Free Golden Crown Series 02: The Twin Dragons by Rue Volley Page A

a staff member of theft. I touched the small black bow on the white and black box and then decided to tear it open like a child on Christmas morning. I even glanced back as I made sure my door was closed and Ryan had not barged in unexpected as he was starting to do. I opened it up and there was nothing in it and I sighed as I knew then that Ryan had taken it, whatever it was and would be sure to not allow me to have it. His hatred for me was never ending or was it love? I cannot honestly tell you if I ever knew the difference. Does he? Will he ever? Or is it only when he feels as if his toys are being played with by foreign hands does his heart start beating…
    ****
    Ryan sat in his room and held it up as he sighed and smoked a cigarette slowly. The smoke rolled from his lips and he let the small diamond swing on the chain that he had wound on his hand. He stopped it and looked closely at it as it was smaller than anything he would ever give to me but he knew that the size was not the issue. He tossed it across the room and let it slide to a stop.  He looked at the door between our two rooms and walked to it. He leaned in and let his head rest against it as he closed his eyes and I did the same on the other end. Such a short walk to freedom and yet neither one of us could take a step forward.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

 
     
     
                        
     
     
    Chapter Nine
    It’s Not Like You Killed
    Someone

I tapped my fingernails on the edge of the seat as I sat there a bit petrified. I then heard my driver and looked up to see him staring at me in the mirror from the front seat.
    “Mrs. Bittermend, wou ld you like to get out?” he asked and I looked out of my window and then took a slow breath as I opened my own door. The driver jumped out and tried to reach me, but I stood up and stared at the building as he closed the door behind me. He then walked to the trunk and it popped open as he pressed the button on the keys. He reached in and grabbed my bag and then closed it as I looked back at him. I then sighed and looked at my clothing. I stood there in yoga pants and a tight black tank top, with my hair pulled back in a ponytail. It was certainly not my best look, but what was I supposed to wear? I pulled out Mani’s card and flipped it over to see the address on it with the name of this self-defense class listed.
    “Fight to live,” i t said and I placed it back into my pocket and looked up at the building. We heard tires screeching and some yelling in the distance and the driver was quickly at my side.
    “Th is is not the best part of town,” he said to me as we started to walk to the large doors. He opened it up and I smelled the sweat and blinked at first. I am not used to smelling anything but fresh flowers and candles burning, so this was new and almost smelled animalistic in nature. I walked up the counter where a girl sat reading a book. I cleared my throat and she looked up at me and blew a bubble. I leaned up and stared at her.
    “I am here for Mani’s class, ” I said and she laughed and set her book down as she stood up and looked me over.
    “Boy he attracts em’ doesn’t he?” she said and the driver stared her down.
    “There is no need…”
    I held my hand up and smiled at him.
    “I just want to learn to defend myself, I was attacked.”
    “Uh huh,” s he said as she stepped around the counter and her large pregnant belly reached me before she did. I backed up a bit and she laughed.
    “I am not contagious, I am just preggers.”
    “I can see that.”
    She rubbed her belly and looked me over.
    “You got kids?” she asked me and I hesitated and then nodded yes.
    “I have twin boys, they are graduating this year.”
    She reached out and lifted my shirt and I jerked it down, as she looked confused.
    “No way you popped two kids out, you have no stretch marks at all…how the hell did you pull that off?” she asked me and I looked taken back for