Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 46619 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 233(@200wpm)___ 186(@250wpm)___ 155(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46619 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 233(@200wpm)___ 186(@250wpm)___ 155(@300wpm)
I sit there staring blankly at the wall, barely aware of the stinging cold against my exposed skin. It’s nothing compared to the inner chill that’s spreading rapidly through my entire body.
I don’t realize I’m crying until a teardrop splatters on the back of my palm with a mocking splash.
I raise my hand to my face, blinking at the moisture in surprise. Then, I laugh, a dry, mirthless sound that seems to echo mockingly in the quiet of the room.
I wonder what my mama would say if she saw me like this.
I told you so...
Probably.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Abram
I run a hand through my hair for the hundredth time since I walked into my room.
What the fuck have I done?
The question keeps echoing in my head, yet I can’t find an acceptable explanation as to why I did that to Melody.
She deemed me worthy of being her first, and what did I do? I callously stomped on her pride like it was nothing, rationalizing my actions with worthless excuses.
My actions are the ingrained urge to self-sabotage every time I find someone who gets too close to actually mean something to me.
I have always prided myself on being careful enough to keep people at arms-length.
And the moment I realized that I was about to cross a point of no return with Melody, I panicked.
I ran away like a coward, hurting her in the process.
Melody’s broken face flashes in my head, and my heart constricts in a responding pain.
It’s almost laudable how I’d sat there sputtering nonsense with a straight face. Someone younger, my foot! I can’t even bear the thought of her with another man.
You fool, the beast inside me berates. She’ll never forgive you now.
How do I explain to the woman I’m falling for that I’m more messed up than she’d ever imagine possible?
I’ve felt something deep in my soul for Melody since I found her sleeping in my bed.
It suddenly dawns on me that I might lose her forever if I don’t make amends tonight.
I need to talk to her... I need to say something to repair the damage I’ve caused. I don’t know what, but anything to erase the heartbreaking agony that clouded her gorgeous blue eyes tonight.
Before I know it, I’m in front of her room.
I knock softly on her door. Once, then twice.
There’s no response.
I slowly push the door open, wondering if she’s fallen asleep.
“Melody?”
I walk into the room, and I’m surprised to see that her bed is empty. I start to walk toward the bathroom, but I freeze in shock as realization dawns on me.
Melody is gone.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Melody
The knocking sound comes again, more urgent this time. I groan loudly, covering my head with my pillow.
I hope Jack hasn’t decided to pull some new stunt today. I’m honestly not in the mood to be frightened by a drug addict who thinks I’m a part of the inheritance his mother left him.
I get out of bed, a little alarmed now by the consistent banging noise on my door.
Does Jack think he owns the whole neighborhood or something?
I march to the door, ready to give him a piece of my mind and a taste of my fist if necessary.
I angrily pull the door open. “What the hell is wrong...?”
The words get stuck in my throat as my eyes fall on the person standing at my door. My heart skips dangerously, then settles into an annoying irregular rhythm.
How can I still feel this want for him after everything that happened?
Maybe it’s the fact that despite his distraught appearance, Abram looks just as handsome as ever.
How on earth did he find me?
“Abram?” My voice is surprisingly detached and cold, a stark contradiction to the churning heat that is slowly spreading through my body. “What are you doing here?”
“I should be asking you that, dammit.” Abram looks like he’s caught up between being angry, worried, and relieved. “Why the hell would you come back here?”
I guess he chose anger.
“You know how dangerous it is.”
Or was it worry?
I fold my hands over my chest and lean against my door with a soft sigh.
“I’ll take care of my business, Abram. It’s none of yours.”
An indecipherable emotion flickers in Abram’s eyes, but it’s gone before I can decide what it was.
Abram sighs heavily and runs a hand down his face, a habit I’ve come to associate with frustration and confusion.
“Melody….”
My crazy heart responds to the fatigue in his voice as he whispers my name. I wish I could rip out the organ and repair this maddening malfunction.
“About last night…,” Abram says, moving to take my hand in his. I press further against the door, blatantly avoiding his touch.
“What happened was a mistake,” I interrupt, meeting his gaze squarely.
“No, it wasn’t,” Abram says, quickly shaking his head. “None of it was a mistake. I promise.”
I suddenly feel a fit of low thrumming anger fighting for recognition among the many other emotions that I’m feeling at the moment. The anger spread rapidly across my chest, driving away every other emotion.