Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 79685 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 319(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79685 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 319(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
Suddenly, the phone beeps, and knowing my time is up, I lower my head and wrap my arms around my middle, waiting for Santiago to demand that I thank him.
Instead of telling me to kiss him, he asks, “Are you done looking?”
My eyes dart to him before lowering to the photo of Grace again. “I can look longer?”
“For as long as you want. I can print the photo for you.”
The tiny seed of hope sprouts in my heart. “Really?”
He tips his head toward the door. “Let’s go to my office. I have a printer there.”
Santiago stands up, and I quickly rise to my feet. I follow him to the office that’s on the same floor and watch as he taps on his phone. I take in the black desk and the comfortable leather chair. On one wall, there are bookshelves, with some titles in English and others in a language I don’t recognize. Screens cover the opposite wall, but none of them are on, and there’s also a black couch that looks like it’s been sat on a lot.
The printer starts to work, drawing my attention to it. When a page showing Grace and the baby appears, I step a little closer.
Santiago takes the paper from the printer and holds it out to me. I give him a cautious look before I take the photo, and when he doesn’t yank it away, I quickly press it to my chest.
“I’ll get the photo framed for you and ask Dominik to send more.”
My eyes meet Santiago’s, and my voice is hoarse with fear when I dare to ask, “How will I have to thank you?”
A frown forms on his forehead. “The words thank you will be enough.”
“Just thank you?” I double-checked.
He tilts his head, his eyes narrowing slightly. “Did Nolan make you thank him?” When I nod, he asks, “What did you have to do?”
I lower my head, and my gaze locks on the sheet of paper. “He would undress me and masturbate.”
My muscles tense up even more, and the horrific memories knock me a step back.
Nolan slamming me down on the wooden floor and rubbing his cock over my breasts until he orgasmed.
Nolan rubbing his release into my skin.
Nolan beating me for not keeping still.
The trauma is too much to handle after getting to see Grace, and for the first time in a long while, I’m thrown into the trance where my mind shuts down.
SANTIAGO
Ciara’s words shudder through me, but I have no time to process them when her face goes blank.
Her breathing instantly slows down, and the paper drifts from her hands as they lower to her sides.
I move closer and lean down to see her eyes. She’s staring at nothing, and having seen women check out before, I realize Ciara’s taken her mind to a safe place.
I lift my arms to comfort her, but at the last moment, I take a step backward. It’s incredibly hard not to grab her to my chest, and I’m forced to watch as she stands frozen in front of me.
The fucker forced himself on her in different ways. I have no idea why he didn’t rape her, but I’m thankful she escaped that trauma.
I rub my palms over my face before I look at Ciara again.
Fuck. Seeing all her pain and trauma hurts like a motherfucking bitch.
Unable to think of anything else to do, I lower myself to my knees and beg, “Please, Ciara, come back. You’re safe with me. You don’t have to hide.”
When she blinks and sucks in a sharp breath, relief pours through me. I wait until she looks down at me, then say, “I’m so fucking sorry Nolan hurt you. I’ll never force myself on you in any way.”
Confusion flutters over her features, then the little spark of hope she had earlier returns to her eyes.
I pick up the page with the photo of Grace and Kristian and hold it out to her. “This is yours, and you can have whatever you want. I don’t expect anything in return. I only want you to heal and to be happy again.”
Ciara takes the page from me, then tilts her head. “You don’t want anything from me?”
I shake my head. “Nothing you’re not willing to give.”
Her lips part, but then she hesitates.
“You can ask me anything,” I say to encourage her.
Her tongue darts out and swipes over her lips. “Why are you kneeling?”
Because you’re worth kneeling for.
“I wanted you to know I’m not a threat.” I climb to my feet, then add, “And it’s something you seem to do when you want something. Like you did when I mentioned the photo.”
I pull my phone out and type a quick text to Dominik.
Santiago: Send me photos of Grace for Ciara. I’m making progress with her and think we’ll be able to arrange a call between them.