Safe Word by Teresa Mummert Read Free Book Online Page A

stand under my own volition.
    My mouth was dry. I spun around, yanking open the fridge and grabbing a carton of orange juice, gulping down the contents. I tossed the empty container in the sink and ran the back of my hand over my bottom lip. The house was quiet. Too quiet. My head pulsed and throbbed and I rubbed my thumb over my temple as I struggled to recall the night before. It had to be some sort of nightmare.
    I took a few steps to the edge of the kitchen and looked at the lock that was securely in place on the spare bedroom door.
    “Fuck.” I ran my hand over my hair and shook my head. At least she was sleeping and I didn’t need to deal with the reality of having my high school girlfriend locked away like a prisoner in my apartment. I could pretend she was just another mark. A nameless woman who made a very bad decision to talk to a stranger in a bar.
    I stumbled my way into my bedroom and shoved my sweatpants off, leaving them in a heap on the floor. I grabbed a fresh pair of faded jeans from my dresser drawer and slid them over my hips. At least they would contain my morning wood a little better than sweats once I got the balls to face her. I sank down onto my old faded beige comforter and rolled my neck from side to side, hoping to elevate some of the stiffness. The heavy fog from last night’s liquor binge hung over me, and I wished I could sleep the rest of the day away instead of feeling like shit. I often drank to numb the feelings, but my heart continued to ache no matter how much I had consumed.
    My eyes scanned the top of my old dinged-up oak dresser. There were no pictures, no knickknacks to remind me of better times. The only reminder I had of a better life was locked in the next room. The pair of silver police-issue handcuffs caught my eye and I stood, swiping them off the top of the chest of drawers and sliding them into my sock drawer. If Rose saw them she might get the wrong impression. Of course, there were very few reasons for her to enter this room, none of which I wanted to entertain at the moment.
    A muffled vibration caught my attention, and I looked around the room before realizing it was my phone in my dirty jeans on the floor. I grabbed it, thankful the ringer was still turned off so it wouldn’t wake Rose.
    “What?” I kept my voice low as I paced the floor, running my free hand through my hair.
    “Long time no talk.” Brock laughed but there wasn’t a hint of humor in his words.
    “I’m fucking busy. I can’t just drop everything.”
    “Whoa, Bishop. I think you need to take a second to remember who you are talking to.”
    I blew out a heavy breath as I struggled not to flip out on this douchebag.
    “When and where?” I asked as I leaned against my bedroom door frame, my eyes glued to the lock that dangled from the spare-bedroom door.
    “I’m sensitive to your situation so I’ll let you pick the time. How’s The Pink sound?”
    I rolled my eyes as I thought about the shithole strip club two towns away.
    “I’ll call.” I hung up and tossed my phone onto the bed. “Fuck!” My frustration was driving me to the fucking edge.
    “Cole?” A tiny voice called from the other side of my bedroom wall. I let my eyes close as I silently cursed myself for making so much noise. “Please let me out of here.” She sounded so young, so fragile, and that overwhelming desire to protect her crept back inside of me.
    “I’m coming, darlin’.” I shook my head and grabbed the keys, hesitating as I slid it into the lock. I pressed my forehead against the cool wood and swallowed any feelings I had for this girl. This needed to go by the rules, and soon she could run right back out my life and I would go back to focusing on what I needed to do. I twisted the key and cleared my throat as I pushed the door open. Rose sat on the old mattress, her legs curled beneath her.
    “I can’t stand being locked in here, Cole. I promise I will do whatever you say if you just let me out of