Royally Broken by Elle Boon Page 0,64
fan. She normally found it calming and would’ve said it wasn’t too loud, but in those few minutes while she sat next to his cot holding a gun at the ready, she swore it was louder than a freight train running right in front of her.
The digital clock ticked. One minute. Two. Time slowed as she waited with bated breath for Keys to come in and tell her all was clear. After five minutes her arm began to feel the strain of holding the gun up. Feeling as though she could ease up marginally, she relaxed her arm, placing the Glock on her stretched out legs. With her back resting against the chair, facing the open doorway, she waited.
Her baby slept. The noise machine droned on. The peace settled over her like a heavy blanket, giving her a false sense of hope and security. Surely if Keys had left the room, he’d have told her. The long night and love making combined with the stress of the past year caught up with her. The soothing sound of the noise machine that was so familiar, combined with the lack of sleep had her body slipping into that in-between sleep and wakefulness. She fought to stay awake, jerking her eyes open when she felt her head drop.
She blinked several times, looked at the clock, shocked to see the minutes had changed by over twenty since the last time she’d checked. “Shit,” she whispered, horrified to realize she must’ve fallen asleep. With the curtains pulled she couldn’t tell if the sun was coming up or not, but with the time passing it would only be a little longer before it would. People always felt safer in the light of day, she was no different. Not that she hadn’t felt Thomas’s wrath in the daylight, but she was in the public somewhat at the B&B, so it felt safer.
Getting to her feet, she groaned at the stiffness from sitting and sleeping in an upright position. Her bladder decided to make itself known. She looked down at Jaxson, kissing his forehead. He was her entire world and had been since the moment she’d known she was pregnant. His little chest rose and fell, the sweet baby’s breath wafted over her face while she stayed bent over him.
Not wanting to be gone too long, she hurried into the bathroom, placed the gun on the vanity before hurrying over to the toilet. Afterward she wished she would’ve kept the gun with her. The saying ‘if wishes were horses then beggars would ride’ hit her like a fist to the solar plex.
“Took you long enough. I guess what they say about having a baby is true, huh?”
Palmer froze at the sink, her hands under the running water.
“Go on, wash your hands. Cleanliness is next to godliness they say,” the man said, waving her gun toward the sink.
Palmer looked behind him, trying to see her son. “You wonderin’ if I’ve hurt your welp?”
The derogatory word had her back stiffening as she finished washing her hands. The man looked familiar, but she couldn’t place him. “Yes,” she bit out.
“Not yet, but that could change right quick. You fixin to rub all the skin off those dainty hands?” he asked, jerking her gun toward her again.
She flinched knowing the safety was off and unsure if the asshole knew how to shoot a gun or not. She turned the water off, dried her hands on the hand towel then stood waiting for him to tell her what to do.
“Good girl. Come on back in here and don’t do anything stupid. Your boyfriend ain’t here to play hero. Took us a bit to figure out you’d done shacked up with someone, but we ain’t stupid like you’s thought. Nope, not stupid at all. Now, why don’t you go pick your kid up and come with me without a fuss. I don’t want to have to kill you both right here. Mama wouldn’t like that.” He pointed at the cot then her with the gun.
“Why don’t you just take me and leave my son here. He’s just an innocent little boy,” she pleaded, pressing her hands against her chest.
The man’s eyes followed her arms, eyes narrowed on her face. “Ain’t no damn kid innocent. They grow up to be fucksticks just like that damn prick.” His hand holding her gun waved wildly.
“What do you plan to do with us?” She tried to think, wondered where Keys was. If he’d been there, he’d never have