
I stare down at the ground, at Liam laying in the snow that’s speckled with red. He’s propped up on an elbow and on his side. In the bright streaks of light from the limo headlights, the blood shines a bright red against the pure white snow.
Liam spits, and another splash of red paints the ground.
“Mason,” Jules calls out as she runs over to me, and the second my attention goes to her, Evan releases me.
My muscles are still wound tight and ready to go off. My fists still clenched even as she runs into my chest. I kiss her hair as I hear the limo door open and far too many people—too many witnesses—gather around.
“Leave,” Evan tells me in a low voice. “It’s mine, I’ll take yours.” He nods behind me and I glance at the white stretch limo before nodding my head. The rough stubble on my chin brushes against Jules’s hair. I meet his crystal blue eyes as he says through clenched teeth, “Go! Just get the fuck out of here.”
Jules
Intentions—cruel, helpless, hopeful,
They come in different shades.
They leave the nights with bright light,
And sharpen the dullest blades.
They bend your will and change your plans,
And make you do bad things.
They don’t change the outcome,
Nor stop what justice brings.
My thumbnail nervously scrapes against my fingernails one at a time. I don’t have polish on, although I wish I did so I could pick it off. I’ve always done this. A nervous habit, I suppose.
My eyes drift back to Mason. His head is back against the headrest and it jostles as the limo drives over a speed bump. His hands are clasped in his lap, the knuckles torn and bloodied and his eyes are focused on the roof of the cabin.
His cheek is already bruised. There’s a split on the left side of his lips. My fingers itch to touch it. To comfort him.
He hasn’t said a word. Silence is the only thing that accompanies us.
I swallow thickly as his head turns to the side and he stares at me. A burning sensation prickles over my skin and begs me to look away, but I can’t. It’s hopeless.
He licks his lower lip, the tip of his tongue sliding down the cut as he sets his hand on my thigh. I watch as he swallows and then breathes in heavily, all the while holding my gaze. Even blind eyes could see he is a damaged man.
“Are you okay?” he asks in a low voice, deep and heavy and riddled with pain.
“Are you?” I question back with just as much sincerity, but Mason presses on.
“I mean after Liam grabbed you?”
The lump in my throat expands as the memory comes flooding back.
I shake my head immediately, closing my eyes only to recall the unhinged look in Liam’s eyes. I shudder and wrap my arms around myself. Mason immediately pulls me into him, holding me. He never fails to comfort me. I breathe easier enveloped in his warmth and resting my head on his chest. I love that he comforts me but just this once, I want to be the one comforting him.
He rocks me softly back and forth for a moment. As I calm down, the guilt weighs heavily on me. Both times now that I’ve tried to leave Mason, I’ve come to face regret and remorse for my actions.