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)
At least Grace is happy. Thank God.
Nolan places his hand on my thigh and mutters, “Finish up.”
I close my eyes for a moment before typing my reply.
Ciara: I’m so happy for you. I have to go. I love you, Grace. So, so, so much!
Grace: I love you too. Let me know if you need anything.
I only get to read the message once before he snatches the phone from my hands.
It’s on the tip of my tongue to beg him to let me read all the messages again, but when I see the smirk on his face, the blood chills in my veins.
“Take off the dress so I can see your perfect body.”
Nolan sets the plate with tuna mayonnaise sandwiches on the table before taking a seat in front of me, where I’m kneeling on the floor.
Feeling torn between going completely numb and losing myself to hysteria, I just stare at him.
I’ve lost complete track of time and have no idea what day it is. All the torture and degradation just blur together into one endlessly long nightmare.
He’s only left the house once to go out for supplies, but with the chain permanently around my ankle, I couldn’t get free no matter how hard I yanked at he chain. After hurting myself badly from trying to get my foot free, the chain is back on my left ankle while my right one heals.
If I could reach the drawer where the utensils are, I would’ve taken a knife and cut off my foot to escape.
Or stab Nolan until he’s nothing but a bloody mess seeping into the slits between the wooden floorboards.
There are times when I daydream about managing to pry my foot loose from the chain and running out into the sunlight.
Sunlight. I miss being outside.
I take a breath of the stale air.
Nolan picks up a sandwich and brings it to my mouth. My lips part, and I take a small bite even though I’m struggling to stomach food.
I’ve lost weight, and he doesn’t like it one bit.
While I chew, he takes two bites and watches me with the love-crazed expression that hasn’t lessened over the months.
Has it been months?
He brings the sandwich to my mouth again, and I take another small bite. Before I can swallow, I hear a phone beep, and it feels like I’m struck by a bolt of lightning.
“Well, what do you know,” he mutters while setting down the half-eaten sandwich. He pulls the phone out and checks it.
My heartbeat speeds up, my eyes glued to the device.
Grace.
Nolan’s eyes flick to me, then he lets out a dark chuckle before he types something on the phone.
“Please.” My lips form the word, but no sound comes out.
He leans down until I’m able to see the chat, and my eyes greedily fly over the words.
Grace: How are you?
Ciara: I’m okay. How are you?
Grace: Very happy. I’m busy making dinner. Roast chicken with the cauliflower and cheese sauce you love so much. It made me think of you.
Instead of giving me the device, Nolan types a reply on my behalf.
Ciara: I’m jealous.
Grace: Why don’t you come to visit? I can ask Dominik. Or maybe I can meet you somewhere. It’s been months since we’ve seen each other. I miss you.
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” he taunts me before he types a reply.
Ciara: I’m busy right now. Maybe in a month or two?
Grace: Is everything okay?
No! I’m in hell, Grace. I can’t take it anymore. I’m losing my mind.
Ciara: Yes!!! Totally. I’m just getting ready to go out and have friends waiting. I’ll talk to you later.
He turns off the phone, then sets it down on the floor right in front of me. Before I can reach for it, the heel of his boot smashes into the screen. With horror, the last hope I had that Grace would realize something is wrong and come looking for me evaporates.
An intense loneliness wraps around me, the dark shroud weighing a ton and forcing my head to lower.
I suck in a shaky breath, and when I exhale, I wish it was my last breath.
Nolan takes hold of my chin and forces me to tilt my head back as he brings the sandwich to my mouth.
“Eat,” he orders, a sadistic look darkening his eyes.
Maybe I should just rile him up so he’ll kill me and get it over with. But I don’t think he’ll take things that far. He’ll just beat me.
I automatically take bites until he feels I’ve eaten enough, then I’m allowed to drink the usual glass of water he holds to my lips.
I remain kneeling with my broken phone in front of me while Nolan cleans the kitchen, then he takes hold of my arm and pulls me to my feet.
Locking eyes with me, the sadistic look is replaced with affection. “Now that Grace can’t bother us anymore, I’ll have all your attention to myself.”