Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 81845 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 409(@200wpm)___ 327(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81845 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 409(@200wpm)___ 327(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
“It’s not the same, honey,” I whisper gently. I really want to go to him to wrap my arms around him, but his body is so solid I know he doesn’t want that, not at all, not from me.
“You lied to me. Standing in my arms, you fucking lied to me.”
Okay, that cut deep, not that it wasn’t true. It was, but…
Dropping my eyes from his, I pull in a few deep gulps of air. I would do it again and again; I will always run to help my sister, because I remember there was a time she would have done the same for me I know that deep in my gut.
Hearing my phone ring in my bag, I cringe at the loud sound.
“Leave it,” He snarls, and I bite back the tears I feel gathering in my eyes and pull my cell out of my bag.
Unknown Caller is on the screen, and I know, just know it’s Morgan. Sliding my finger across the screen, I ignore Sven’s curse and answer with a quiet, “Hello.”
“It’s done. Can you come get me? I need to get somewhere safe tonight.”
“Where, when?” I rush out, standing.
“I’ll meet you at the Galleria Mall. I’ll have Amy drop me there—fifteen, twenty minutes tops.”
“‘Kay.” I hang up, dropping my phone back in my bag, and look at Sven. The blank look is gone, replaced with rage.
“I need to pick Morgan up. She’s going into rehab,” I tell him, expecting him to look surprised or relieved, but his expression doesn’t change.
“You do this…” He shakes his head and rips a hand through his hair. “That’s it, Maggie.”
I cringe at the sound of his tone and feel my heart split in two, not only from the look in his eyes, but the amount of finality in his words as he spits them at me. “I have to help her,” I whisper through the pain the tears in my throat are causing as I swallow them down.
“She’s going to end up getting you killed. Do you not see that?” he yells, standing, causing the chair he was sitting on to slide back and hit the wall behind him with so much force that the window rattles.
“Sven.” I shake my head as my body begins to shake.
“No! Her or me, Maggie, you choose.”
“You can’t ask that of me,” I tell him, lifting my hand toward him as I take a step in his direction around the desk. His eyes drop to my hand and he takes a step back.
“Make your choice.”
“What?” I breathe as nausea and anxiety fill my stomach.
“Make your choice,” he roars, and I stumble back a step while my heart shatters.
“That’s not love, Sven. You asking that of me is not love,” I tell him quietly. Then I turn on my heels, run from his office and down the stairs, passing Lane, who’s eyes lift toward Sven’s office, looking pissed as they come back to me. I’m not crying now, but I feel the tears building in my chest and I know…I know I don’t have long before I break down.
“Maggie!” Eva yells, rushing toward me from behind the bar when she spots me.
“Sorry,” I whisper, running past her.
“Slow down, girl,” Teo says, stopping me with his large hand wrapped around my arm as soon as I pass through the outside door.
“I need to go,” I cry, attempting to wrench my arm from his grasp.
“What’s going on?” He frowns, studying my face.
“Let me go, Teo, please,” I beg, feeling desperate. I want to cry. I want to scream, but more than anything, I want to get away.
“Let’s go inside,” he says gently.
“Let me go,” I repeat, and his hand loosens and I’m able to get free. Running to my car, I get in then lock the doors. I don’t think anyone is following me, but I can’t risk anyone trying to stop me, not again. Putting my car in reverse, I hit the gas then slam on the brakes, causing the car to jerk and my body to slide forward in my seat. Putting the car in drive, I press the gas then swerve to miss Sven, who is standing at the entrance for the parking lot. I don’t even look as I pull out onto the road. I just say a prayer there isn’t a car coming and that I don’t die.
When I reach the mall, Morgan is standing out front with a backpack on the ground at her feet. As she spots my car, she picks up the bag and rushes toward me.
“I didn’t think you were coming,” she whispers, getting in and buckling her belt, reminding me that I need to put mine on as well. I never go without a seatbelt, but I didn’t even think to put it on. “Are you okay?” she asks, and I don’t look at her. I can’t. I just put the car in drive and take off toward the highway without answering.