Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 95520 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 478(@200wpm)___ 382(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95520 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 478(@200wpm)___ 382(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
He lifts my leg in the air and begins to fuck me harder. It’s just what I need. I get so lost in us, all my stress and worries melt away.
I’ve thought about finishing the semester and going back home to finish up somewhere else. However, Erica is here. I’d be leaving her alone.
“Zah, baby, I need you here with me. I can feel your thoughts drifting,” Bent groans into my ear.
He pulls out and rolls me onto my back. Pulling my right leg against his waist, he then settles between my legs and slides into me once again. We lock eyes as he rocks in and out.
He licks his lips, then leans in to take mine. I need more of him. I want to do my part.
I begin to rock my hips to meet his thrusts as best I can. He groans and his eyes roll back in his head. He’s so deep and hard.
“Don’t stop, I’m coming. Yes, yes, you feel so good,” I whimper.
“Fuck, Zah, keep moving just like that, baby. I’m going to come so fucking hard. Oh my God, you feel good.”
He begins to hit my spot, and my eyes roll back in my head. I don’t think I’m going to last much longer without coming. I’m shaking and convulsing beneath him, ready to come apart.
“I’m coming. Oh God, I’m coming.”
“Zah,” he grunts as his hot seed spills into the barrier.
He rolls onto his back, breathing heavily. I look up at the ceiling and begin to think of all the things in my life I still have. Together, we can do anything.
“Zah—”
He doesn’t get to finish his words as both our phones go off. I scoff a laugh and go to reach for my hoodie to grab mine. Seeing it’s my mom, I grab the phone and sit up to answer.
Bentley gets up and heads into the bathroom, leaving me to be able to answer the call in private. I had tried to call my mom earlier when I first got the news, but it went to voicemail. I have a smile on my face as I pick up the call and lift the phone to my ear.
“Hey, Mom,” I sing into the phone.
“Zahirah, where are you, baby? Are you sitting down?”
“I’m at Bent’s. Yeah, I’m sitting.”
The smile falls from my face. A strangled sound comes from the bathroom, almost like a mix between a sob and something soul torturing.
My blood runs cold. I turn to look at the bathroom door, but I can’t move. My crutches are still by the door where Bentley threw them.
“Mom, what’s going on?”
“It’s your father and Bill. They were killed in an accident. Baby, you kids all need to come home.”
“No,” I scream. “Daddy, no.”
I try to stand but fall right onto my butt, sobbing. Bentley appears and wraps himself around me as he sobs with me. I hold on to him tightly, as it feels like my entire world has just imploded.
“We’re going to get through this together. I’m so sorry, baby. I’m so sorry.”
“This isn’t real. They can’t be gone. No. This isn’t real. Not my daddy. Why?”
“I don’t know, baby. I don’t want it to be real either. I just talked to him this morning before I left for training.
“We said we would talk again tonight. He was going to come to the combine. This was his dream.
“He was so excited. Now he’s gone. I’m doing all of this on my own now. He’s gone,” he sobs.
I’m so confused and numb. I don’t know how long we sit on the floor naked and sobbing. My world just ended. My daddy is gone, and my second father is gone with him.
This can’t be real.
CHAPTER 24
Empty Hearts
Zahirah
“How are you girls holding up?” Mrs. Gunderson asks as Erica and I sit on the couch in the Coswell home.
Our moms decided to do a joint funeral and repass. We’ve been asked the same question more times than I can count. I’m still trying to make sense of what’s even happening.
Everything feels empty: our home, these people’s words, everything. I don’t want to be here because I don’t want this to be real.
How can the two men who raised and looked out for me all my life just be gone? That stupid truck driver took them from us. Why didn’t he pull over?
Why didn’t he get more rest before getting out on the road? Now two of the most important men in my life are gone. I’ll never hear my daddy’s voice again, I’ll never see his smile or have a talk with him.
“We’re not,” Erica chokes out beside me, pulling me from my thoughts. “We’re not holding up. In one single moment, our fathers have been taken from us.
“Holding up? I don’t know if my family will ever be the same again. We’re not holding up at all. We’re barely breathing.