Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 88936 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 445(@200wpm)___ 356(@250wpm)___ 296(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88936 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 445(@200wpm)___ 356(@250wpm)___ 296(@300wpm)
The drive back home was quiet. I waited to hear my father’s snore, but it never came. It wasn’t until we pulled into the driveway and Amory’s hand left mine that the heaviness reappeared. Dad was still awake, and Amory would be leaving. My father was going to make me pay for this.
It wasn’t anything I hadn’t dealt with before, but I normally tried to avoid setting him off. Too late for that. Amory had done enough that he’d be ready to unload the moment the Porsche pulled out of the driveway.
We opened our doors at the same time. I climbed out, then turned to move my seat forward and get Dad, but Amory had already done so on his side and was roughly snatching my father out. I winced as my dad groaned, staggering onto the broken pavement.
I hurried the best I could in the heels, not wanting to trip over any of the cracks, but needing to get to the two of them before it got worse.
“Thanks for your help,” I told Amory. “I’ve got it from here.”
The moment my father’s palm connected with my face in a loud smack and I felt the familiar sting from his slap, I realized my mistake. It was one of those things that I should have been prepared for, but since the routine was different, I was off my game.
“Stupid bi—” my father started, glaring at me, but he was slammed back against the car hard with Amory’s hand gripping his throat so tight that his face was instantly red.
“AMORY!” I cried out as he lifted my dad off the ground like he weighed nothing.
He couldn’t breathe. My dad’s eyes bugged out, and my heart was slamming against my chest so hard that I thought it might crack it open.
“STOP!” I begged, grabbing his arm and pulling it, trying to free his hold on my dad.
He wasn’t letting him go. Oh God.
“AMORY!” I shouted again. “LET HIM GO!”
Amory looked down at me, and that terrifying darkness I’d seen in his eyes before, in the parking lot at the bar, was back.
Tears stung my eyes, and I pleaded with him to let my father down. “He can’t breathe!”
There was a small flicker there that I hoped meant he was going to listen to me. When my dad was lowered back to his feet, I heard him gasp for air, although Amory hadn’t released him yet; he’d eased his grip enough so my dad could get oxygen.
He swung his eyes back to my dad. “When I let you go, you’ll get your sorry ass in that house and go to bed. Don’t touch her. Don’t speak to her. Don’t look in her goddamn direction. If you do, I’ll find out. And the next time, I won’t stop.”
I crossed my arms over my chest even though there was no real chill in the air. The sinister sound in his voice had caused a disquiet to settle over me. The shadows that lurked in his eyes now were eerie.
His hand fell away, and my dad started to turn to look at me when Amory grabbed his face and snatched it back to focus on him instead.
“Don’t look,” he reminded him.
I shivered.
While holding on to his face, Amory pulled him forward, then shoved him toward the house. Dad managed not to fall, although it was several steps before he righted himself.
I’d brought this here. Amory was my fault. If I’d known he was like this or that he even had this kind of behavior behind that charming smile, I wouldn’t have gone anywhere with him. I couldn’t date a man who was going to end up killing my father. Because it didn’t matter what Amory said to him. When he wasn’t here, I’d be slapped or tossed around some. My dad never truly hurt me when he was drunk. Just some bruises here or there, but he didn’t deserve to be choked to death.
Amory’s gaze finally shifted to me when my dad reached the front door. I licked my lips and straightened my shoulders. A tear rolled down my face, and I wiped it away. Guilt, disappointment, and anger all warred inside my chest.
“Please leave,” I told him.
His gaze softened, but I’d already seen enough. This wasn’t something I had room for in my life. I needed support and understanding, not brutality.
“Royal,” he began, but I shook my head.
“NO! You need to leave. Now,” I shouted, pointing at his car.
Another tear rolled down my face, and I hated that I couldn’t stop them. For a moment, I’d thought I’d found something good in my life. That perhaps I was going to be happy. Not alone. I should have known not to be fooled. All I ever seemed to get was the ugly of the world.
He took a step toward me, and I backed up.