Total pages in book: 195
Estimated words: 185573 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 928(@200wpm)___ 742(@250wpm)___ 619(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 185573 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 928(@200wpm)___ 742(@250wpm)___ 619(@300wpm)
“Please,” she whispers. “I want this time to be who I am before I lose her forever. I can do that with you. I think you’re the only person I can do that with.”
When I look at her, I finally get why she chose me. Why she followed me. Because there’s something in me that she recognizes in herself. A deep well of anger and pain she’s hidden away from everyone else. I don’t know what to make of that, but I know I can’t deny her request. She wants this opportunity to live without restrictions, and I want to prove she doesn’t have to imprison herself in a life that’s been scripted for her.
For the first time in as long as I can remember, I actually have a fuck to give, and she did that. So I tell her the only thing that makes sense.
“I’m not going anywhere.”
Chapter 13
Lyric
When the man they call Kodiak announces his intentions to separate us, my first instinct is to panic. But Eden completely loses her shit. From the floor, she screams bloody murder and thrashes so violently against her restraints I’m worried she’ll hurt herself. I’ve never seen her react this way to anything before, and it frightens me. She’s usually the fearless one, but I don’t recognize her right now.
“Eden,” I call out to her, and her eyes collide with mine.
“Don’t let them take you,” she screeches. “Don’t believe them!”
At this moment, I realize she’s not afraid of them. She’s afraid for me. I’m trying to make sense of that when all I’ve ever known Eden to be is a blank slate without emotions. I’ve never been delusional enough to believe she sticks with me because she cares about my well-being. But something’s snapped in her, and it sends a ripple of fear down my spine because if she’s this scared, I know I should be too.
“What the fuck is wrong with her?” Kodiak asks as his burly friend fights to secure Eden’s gag again.
“Maybe the fact that you abducted us has something to do with it!” I glare up at him.
My words don’t seem to affect him one way or the other as he gestures for me to get up. “Come on. We’re leaving.”
“I’m not going anywhere without my friend.” I stay planted in the chair, but deep down, I know it’s a losing fight. Even if I could get past these three men by some miracle, there’s still an entire bar full of other people who don’t seem to care what’s happening here.
“Your friend will be safe here at the clubhouse,” Kodiak bites out. “Now get your ass up, or I’m going to make this very unpleasant for you.”
“Don’t listen to him!” Eden shrieks as she bucks beneath the giant oaf of a man trying to shove a bandanna into her mouth. “Don’t let him get inside your head, Lyric. Tell him nothing! Nothing!”
Those are the last words she utters before the gag is in place. Still, it doesn’t stop her from glaring at Kodiak like she wants to murder him. And I can’t help wondering how far he’s willing to go to get information out of me, especially when I can’t give him what he wants.
The big man from the truck tosses Eden over his shoulder like she’s an animal ready for slaughter, and he heads for the door.
“Wait!” I lunge out of the chair and try to shove past Kodiak. “Where are you taking her?”
Before I make it two steps, a steel arm wraps around my waist and hauls me back. Eden disappears out the door, and my baser instincts take over as I realize we’re in the fight of our lives. I’m functioning on fear when I rake my fingernails down my captor’s forearm and draw blood. Kodiak grunts in pain, but he doesn’t relax his grip.
“Fucking stop.” He grabs a handful of my hair and yanks my head back to growl his command into my ear. His hot and minty breath sends a shiver over my skin. I’m not entirely sure if it’s the threat lurking behind me or if I’m reacting to something else, and that scares me. But regardless, I have no intention of sticking around to find out. At least not if I can help it.
I thrust my heel back into his shin, and he mutters a curse as his arm relaxes involuntarily, just enough for me to break away. I don’t have a plan except to run, so that’s what I do. I run like my life depends on it, out the door, down the hall, and back through the bar. A few unconcerned heads turn my way, and I already know pleading for help would be fruitless. So I don’t bother, instead focusing on the door to the outside world. Just a few short steps away from freedom, he catches me from behind, and I scream.