Total pages in book: 155
Estimated words: 156029 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 780(@200wpm)___ 624(@250wpm)___ 520(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 156029 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 780(@200wpm)___ 624(@250wpm)___ 520(@300wpm)
“I’m not having Christmas without you.” She gasps, as if shocked by the mere suggestion of it.
“There’s no other way around it, Charlotte. They don’t want me there and I hate seeing you like this. I’d rather spend Christmas alone than see you hurt.”
“I’m staying with you, Spencer. Don’t you see?”
“See what?”
“This is a no-win situation. I can’t be without you, so I have to learn to live without them.”
She curls herself into my chest and holds me tight as she cries. Loud, uncontrollable sobs make her entire body shake.
All I can do is sit and hold her.
The room becomes a shady haze of red as I feel the adrenaline begin to pump through my veins.
“What can I do?” I whisper. “I’ll make you some dinner.”
“I’m not hungry, thanks.” She kisses me as she tries to pull herself together. “I’m just going to go to bed, baby, is that okay?”
I brush her hair back from her forehead. “Of course, it is.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.” I kiss her. “I’ll be up to tuck you in in a minute.” I help her off my lap and watch her walk up the stairs until she disappears out of sight.
I pour myself a scotch and drink it down. Anger is coursing through my veins like wildfire. The only thing she ever did wrong was fall in love with me.
I drink my scotch with a shaky hand.
Who the fuck do they think they are?
1105
I punch in the code to the gates of the estate and drive through to the main house. I shouldn’t be here but I’m past caring what they think of me.
I hardly slept last night. I stayed awake watching my angel cry.
I can’t do it anymore. I have no patience and no fucks left to give.
I park the car, and Harold’s guards appear out of nowhere. “What do you want?” one asks me.
“I want to see Harold,” I announce, despite it being early morning. The earlier my arrival, the more chance I had of them being home.
“He’s not here.”
“Then I’ll wait. Or… find him,” I snap. “Better still, get Edward out here.”
One of them scurries into the house leaving me to stand at the bottom of the porch steps. It seems a lifetime ago when I was at the bottom of Charlotte’s steps on that first date, begging her to let me in.
If only I knew what kind of Heaven awaited me, I would have stayed that night and saved us both a lot of time.
The front door opens, and Harold’s face comes into view. I glare at him and storm up the stairs, brushing past him to enter his house.
The guard tries to stop me but Harold holds his hand up. “He’s fine.”
I soon find Edward in the living room. “You fucking prick.” I growl and I push him hard in the chest.
“What the hell?” He staggers back before regaining his composure and pushing me in return.
“Stop it.” Harold growls. “I’ve had enough of you both!”
“Are you happy?” I yell at Harold.
“Get the hell out.” Edward sneers.
“Don’t push me, cunt, or I’ll fucking knock you out. Explain to me why Charlotte, a woman who you’re both supposed to love, spent the night crying because you two won’t see her?”
Harold’s face falls.
“She’s fucking heartbroken!” I cry. “And why? All because neither one of you has enough guts to trust me?”
Edward glares at me. “You’re no good for her.”
“She doesn’t want a fucking Christmas because of you. I came home from work last night to find her on the floor sobbing over her fucked-up, selfish family.”
Edward’s eyes drop to the floor.
“I don’t give a fuck if you don’t like me,” I shout. “But you will not punish her for loving me.” I’m so angry, my eyes fill with unexpected tears.
Edward lifts his chin in defiance. “She needs to come home. It’s where she belongs.”
My temper hits an all-time high. “Nobody can love her more than I do. Nobody! I’ve done some fucked-up things in my life, I’ll admit, but I love her and I’m marrying her whether you like it or not. If you keep going like this, the hurt you inflict on her will be way too deep for you to ever repair.”
Harold watches me, and I turn to him. “Do you think your wife would be proud of the way you’re treating your beloved daughter?” I whisper in contempt.
His haunted eyes hold mine.
“I wouldn’t treat a fucking dog the way you’ve treated her. You, of all people, should understand how she feels.” I sneer. “You fell for the hired help, for Christ’s sake.”
“You leave my mother the fuck out of this,” Edward snaps and throws a punch at my jaw. I stagger back, recover quickly, and then I punch him in the face as hard as I can. We grab each other turning it into a scuffle. Punches are thrown and the table tips over in the foyer. A guard comes rushing in from outside.