Read Online BREAKING STEELE (A Sarah Steele Thriller) by Ellie Aaron; Ann Patterson - Free Book Online
Authors: Ellie Aaron; Ann Patterson
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He’d never left me, but he’d never been there for me either. In the midst of mom’s craziness, he never stood up for me. That’s why that night … I had done what I did. And even though I longed for him, I knew that I was longing more for the idea of someone than the real person.
My mom was gone, too, for all intents and purposes. She’s still angry. When I call her, she answers me in monosyllables then hangs up after a minute. I tried to see her the first year but she would not come out of her cell. And it was hard for foster parents to get me there, anyway. So I gave up and took to the gym.
One hundred pounds later, I was in the best shape of my life. For the first time, men noticed me, and it took me about a year to figure out how to handle male attention. Most just wanted one thing, and I was not into one-night stands.
“Just gonna stand there and watch me burn …”
My legs screamed and I pushed harder, the more they hurt the louder the music, the easier it was to drown out my thoughts. Was it healthy to try to bury all my feelings? Probably not, but I wasn’t ready to stare that monster in the face.
The song ended and I eased up for a full minute. When my heart rate slowed a little I cranked up the resistance and hit it as hard and fast as I could.
I thought about Hank Williams and how he was trying to break me. Why? What did he have to gain by pushing me to the edge? Was he really planning to kill me, or was he just scared?
The worst kind of criminal was one with money and nothing but time on his hands. And Hank Williams had both.
Chapter 17
THE DOORBELL RANG AND I jumped. It was barely six in the morning and I’d just stepped out of the shower. Grabbing my robe from the hook on the back of the bathroom door, I wrapped it around me. Who could it be at this hour?
Peering through the peephole I saw a mass of flowers. Sighing I turned and leaned against the door. My hair was wet and I felt naked, wait … I was pretty much naked under my robe.
Unlocking the door I smiled as a tall, thin man handed me the roses. A dozen of them, and a card. He had me sign for them and walked away after checking me out. I blushed and shut and relocked the door.
Who would be sending me flowers? If it was Dan I was going to have to talk to him again, he couldn’t flirt with me like this. He was married and I was not going to sleep with him no matter what he tried.
I set the vase down and breathed in the wonderful scent. They were amazing, red and full, all in bloom. Taking the card I slid it from the envelope and turned it over. It had a puppy on the front with huge eyes and a silly smile. I laughed in spite of myself and opened it.
You think you escaped, but all you did was sentence yourself to death. Enjoy the roses.
HW
Chapter 18
TWO HOURS AFTER I’D dumped the roses in my trashcan, I was late. I’d dropped off the card at the police station, filed another report, and then hightailed it to the office. My meeting with Hannah Williams was in forty minutes and it was all the way across town.
I rushed down the hallway. My heels sounded funny on the marble floor, like horse hooves on pavement. I entered the common room and waved Joshua over. He was talking with some other interns. Then I entered my office. Someone moved from behind the door and grabbed my arm.
On a reflex, I yanked my arm out of the grip and elbow-jabbed him in the chest.
He cried out, and I looked up into my boss’s face.
“Dan!” I said. “Geez, don’t scare a girl like that.”
Doubling over, he grabbed his chest, trying to catch his breath. I think he was being overly dramatic. Joshua came behind me and looked over my head to see what was holding me up. “You did that?” he mouthed to me. When I nodded, he grinned.
“You surprised me,” I said unapologetically as I edged past Dan and to my desk. I just had to grab my notes for the interview and then I’d jet out of here.
Dan finally stood up, wincing. “That’s going to
My mom was gone, too, for all intents and purposes. She’s still angry. When I call her, she answers me in monosyllables then hangs up after a minute. I tried to see her the first year but she would not come out of her cell. And it was hard for foster parents to get me there, anyway. So I gave up and took to the gym.
One hundred pounds later, I was in the best shape of my life. For the first time, men noticed me, and it took me about a year to figure out how to handle male attention. Most just wanted one thing, and I was not into one-night stands.
“Just gonna stand there and watch me burn …”
My legs screamed and I pushed harder, the more they hurt the louder the music, the easier it was to drown out my thoughts. Was it healthy to try to bury all my feelings? Probably not, but I wasn’t ready to stare that monster in the face.
The song ended and I eased up for a full minute. When my heart rate slowed a little I cranked up the resistance and hit it as hard and fast as I could.
I thought about Hank Williams and how he was trying to break me. Why? What did he have to gain by pushing me to the edge? Was he really planning to kill me, or was he just scared?
The worst kind of criminal was one with money and nothing but time on his hands. And Hank Williams had both.
Chapter 17
THE DOORBELL RANG AND I jumped. It was barely six in the morning and I’d just stepped out of the shower. Grabbing my robe from the hook on the back of the bathroom door, I wrapped it around me. Who could it be at this hour?
Peering through the peephole I saw a mass of flowers. Sighing I turned and leaned against the door. My hair was wet and I felt naked, wait … I was pretty much naked under my robe.
Unlocking the door I smiled as a tall, thin man handed me the roses. A dozen of them, and a card. He had me sign for them and walked away after checking me out. I blushed and shut and relocked the door.
Who would be sending me flowers? If it was Dan I was going to have to talk to him again, he couldn’t flirt with me like this. He was married and I was not going to sleep with him no matter what he tried.
I set the vase down and breathed in the wonderful scent. They were amazing, red and full, all in bloom. Taking the card I slid it from the envelope and turned it over. It had a puppy on the front with huge eyes and a silly smile. I laughed in spite of myself and opened it.
You think you escaped, but all you did was sentence yourself to death. Enjoy the roses.
HW
Chapter 18
TWO HOURS AFTER I’D dumped the roses in my trashcan, I was late. I’d dropped off the card at the police station, filed another report, and then hightailed it to the office. My meeting with Hannah Williams was in forty minutes and it was all the way across town.
I rushed down the hallway. My heels sounded funny on the marble floor, like horse hooves on pavement. I entered the common room and waved Joshua over. He was talking with some other interns. Then I entered my office. Someone moved from behind the door and grabbed my arm.
On a reflex, I yanked my arm out of the grip and elbow-jabbed him in the chest.
He cried out, and I looked up into my boss’s face.
“Dan!” I said. “Geez, don’t scare a girl like that.”
Doubling over, he grabbed his chest, trying to catch his breath. I think he was being overly dramatic. Joshua came behind me and looked over my head to see what was holding me up. “You did that?” he mouthed to me. When I nodded, he grinned.
“You surprised me,” I said unapologetically as I edged past Dan and to my desk. I just had to grab my notes for the interview and then I’d jet out of here.
Dan finally stood up, wincing. “That’s going to
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