Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 83970 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83970 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
“I don’t think…” I look over at Emmalyn, and she has a happy expectant look on her face. “Here,” I say tossing Kid the tablet. “Find the station.”
He grins from ear to ear and shoots a look at Em. I narrow my eyes at him, and he quickly turns his attention back to the TV.
I sit back on the couch and prop my feet up on the edge of the coffee table in front of us.
“Thank you,” Em whispers softly. She continues when I give her a mildly confused look. She nods her head to the TV just as Sheldon says something stupid and everyone laughs. “Bobby hated this show. I only got to watch when he was gone.”
She turns her head back to the show with a huge grin on her face before I can respond to her. I watch her face as shadows and the light from the television dances across her face.
Her blue eyes shine like the ocean in the full sun of the tropics as she lets her guard drop just a bit while she watches the ridiculous show. She’s incredibly beautiful. How someone could hurt such a beautiful creature I’ll never understand.
I could fix every one of her problems with a simple phone call. I know people in Denver; it would be incredibly simple. The only thing keeping me from making that call and putting an end to her years of terror is greed. I wish I could say taking another man’s life gives me pause, but it doesn’t. The military made sure I wouldn’t have an issue pulling a trigger before they let me loose overseas.
My greed and unwavering urge to strangle the man with my own bare hands is the only reason I don’t stand up from this couch right now and call in a favor; a favor that once received on the other end of the line would be carried out within the hour.
I blow a slow breath out, trying to reign in the anger that has suddenly surfaced. From the corner of my eye, I see Doc and Rose get off of the other sofa.
“Want to head out about nine tomorrow?” Rose says before Doc can tug her away.
She cuts her eyes at me, but I remain silent. I want her to realize that her life is now her own, and she doesn’t have to answer to anyone, and she sure as hell doesn’t have to ask permission to do something.
Realizing I’m not going to say anything she turns her eyes back to Rose. “Sounds great. Meet you out here?”
Rose nods in agreement and then lets Doc drag her out of the room. I smile as I hear her squeal just as they are out of eyesight. I hope to have that someday. They have been married for over twenty years and still act like newlyweds.
I look over Em’s head and glare at the side of Shadow’s head once the credits begin to roll on the TV screen. Feeling the heat from my stare, he turns his head marginally toward me.
He understands my silent stare immediately and unfolds himself from the couch. He slaps Kid on the leg. “Let’s shoot some pool.”
“But the next episode…” I can’t see the look on Shadow’s face but Kid doesn’t mutter another word as he stands and they leave the area muttering quick goodnights.
The pool table is still in the open area we’re in, but they’re several yards away. I want to talk to her, but I don’t want her to be uncomfortable. I’m hoping having them in the same room but not completely gone will make her feel safer.
“Hey,” I say gently getting her attention. “Have you given much thought to how long you want to stay here?”
She gives me a quick glance but then looks back to the TV feigning more interest in the cat food commercial than I know she actually feels.
“Not really,” she says.
“Do you want to leave him for good?” I need to know, and there’s no sense in beating around the bush. Some things need to be out in the open; her intentions with her husband is top on my priority list.
“Yes,” she says adamantly.
“I will help you any way I can to make sure he doesn’t hurt you again.” I watch her hands as she twirls her simple gold wedding band around on her slender finger.
“Because I’m cute?” she says with a slight hint of playfulness to her voice.
“Because you’re cute,” I agree with her as I reach and place my hand on top of hers, halting the nervous fiddling of the ring.
I have the urge to tell her more. I want to tell her about the woman that was in her exact situation, that as a boy, I was unable to save. I want to tell her that I’ve been trying to make up for it for the last two decades, but that seems like too deep of a conversation to have while Sheldon Cooper is on the TV saying incredibly stupid things.