Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 68858 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 344(@200wpm)___ 275(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68858 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 344(@200wpm)___ 275(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
“I’ll have to thank her for dropping by," I lied with ease, wondering what the deal was with this box. A phone began to ring, interrupting our conversation. She fished it out of her purse and smiled at whoever the display showed was calling.
“I have to get going but send her my regards.”
I forced a smile and replied, "Enjoy your lunch"
As soon as she left, I opened the box. Carefully, I unwrapped the lace and lifted the lid. Inside was a layer of white tissue paper covering something solid and stiff. Tilting my head, I pushed the tissue aside with my fingertips. Instantly, I felt an overwhelming urge to gag when my brain registered what I was staring at. Panicked, I covered my mouth to suppress a scream.
My body backed away from the kitchen island and collided with the countertop behind me. In that moment of shock, it dawned on me to move away from the nearby window just in case someone was watching this disturbing scene unfold. I stared down at the box, and the severed hand inside of it.
I jogged along the curved tarmac, focusing on my breathing and watching where I was going. I’d only encountered one other jogger, a woman, and her dog, but with the way the path wound all it would take was someone coming around a corner too fast for me to be down on my ass.
The ground was damp from the recent rainfall, leaving the warm air with a wet cedar and moss smell. I found it relaxing. This park didn’t exist when I lived here as a kid. I’d done a quick search of the nearest running trails, and it was the first result within walking distance of home.
A perfect place to get some air and attempt to clear my head. An attempt I was greatly failing at. After my initial shock wore off it didn’t take much contemplation to connect A-B-C. The problem was, that I didn’t know what to do with the connection. If I hadn't been feeling in over my head before, I certainly did now.
I was a regular person.
The biggest conflicts I’d ever had to deal with were irate customers making returns at my old job, and making sure I didn’t wake up to the power being off. I wasn’t proficient in dealings of body parts. While I'd love to say that If I needed to be an expert in such matters to find Eva, that I would force myself to be scholarly in the subject, I now knew didn't have the stomach for it.
As I approached another bend in the path. A man came from the opposite direction. The moment I saw his face, recognition was instant. I hadn’t seen him since he dropped me off after the bizarre breakfast incident.
He jogged closer and my stomach became inundated with fluttering. I inhaled and exhaled, telling myself to remain calm. After the whirlwind that was the last forty-eight hours, I wasn’t surprised he was here. I would be more shocked if he stayed away. I slowed and removed my phone from the rear pocket of my leggings to pause Purple Rain.
Mateo came to a stop a few feet in front of me, not at all out of breath or having broken a sweat. He was completely dressed down, in black sweatpants that slightly hung off his hips, tennis shoes, and a simple dark-colored life beater that revealed how toned he was and the shaded tattoo I’d caught a glimpse of. It was larger than I first imagined. A money rose, pocket watch, and three playing cards came together in one sleeve, wrapping around his left bicep and extending the length of his forearm to just above his wrist where his family's emblem was etched.
A few stray locks of his dark hair had fallen across his forehead. I did my best not to ogle his body, but I was only human. I tried to resist the urge to admire his physique, but it was impossible. He was undeniably gorgeous. My eyes wandered down and settled on the noticeable bulge between his legs. My goodness, was that what I thought it was? Soft at that?
“My face is up here, Elena.”
The smugness in his tone and the way he practically growled my name had me snapping to attention. He stood with his hands perched on his hips and the hint of an antagonizing smirk on his lips. I scowled at him, ready to inquire about the package he had delivered earlier. Just as I opened my mouth, I heard approaching footsteps and decided to hold my tongue. “Do you usually run this trail?”
“No. I have a private gym. I’m only here for you.”
That wasn’t surprising to hear either. His actual workout regimen would probably break me within the first five minutes. He surveyed my face before breaking the pregnant silence.