Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 119476 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 597(@200wpm)___ 478(@250wpm)___ 398(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 119476 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 597(@200wpm)___ 478(@250wpm)___ 398(@300wpm)
“Nora, I know you’re in there!” a deep, masculine voice booms.
Tears streak down my cheeks as silent sobs rack my body. I should’ve known better than to think I could escape.
Stupid, so stupid to think I could ever be free of him.
CHAPTER 8
ATLAS
“Goddamn it,” I mutter to myself, thumping my fist against the door in defeat. “Fucking idiot.”
I just want to help her, and instead, all I’ve managed to do is terrify her.
“Nora…” I desperately need to regain control of the situation. “I-I’m not here to hurt you. I just want to help.”
I strain my ears, listening for any sound from inside of the room, any clue to where she’s at and what she’s doing, but there’s nothing.
“Please open the door,” I plead, but I’m met with the same stark silence as before. “Nora, I’m begging you. At least talk to me—listen to what I have to say. You don’t even have to let me in.”
I’m about to give up and head to the lobby to beg whoever’s at the front desk to let me in when she speaks.
“I’m listening.”
Hope and relief both explode inside of me. “I want to help you, Nora—”
“How did you find me?” she asks with an unsteady voice, cutting me off.
“Your diary.”
“You read it?” The hope in her voice is powerful enough to make my knees weak. Even in the midst of her fear, she’s strong. So. Fucking. Strong.
“Yeah,” I start, but the sound of shuffling, followed by the lock disengaging, steals away anything else I might have said.
I’m frozen in place as she slowly opens the door. The last thing I want is to make a sudden move and scare her even more. Hell, the fact that she’s even willing to open it after my colossal fuckup is nothing short of miraculous.
Except my plan to wait quietly all goes to shit the second we’re face-to-face.
I suck in a sharp gasp at the mottled bruises covering her face and she screams at the sight of me, propelling herself backward.
But a chair stops her and she falls to the floor, landing hard on her ass.
“I won’t go back!” she half screams, half sobs as she scrambles to put more distance between us. “You can’t make me!”
The terror in her voice pierces my heart like poison-tipped arrows.
I don’t think, I just act, crossing the threshold into the room.
“Please,” she begs, curling in on herself, using one arm to cover her head and the other over her belly. “Please-please-please.”
Her words devolve to whimpers as I shut the door and then crouch down beside her.
“Hey, Nora, no.” The urge to reach out and comfort her is so strong, I have to fist my hands at my sides. “C’mon, Pip, I’m not going to hurt you. I’d never hurt you.”
I lower myself all the way to the floor, gently reassuring her that she’s safe.
I’m not sure how long we sit like that, but eventually she stops shaking and dares to peek up at me with damp eyes.
“You’re safe,” I tell her, keeping my gaze locked on hers.
“Do you promise?” Her small, scared voice unleashes something deep within me. Something primal that I know won’t rest until it’s gotten its pound of flesh from my father in retribution for the sins he committed against her.
“I won’t let anything happen to you.” I swallow roughly. “Not ever again.”
“What happens now?” she asks, sniffling as she uncurls and pushes herself into a seated position. “Is…is Ellis coming?”
Cocking my head to the side, I study her. Why is she asking about Ellis?
“I thought you were him.” Her voice is soft and a little raspy, sandpaper wrapped in silk.
“Why would you think that?” I spear my fingers through my hair. “I can call him if you want…”
“It doesn’t matter.” She shakes her head. “I’m just really tired.”
Her words settle between us like a weight. She doesn’t just look tired—she looks exhausted. Bone-weary, like she hasn’t slept in ages.
“Then let’s get you out of here so you can sleep.” All I want is to take her back to my place, where I know she’ll be safe.
She flinches, and I instantly know I’ve said the wrong thing.
“I’m not—I can’t—you…” She trips over her words as panic sinks its claws deeper into her, making me feel like the biggest asshole in the world. “You promised.”
“Hey, no.” I raise my hands in front of me. “I meant what I said. All I want to do is help you. I get it, you don’t trust me, I haven’t earned that yet. But mark my words, Nora, I will. I will earn your trust and prove to you that I’m on your side. No matter how long it takes.”
When she doesn’t reply, I haul myself up off the floor, relock the door, and position the chair back in front of it. Then, I lower myself into the chair, claiming it as my spot for the night.