Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 90433 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 452(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90433 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 452(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
The drive to the community college’s administration offices in southern Tampa went by in a blur of jumbled thoughts and rampant emotions. At least she hadn’t thought to be nervous about her meeting, which was as easy as possible. She only encountered women and ended up registering for two classes this semester.
After the information in the news and the successful solo outing, Kelsie should have been on cloud nine. Instead, she was a distracted, guilt-ridden mess. She wanted Ty. She wanted him to kiss her, touch her, and help her forget her worries. She could have had all of that if she’d been smart enough to keep the bathroom door unlocked.
“Idiot,” she muttered.
Was he mad? Disappointed? Did he think she’d acted like a child?
Ugh, more insecurities to add to the pot. What did he even see in her?
“You have got to stop this shit.”
She shook her head as she reached her car parked on the street in front of the building. There she was, walking around and talking to herself like she’d lost it. Enough was enough. Moping wasn’t her style, and she hated it. She’d pull into her favorite coffee house drive-thru, grab a drink for her and Ty, then visit him at work with an apology. She could take him to his office if he resisted and try a different tactic.
A shiver of delight ran through her. Yes, that’s what she’d do. Hell, maybe she’d try getting on her knees in his office, even if coffee was enough to have him forgive her.
As she reached for the door handle, a heavy weight hit her from behind, slamming her into her car. She yelped in pain as her chin slammed into the car.
“Shut the fuck up. Not one sound.” Something hard poked into her side.
A gun?
Her knees went weak and not in the exciting way Ty made them feel.
“M-my w-wallet is in my purse. T-take it.”
A sinister laugh rang out next to her ear. “That’s not what I want from you, Kelsie Carver.”
Oh God. He knew who she was. She shook so hard that her knees bumped the car in a rhythmic thump-thump knocking almost as fast as her heart raced behind her ribs.
“Now, be a good girl and get in the car. Climb into the passenger seat. I’m driving.”
She tried to open the door, but her feet were frozen in place, and the rest of her trembled so hard she couldn’t grab hold of the door handle.
“The fuck are you waiting for.” He dug the weapon into her side until she whimpered in pain and managed to pull the car door open. The man didn’t wait for her to climb in. He shoved her hard. She fell forward, hands landing on her seat.
The guy grabbed her hips and yanked her back against an obvious erection.
Bile flooded her mouth.
No. This could not be happening to her. Not again.
Her mind started to slide away, curling in on itself the only way it knew to protect her from what was about to happen.
“I said get in the fucking car.” He released her hips and shoved her again. The bridge of her nose hit the center console, making her cry out. It hurt like hell, but the pain kicked her into gear, and she scrambled across the car into the passenger’s seat.
A second later, she got her first look at her kidnapper.
Andrew Tinsley.
She gagged.
He slammed the door, locked it, and turned to face her with the barrel of the gun no longer in her side but now pointed at her chest. “Do you have any fucking idea what you have done? Your stupid, greedy fucking father said you’d say no. He said no matter how much money he threw at you or how he tried to bribe you, you’d say no.”
To a marriage to him? It looked like her father had known one thing about her after all.
Andrew had a handsome face, but something about it had always bothered her. He had a pompous expression that never left, no matter the situation. Maybe it came from playing with diamonds in his crib and sucking on a golden pacifier as an infant. More realistically, it came from having a father who indulged his every whim and spoiled him rotten.
Literally, Andrew Tinsley had a rotten soul she wouldn’t wish on anyone.
“One more day. I needed one more day. You have no idea how much work we put into capturing you and keeping you hostage. Fucking Hell’s Handlers ruined everything. I was supposed to be the one to save you. I was supposed to be the white-fucking-knight. Not some old-ass biker who can’t get it up.”
Her brain short-circuited. “Y-you, w-what?” She stared at him, brain spiraling.
“It was a damn good plan. It fucking worked. Tear you down to nothing, then bring in the man who’d put you back together.” He pointed to himself with his free hand. “But the wrong fucking man walked in one day early.”