Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 70554 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 353(@200wpm)___ 282(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70554 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 353(@200wpm)___ 282(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
The Kid’s jaw cracks yet doesn’t stop me rambling.
“The Garcias were the only thing that kept me alive. I spent more time there than I ever did at home. They kept me fed and clothed when my own mother could barely hold down a fucking job because that shit’s difficult when you can’t breathe due to broken ribs or see due to swollen eyes or stop sobbing because you don’t know if you’re gonna live to see tomorrow.”
Another futile movement of his mouth occurs.
“I learned basic survival health shit from his mom. What to avoid if dumpster diving. How to play a restaurant for discounted meals or scraps they have to throw out at the end of the night. I learned injury treatment shit from his old man. How to survivor patch wounds with household items. I learned car shit from one of his cousins. How to hustle at pool and poker from another. His family taught me neighborhoods to avoid. The right people to always charm. How to benefit from a broken system while understanding certain systems weren’t built for me. I learned to survive and eventually thrive because they gave a shit about me. Because they never stopped giving one.”
Rabbit carefully lowers the eggs back to the table.
“And the night that I came home to find both of people I had to call my parents dead, that was the night I left Spike Village.” A defeated shoulder shrug barely escapes. “I left that poor, neglected, abused kid there and became someone else. Someone who would do whatever it took to protect those they loved, damn whatever the costs.” I let my wallet flop onto the furniture beside the box of breadcrumbs. “Yeah, I had a whole fucking life before you Kipp, but the one that matters most to me, that’s always mattered most to me, that will always be the only one that matters to me is the one I have with you.” Shoving down the lump of tears in my throat is almost impossible. “I love you, Kid.”
Against his own volition, he melts. “Full flag stop?”
“Full. Fucking. Flag. Stop.”
I’m finally given a grin.
An actual grin.
An actual grin that possesses the strength it takes to move the fifty thousand pounds of pressure sitting uncomfortably on my chest.
All of a sudden, the sound of my cell ringing has me diving into my pocket to retrieve it.
Fuck work.
I’m not going anywhere until this shit is actually done.
Until The Kid gets from me what it is he needs.
Understands that there is no giving up on me.
Or us.
Accepts that I’m really no better at this relationship bullshit than he is.
Seeing the contact information on the screen has me cautiously glancing up prior to announcing, “It’s the doctor’s office.” Their expressions shift to nervousness at the same time I answer on speaker. “Nolan.”
“Hey, Nolan, it’s Dr. G,” she warmly announces as if I didn’t already know that. “Is B around? I finally have all of her test results.”
Chapter 13
Kipp
Despite there being no real need to inch closer to the device that Nolan’s holding, I do.
“We’re all here,” he calmly announces. “You’re on speaker.”
“Hey!” the woman on the other end of the phone exclaims. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything. I normally wouldn’t call this late in the afternoon, but considering the situation I thought it would be best to do it when the office was empty.”
“We appreciate your discretion,” our boyfriend compliments.
“B,” Dr. G directly addresses her patient, “your body scan reported no foreign abnormalities.”
A collective sigh of relief circles around the table.
“From what we were able to gather and evaluate you have no trace or trace evidence of ever having a digital device implanted in your system.”
Thank the car gods for that one.
Our girl literally having GPS embedded in her body is the type of shit that might’ve made sense for how McAdams has been tracking her, but it isn’t exactly something else we need to deal with.
We’re already a fully loaded model in that department
“There were no early signs of cancer or heart disease either.”
“That’s good news,” is mindlessly whispered out by me.
“No tumors or blood flow issues.”
“And now the bad news,” our partner promptly instructs.
“However,” the doctor begrudgingly continues, “it did show some healed fractures along the ribs and pelvis that were not listed in your patient history, so I’m unsure if these findings are news to you or information you already had.”
Bunny guiltily redirects her attention to the ingredients on the table. “I um…suspected.”
What the fuck does she mean she suspected?!
Was she even more physically abused by that asshole than we thought?!
Did he break her ribs?
Her legs?
Wait…the doc said her pelvis.
How could he injure her there?!
What the fuck did he do?
Push her down the stairs?!
Chain her to something?!
Rage filled roars rumble in my throat louder than I realize considering the firm palm Nolan suddenly plants on my shoulder.