Page 1 of Pocketful of Us

Preface

Three years ago

Romi

"How much do you think he'd sell her for?"

Holding my breath, something I found myself doing a lot lately, I remained perfectly still, eyes clenched shut, and listened to the men hovering around my bed.

"How much do I think Cal Dillon wants for his pretty little princess?" Laughter filled my ears. "You couldn’t afford her in your lifetime, asshole."

"Then how about a sample of the unfinished product?" I felt a finger trace my cheek and I willed myself to remain motionless while terror seized my heart. "Fuck, I get hard just thinking about that tight snatch," the man with the thick accent said. "Her ripe little body and that virgin cunt." His fingers trailed down my collarbone and drifted under the neckline of my nightie. "One little taste before he..."

Wake up, Romi.

Wake up now!

When he pinched my small nipple, I was grateful for the darkness in my room because it disguised my terror.

Please wake up.

Oh God…

"You sick fuck," one of the men chuckled. "If she wakes up, you're a dead man."

"I don’t know, man, I reckon she might be worth it –"

The sound of a tree rustling filled my ears and caused one of the men to groan. "That little bastard." His hand disappeared from my body. "Every fuckin' night, without fail."

"Looks like you're not the only one obsessed with her, Catochi," one of them mused. "Come on. Let's get out of here before baby Toretto gets you skinned alive."

The sound of footsteps retreating filled my ears, right along with my violently pounding heart.

My bedroom door clicked shut at the same time as my window pushed open.

It's okay now, Romi.

He's here.

"Ro? You still awake?"

Open your eyes.

You're safe.

Blinking the tears from my eyes, I rolled onto my side, facing him. "Hey," I whispered, feeling a wave of anger towards the boy climbing through my bedroom window. "You're late."

"Yeah, I know. Sorry about that." Carefully closing the window behind him, Sketch quickly kicked off his sneakers and stripped off his hoodie. "Chris and I were playingCall of Dutyand I lost track of the time." Pushing his sweats down his hips, he stepped out of them and tip-toed over to my bed. "I totally beat his ass, by the way," he added with a satisfied snort, pulling back the covers and climbing into bed with me.

I didn’t waste a second scrambling onto his chest. Burying my face in his neck, I clung to his big body for all I was worth. Limbs locked tight with tension, I forced myself to relax and just breathe.

He was here now.

The nightmares would stop.

Nothing could hurt me when he was in this bed with me.

See? You're totally safe.

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