Total pages in book: 166
Estimated words: 160042 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 800(@200wpm)___ 640(@250wpm)___ 533(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 160042 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 800(@200wpm)___ 640(@250wpm)___ 533(@300wpm)
But I pace myself. I harden my limbs and take a painful breath. It still isn’t any of my business, what he does with his life. I hope he sees the light, but it’s not my job to make him see anymore. So I set my glass aside and fold my hands in my lap. “But you’re right. You’re not the man for me. I know that now.” An emotion flashes over his features, but I look away quickly because I don’t want to decipher it. I don’t want to waste any more time on him than necessary. “And as soon as I’m able to, I’ll leave. But for however long I’m here, can I ask you to do something for me?”
“Anything.”
“Just stay away from me.”
“ARE YOU SURE you want to do this?” Peyton asks from beside me.
Sitting on the bed, I fold the last article of clothing, a dress, and put it in the little suitcase. I can’t believe we’re back to where we started this summer only a few weeks ago. This time, though, I’m packing my own suitcase rather than hers. Well, maybe not my suitcase because I borrowed it from Haven, but still.
I zip up my luggage and look at her. “Yes.”
She’s still not convinced. I didn’t think she would be because this isn’t the first time she’s asked me this question. Even though I’ve given her the same answer all week.
“Because you know you could just stay here,” she keeps insisting.
But I’m not going to stay here. I grab her hand and give it a squeeze. “Yes, I’m sure.” She opens her mouth to protest, but I don’t let her. “It’s Bozeman, okay? I’ve lived there since I was eleven. And you should know that because you were there too. We lived together.”
“But—”
“Not to mention, I’m going back to our apartment. So it’s all good. I can handle it.”
She keeps looking at me for a few seconds before sighing. “Fine. I just… I’m worried about you.”
My heart squeezes in my chest because I love her. She’s always been the one constant in my life, and I’m going to miss her. “I know. Because I’m worried about you too.”
At this, she rolls her eyes. “I’ll be fine. It’s just Breck.”
Now it’s my turn to give her a look. Because it’s not just Breck. It’s the fact that her brother has asked her to live on the ranch for the summer. The ranch that we both left years ago because of all the violence and bloodshed. The ranch my friend never ever liked. I still had a few favorite spots on the property, but I know Peyton always felt trapped in that place. She always felt like she couldn’t breathe. And now she’s going back because that’s her brother’s condition. To forget what happened the night they kidnapped me a week ago.
As I predicted, Breck called the next day—as soon as he figured out my father was lying half-dead in our house—and he knew the part the Graysons had played to get me free. Not only that, but he knew exactly who came to my rescue; and when Breck threatened to call the cops on him, Peyton—my best friend, my constant—told Breck to cut it out or she’d never see him again. She also told him about her own part, not only in getting me rescued, because how dare he kidnap her best friend for his land, but also her part in the revenge plan.
I know she did it for me. Not only because she loves me and was so genuinely worried about me, but also because she knows how much I love… How much it meant to me that he didn’t end up behind bars again. And it worked. Because her brother caved but on the condition that she spend the summer at Wildfire. Which she agreed to, but only after I’d recuperated from all the injuries that my father caused because of Breck.
Which means if I’m leaving for Bozeman today, she’s leaving for Wildfire.
“I’m so worried, Pey,” I tell her and not for the first time. “What if he uses you in some way? What if you need to get away from him and you can’t? And your father, he… Now that we know about the will, about how it makes you a target, we need to be careful. I don’t think you should go.”
“And if I don’t, what happens to him?”
This time when my heart squeezes, I have to take a second for the pain to pass. For the past week, people have been very careful around me. They walk on tiptoe and avoid any and all mention of him, even though I’m still living in his house. I’m still sleeping in his bedroom. I’m wearing the clothes he bought me. The latter is only because I have no other clothes to wear, and after everything that I’ve learned through all this, I can’t go back to hiding. And well, I’m brave and strong but not so much that I can cut all ties with him right away. Which is why I’m also bringing these clothes with me to Bozeman.