Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 61746 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 309(@200wpm)___ 247(@250wpm)___ 206(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61746 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 309(@200wpm)___ 247(@250wpm)___ 206(@300wpm)
“What do you think about spending the night with Aunt Aisling?” I asked her as I looked over my shoulder with a forced smile.
“Okay!” Chloe replied with a toothy grin.
“Awesome. We’re going to go back home real quick and pack some things, and then we’ll go see her,” I told her in the best fake cheery voice that I could muster before turning back forward. My face immediately fell the moment she couldn’t see my expression, a deep-set frown crossing my lips as my mind raced.
I would call Aisling and let her know what was going on while Chloe was packing her backpack. I knew that Aisling would take us in for however long we needed, which I was eternally grateful for because I didn’t feel safe staying in the house by myself. How did I feel like I was on the run and trapped in a corner at the same time?
“Can I pack my animals?” Chloe asked in a hopeful voice as she joined her small hands together in a pleading motion, referring to her small animal figurines that she liked to collect.
My eyes shifted up to the rearview mirror to see the puppy dog look on her face, making an ache echo in my chest. I wished overpacking toys was our biggest problem right now.
“Of course. You can take anything you want,” I told her with a small smile, wanting her to be as happy and carefree as possible. All I wanted to do was protect the people I cared about, which meant facing off with the worst person I had ever known. I never expected the darkest part of my past to come back and haunt me, but he was too malicious to ever leave me alone. I should’ve known that.
I pulled back onto the street and drove away from the tattoo shop, my eyes shifting to the rearview mirror just as some of the guys walked out of the front door. My heart ached as I tore my eyes away, knowing that I couldn’t go back. If I truly cared for them, I would handle this on my own, even if this was the hardest battle I ever had to fight.
Chapter 21
Gus
I returned to the tattoo shop first. I just didn’t feel right walking in circles around the block because it felt like I was running away from the problem. Running away from Madison.
None of this was fair, but life was seldom fair. It was just worse when good people were screwed over by the bad, and Michael was one of the worst people I had ever come across.
How did someone as sweet as Chloe come from a monster like Michael? Thankfully, she was so much like her mother, the woman I had let my guard down for and fallen in love with.
My boots hit the sleek wooden floor of the shop with a loud thump as I headed toward the stairs that led up to the attic. Marlo had already left to get some air, but Madison and Chloe should’ve been back by now. She didn’t say anything about going anywhere else after going to the elementary school.
Strangely, I didn’t hear a single bit of noise as I walked through the shop besides the air conditioner running. An unsettling feeling settled on my shoulders like a fifty-pound weight, prompting me to take the steps two at a time until I reached the attic.
Dead silent. Nothing.
With a confused grunt, I grabbed my phone and called Madison, listening to my phone ring over and over again until it went to her voicemail.
Hey, this is Madison! I can’t come to the phone right now, so just leave a message!
The sound of her cheery voice warmed me, but that feeling quickly turned cold when I realized that I had no idea where she was. After that tense interaction with her ex and those cops, the last thing I wanted to deal with was not knowing where she was. What if Michael found her and Chloe before me or the guys could?
I called a few more times, but she didn’t pick up. Maybe she went back home. Most likely, she took Chloe to a park or got something to eat, but with everything going on, things just didn’t feel right to me. I wouldn’t be able to relax until I knew she and Chloe were okay, so I grabbed my things and headed out to my truck.
My engine revved as I quickly pulled out of my parking spot and drove to Madison’s house, making sure my phone’s ringer was turned up all the way so that I could hear in case she called me back. I hoped she did, but as the minutes ticked by and the closer I got to her house, the more worried I felt.
This woman had me wrapped around her finger. Me and the others had fooled around with women before, but Madison stuck in a way none of the others did. Maybe they were nice and fun, but Madison was… everything we ever wanted in a life partner.