Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 87895 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 439(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87895 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 439(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Then, the hits stop…
I sink to the floor, my legs not strong enough to hold me. I’m still lost somewhere in the haze of pain and that was my mistake, because that’s when King kicks me.
Not once.
Not twice.
Repeatedly.
I wrap my arms around my stomach and curl, but inside… inside I know…
It’s much too late.
8
Rory
“Rory! Wake up! You have to wake up!”
Ryan’s voice pulls me out of the fog. I scrunch my face as the pain begins to register. My head feels so heavy it hurts to move it. Carefully I open my eyes, the bright light almost blinding. Pain thrusts behind my eyes like a sharp slash of a blade. I close them again, just by reflex. I take a breath—which hurts just as bad—and then finally open them. Everything around me is kind of blurry. I can’t seem to focus. Ryan cries out in relief as I carefully pull my body up… from the floor.
I catch him and I can’t stop the whimper of pain his body colliding with mine causes. I wrap my arms around him and I don’t think Ryan understands that he caused me pain, his relief that I’m awake so tangible that I can feel it surround me.
“I’m okay,” I tell him, mostly lying, but willing to do anything to help him calm down.
“You wouldn’t wake up. I was so scared.”
“I’m okay now, Ryan. Are you okay? King didn’t hurt you, did he?” I ask, worried my brother would have done something while I was out of it.
“No. He just threw me into the room with you. He hurt you bad, Rory,” he tells me, something I already knew, but I wish Ryan hadn’t seen it.
“I’m okay,” I tell him again—lying.
“But your back,” he argues.
“Honey, I’m okay,” I tell him, cupping the side of his face and trying to look at him, despite my vision still being blurry. My mouth is dry too. I look around the room and even that slight movement causes my body to scream in protest.
“Are you sure?” Ryan asks, his voice sounding almost hopeful instead of panicked.
“I’m sure,” I lie—again. “How long was I out?”
“All night and then today too. I was scared. I put a blanket over you,” Ryan answers, barely taking a breath between each sentence.
“Thank you,” I whisper, swallowing. “I’ll see if I can take a shower and get dressed. We’ll try and get us something to eat. Have you had anything?”
“No… but the door is locked,” he whispers.
“Maybe it will be unlocked by the time I get out of the shower. I don’t want to leave you alone. Do you think you could sit on the floor in the bathroom until I’m out?” I ask him. I will be hidden from view in the shower, not that he could see through the frosted glass really. I don’t want to leave him out of my reach… just in case.
“Yeah,” he whispers.
“Okay, baby. Stand back now and let me get up, deal?” I ask him, trying to smile, but knowing I mostly fail at that.
Ryan pulls away, moving so his body leans against the foot of the bed. I close my eyes, knowing this is going to hurt. Past experience has taught me that, but for some reason it seems to hurt more this time. But then, King had an audience. He tends to get inspired when others are watching, perhaps that is why.
It takes me three tries before I can stand. I use the wall to hold myself up, leaning heavily on it. My stomach is so sore and my hand automatically clutches against it. The back of my dress is open and torn. My back is burning and so inflamed the air is painful against it.
“Rory,” Ryan whispers, his voice trembling in terror.
For a minute I’m scared that my brother has come back. I look to the door, but it’s still closed.
“What is it, Ryan?” I ask, my brow furrowing with the question.
“You’re bleeding,” he whispers.
“I just need to get…” I stop when I notice where Ryan is staring. In a mixture of the pain, fear and trying to focus… I didn’t notice. I do now. I look down where my hand is holding my stomach and the splash of dark red blood has soaked into my dress. The wetness between my legs is there too. I cry out before I can stop myself, before I can worry about Ryan.
I cry out, because I know what this means. I know.
The reality of it… destroys me.
I’ve lost my baby.
9
King
“What in the fuck do you mean the FBI has taken over the area? How in the fuck did they find it?”
“Hell if I know, King. All I know is my contact on the MSPD called me and told me the Feds have swarmed the area where we dumped the body and torched the truck.”