Total pages in book: 21
Estimated words: 20358 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 102(@200wpm)___ 81(@250wpm)___ 68(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 20358 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 102(@200wpm)___ 81(@250wpm)___ 68(@300wpm)
That’s fine, though. I don’t want or need his praise. There’s only one man whose approval I care about, but sadly, he’s not here now.
Berry has a car waiting outside that takes us into town. He chatters on his phone with someone the whole time like I’m not even there.
The drive is torture, but we finally pull up in front of a new modern building. I quickly step out and find myself looking down at a little girl who can’t be older than ten, who stares up at me with a smile on her face.
“Hello,” she says.
“Um, hi?” I reply. “How are you?”
“I’m good. I’m Amy.”
A woman in a maroon blazer and skirt stands beside her, holding her hand.
She’s absolutely adorable, but what in the world is she doing here? I look at the woman holding her hand for an explanation, but she just stares back at me with a stony face.
“And you are—?”
“Amy is our daughter for tonight,” Berry grunts, stepping up beside me. “This is Janice, my secretary. She belongs to her.”
He takes Amy’s hand and starts toward the house. Amy happily skips along beside him.
“Our daughter!?” I hiss into his ear. “Are you crazy!?”
“I told you, this guy is a real family guy. We have to put on a good show. Now shut up.”
I’m nothing more than a prop. A puppet in a dress, meant to look good so my ‘husband’ can make money.
I’m about to protest when the front door opens to reveal a frighteningly normal-looking man. Beside him is a frighteningly normal-looking wife with a daughter who looks just like her.
They all have the fakest smiles in the world plastered across their faces.
“Berry, my boy! How are ya!?” the man asks, extending his hand.
“Steve! Good to see ya!” He smiles and shakes it, then turns to me and gives me a threatening glare.
And that’s when it happens.
I slip into autopilot, smiling and nodding, barely even listening to the conversation as we’re taken into the house and served drinks and chopped fruit.
I watch Amy doing her job too, completely oblivious to the fact that she’s being used as a prop to make her mother’s boss look good.
Just as Berry and Steve leave the room to go talk business, or whatever, I see Berry cop a feel of Steve’s wife’s ass. She doesn’t even flinch. In fact, she leans into it, as if it’s happened many times before.
I need to get out of here, I think, fighting back panic as my hands begin to tremble. This is all just too weird. Is my ‘husband’ fucking Steve’s wife?
I chew on a piece of slimy melon, trying not to gag.
Out of here, out of here, out of here…
How long am I going to pretend to be this crazy man’s wife? It’s like my soul is slowly eroding inside of me. Like I’m an ice sculpture with pieces chipping off day by day.
Being here now, watching Steve’s wife and ‘our daughter’ talk just makes my heart ache more desperately for Rick.
He feels like home. Being away from him is chilling, like walking on an alien world. Every breath I take pains me.
I felt so loved when he took me in his truck last night. So safe.
That feeling is still embedded in my chest, but I know that if he was here with his arms wrapped around me, I’d be absolutely glowing.
I turn to glance at my reflection in the window, and gasp in shock.
There, beneath the tree. A shadow made just for me.
“Rick…” I whisper.
My lungs stop working.
He’s as handsome as ever with a sly smile across his lips, like he’s here for another round of our little game.
And I’ve never been more ready.
7
RICK
It feels like steam is rising from my body, that’s how hot with anger I am as I storm up the lawn toward the door of the house.
Ava’s in there. But not for long.
It was hard enough watching Berry holding her hand as he walked with her, putting on a phony show like they’re a happy couple. It almost made me feel like I could lose her.
Berry’s a connected guy. A wealthy bastard. Going up against him is a risk, but it’s one I’m more than willing to take. In fact, I don’t even have a choice.
I thought I’d be able to wait for her until she came outside.
But I was wrong.
I need to get her out of there now.
My fists clench at my sides as I gasp short, burning breaths. My pulse is racing. Adrenaline rapidly shoots through me.
There she is…
Sitting on the couch, her green eyes wide with surprise. She didn’t expect me to be here. Probably didn’t even suspect I could find her. But she should have.
After all, I’ve gotten quite used to stalking her...
Suddenly, she stands and races toward the door. Just as I’m reaching for the handle, it opens and she steps out, closing it behind her.