Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 75720 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75720 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
And now that our true feelings were out and laid bare, it only made the sex that much more magical. I could fully let go, and I knew that Jake could do the same. It was an exciting stage in our relationship, and I couldn’t wait to see where it took us.
I turned off the shower and reluctantly stepped out onto the plush gray rug, grabbing a thick white towel off the rack and drying off my hair before rubbing the towel over the rest of my body. The mirror was fogged up, so I took a wet hand across it, my handprint dripping at the top of the mirror.
I dried my hair off some more and ran my hand through it so that it didn’t look too wild. I needed to get a haircut soon. With everything going on, I neglected the simple things. Haircut, gym, dentist. All added up on my to-do list, underneath the one major task: figure out how to get Robby to stop.
Tonight wasn’t the night to deal with that. We’d have time tomorrow, once the sun came up and things didn’t feel as hopeless. There was always something about the night that amplified all your worries and anxieties, turning molehills into actively erupting volcanos, and I just didn’t want to put myself through that right now. Instead, I planned on going for round two (and three and four) with Jake.
I finished toweling off and put on a sexy pair of black Armani briefs that barely held all of me inside. I gave myself one last look over the mirror, feeling a giddy rush of butterflies kick up in my chest. Jake had made it clear he liked—no, loved—me in all my iterations, whether it was waking up from an hourlong and reality-altering nap or after I spent an hour in the bathroom getting ready for our date night. He always looked at me like I was special, even when I may not have been feeling that way.
He was my everything, and I was over the moon happy that we got over the L-word speed bump.
A loud thump sounded from behind the closed bathroom door. “Jake?” I called out, opening it.
He didn’t answer. It sounded like he’d dropped something in the living room. I grabbed my phone and saw I had a text from Eric. Before I could open and read it, another loud thud grabbed my attention. My eyebrows inched together as I cocked my head and looked to the bedroom door, a light from the hallway leaking in underneath the threshold. The nightstand lamps were on in the bedroom, which gave the perfect ambiance lightning but didn’t really make me feel comfortable in that moment.
I flicked on the overhead light and opened the bedroom door. “Jake? Babe, are you in the kitchen? I could use some champagne.” I went down the hallway. Why the hell wasn’t he answering me? The silence began to take on a physical form, pressing against me, almost willing me to turn back. The hairs on the back of my neck raised. This didn’t feel right.
I paused at the end of the hallway. The living room light was off. I could only see a corner of it, where a large bookcase stood in the shadows, its glass facade reflecting a dim picture. It appeared like someone was sitting down in the center of the room. I could only see the dark outline of the back of someone’s head. Had Jake come to the couch and fallen asleep? It had been a long day, and Jake did have the near supernatural ability to fall asleep anywhere and at any time.
That’s when I heard a groan. It sounded like a pained groan, like someone was struggling.
Jake.
Oh no. No, no, no.
My phone. I had left it in the bedroom. I needed to call the police. I needed to call for help.
I needed to run.
I turned, bolting down the hallway. Immediately, I heard the sound of echoing footsteps behind me. Someone breathing hard, running fast. I tried to run faster. It wasn’t a long hallway at all, but it felt as though it stretched on for infinity. My blood turned to pure ice. I was near the door. I could reach it; I could stretch out and touch the doorknob. If I got inside, I could slam the door and call the police, get us help.
A cold hand snapped around my wrist and yanked me backward. I gave a shrill shout, my shoulder threatening to pop out of its socket at the angle my arm had been twisted. I looked into Robby’s dark eyes, the glasses on his face appearing to magnify the dual black holes, sucking in any and all light. He grinned a wicked smile before driving his knee up into my stomach.