Total pages in book: 128
Estimated words: 125020 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 625(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125020 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 625(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
Danny turns to head for the closet. I don’t move an inch as he packs a bag and then returns to the bedroom. He heads for the door without a second glance at me.
He pauses at the door, his back still to me. “Clean yourself up. We have a lot to talk about when I get back. Don’t even think about leaving, Shawna,” he says coldly. “I own you.”
Again, I don’t reply. I remain still, not wanting to give him any reason to turn back around and come for me. I wait until he’s out of the room and I hear the downstairs door close.
That’s when I allow the sob I’ve been holding in to rip free. It echoes around the room and wrecks my already sore and battered body. I try to move for the first time and my lips tremble as I bite down from the pain that sears through me.
Yet, I don’t stop moving. I try to breathe through my bleeding nose. It’s not broken, but it hurts like hell.
My mind tries to tell me not to do what I intend to. Danny has warned me repeatedly that he’ll kill me if I leave him. He promised to embarrass me and my family if I ever even thought about it.
Fuck that. Enough.
I drag my body to my phone that lies on the floor where I dropped it. When I reach it, the screen is broken. I’m still able to unlock it and call the one person I know who will do everything she can to get me out of this.
It’s in her blood to get shit done and take care of her family. I can always count on Mayven.
“Hey, Shawnnie,” she sings as she answers my call.
I can’t help sobbing as I try to speak through my broken jaw. “I… I need you to get me out of here,” I slur. “I need your help. Please.”
“Shawna, what’s going on? Why do you sound like that? Answer your FaceTime.”
I don’t want her to see me like this, but I answer. I need to get out of here. This is no time to be embarrassed by my circumstances. I inhale the best I can and open the camera on my phone. That’s when I hear his footsteps on the stairs.
Oh God, no. Please no.
Kelex
“Why do I feel like you are running from me?” Pappoús says as he comes out to the gardens and finds me staring up at the moon.
“It’s not you I’m running from. It’s my thoughts,” I scoff.
“Talk to me, Tzósoua.”
I blink away the tears blurring my eyes. I was able to stop child services from splitting the kids up, but they haven’t granted me guardianship yet. I have to go through the process, which is why I shouldn’t be here—I need to be home.
“All the money I have and I can’t keep a simple fucking promise,” I say to my grandfather.
“What have you promised?”
“I should’ve spoken up. I should’ve told her I’d take them. She could have given me rights before she…”
“Take who, Tzósoua? Rights?”
“The children. Pappoús, I shouldn’t be here. I should be home with them. I don’t think I can do this for you. I’m sorry, but I can’t.”
I wipe my nose and tell him everything from the beginning. I tell him why I don’t think I’m a fit for what he wants and needs.
“You are a better man than you give yourself credit for. I knew you had something holding you back. Not even Blake was sure what. Out of respect for your life, I didn’t allow him to dig.
“This, Tzósoua, this makes me proud. For now, they are safe, yes?”
“Yeah, but that’s not official. I need the judge to grant me custody, but first, we have to get the social worker’s approval and a few other things have to fall into place,” I reply.
“Then this is what I want of you. Go through the process, and you will get them. However, I think it’s time you started to date. I give you one year to find someone and get engaged.”
My eyes widen. This isn’t what I thought he would say. I sit dumbstruck for more than a minute.
“What?”
“Find a woman. We bury this life. You have your family. This is what I want for you.
“Vander and Bridge Lake will give me what they owe some other way. When was the last time you fell in love, Tzósoua?”
“I… I don’t know that I have.”
“Um, if this is what you believe, I think this is the best way I can help you. You will get the children. This, I am sure of.
“Your task will be to show me you deserve to be responsible for them. Sure, you have built an empire of your own, but have you learned to be a man? Show me you have. Find someone to carry this burden with, and I will give Vander to someone else.”