Urban Climber 2 by S.V. Hunter Read Free Book Online

are tough. You never know what could happen.”
     
    “How dare you threaten me? I’m marrying you. I told you that.”
     
    “I know you did, darling, and I’m very pleased about it. But honestly, you hurt me very deeply, and it’s going to take some time for me to get over it.”
     
    “ You get over it?” I gasp. “Can you hear yourself right now?”
     
    “You drive me crazy, doll. I’ve already told you that. You make me want to do crazy things because I love you. It’s all these endorphins—they’re messing with my mind. I’m sorry if I upset you. I just want to see you, that’s all. I miss you Laura. I miss us.”
     
    “I’m sorry for snapping.”
     
    “It’s okay. I know you’re hurting too. So …”
     
    “So what?”
     
    “Can I see them?”
     
    I pull my t-shirt up and take a selfie. “I’m sending it through now.”
     
    “I just got it, doll. But let’s see a little more skin this time. Yes?”
     
    I flick the bra clasp between my breasts and watch as the material falls away. “I feel silly, Hugo.”
     
    “Take it and send it to me. Make sure you get in your face.”
     
    “But it’s covered in bruises. I look awful.”
     
    “No, you look very sexy, Laura. Like a ragdoll.”
     
    A tiny voice screams in my mind not to do it, but I ignore it and take the photo anyway. I hear his phone beep seconds later, but he says nothing.
     
    “So you got the pic?”
     
    “Yeah, babe, but I’ve got an incoming call, so I should go.”
     
    “But what about the pic?”
     
    “You look sexy as fuck.”
     
    “It’s just for your eyes though, right?”
     
    “Of course. Try and behave for me, yes? I wouldn’t want to add to the bruises.”
     
    “What’s that supposed to mean?”
     
    “Someone has to keep you in line. If you misbehave, there will be consequences.”
     
    “But that’s abuse.”
     
    “No, baby, that’s love.”
     
    It’s not that I don’t love him. Because deep down, under all the layers, I guess I do. Am I in love with him? No. Am I grateful for what he’s going to do for my family? Yes, of course. I would do anything for them, and financially, if I were in the position Hugo is in, I’d do it myself. Pay off the house. Pay off the bills. Make things easy so they never have to worry about anything, ever again.
     
    But life’s not like that. I’ve come from nothing. I’ve still got nothing, apart from Hugo. I know it’s not ethically right, but the thought of my parents losing everything makes me forget my ethics. I can’t stand by and watch that happen to them while I run around town with some guy I hardly know, bonking until dawn. That’s just not practical. It’s not sensible. It’s not the right thing to do.
     
    Family comes first. It always has, and it always will. I love them with all my heart, and hopefully, with time, I’ll fall in love with Hugo all over again. If I don’t, I guess I’ll just be another unhappy housewife surrounded by flash cars and diamonds. I wouldn’t be the first, and I sure won’t be the last.
     

SIX
     
    The next day …
     
    Now that I’m here, I’m not quite sure what my reason was for returning. Mel has been acting funny ever since I got back, and I’m finding it hard to concentrate on my assignments. To make things worse, I’ve missed over a week’s worth of lectures. The thing is, the swelling is so bad that if I had shown up sooner, I know it’d cause a scene. I mean sure, I guess I could have gone and acted like everything was normal, but if they’d seen my face—someone would have called my parents. Even now, there’s still a chance they will. I mean, it’s a miracle Mel hasn’t called the police about what happened.
     
    God. What am I doing? Did I lose my mind when I went back to Ash’s place? Or have I lost my mind getting back with Hugo? I still can’t come to a definitive answer. As for my red-faced monkey, he’s taken to jumping from one side of my brain to the other. Even his