Fight Like A Girl: An Opposites Attract Romance (Fighting For Love) Harley Reid (top 100 books of all time checklist TXT) 📖

her? Of course I am, I mean, it’s not like I have a great track record. Everyone I love gets taken from me too soon. First my parents, then Sam and now Mia. Honestly, I’m surprised Sarah is still here.

I knew getting involved with someone like her would end badly, but I was so lonely and intrigued by her that I let myself fall for her anyway — even though I knew she’d get hurt. I just never realised this is how she would get hurt.

She’s right. This is my fault.

I can’t blame her mum for getting angry and telling me to leave. Mia deserves better than me and I need to let her be happy before I hurt her all over again. It’s funny because, I thought I’d end up walking away because I couldn’t love her but instead, it’s because I love her too much.

Getting into Sarah’s car, I rub my face in my hands before leaning back against the headrest and sitting in silence while she drives me home.

I wake, squinting as the florescent lighting burns my eyes and the sound of voices linger in the distance. Through blurred vision I see a figure dressed in white leaving the room. Feeling disoriented, I glance around the room as pain rips through my body.

My thoughts are foggy, but I recognise the beep of a heart monitor as the smell of bleach rises from my crisp white sheets, making my stomach churn.

The last thing I remember is leaving the coffee house and walking back to the house through the woods, hoping that Peter didn’t follow me. Then, it all goes blank.

Oh my god, Maddie! I try to lift myself up from the firm mattress and any energy I have quickly drains from my body causing me to collapse back and close my eyes, realising that Maddie is safe and on holiday with her friend.

When I finally summon the power to open my eyes again, I notice the flowers and get well soon card neatly placed on the rolling table to the left of me and wonder how long I have been here. Just as I’m about the try to sit up, the door swings open and my mum walks towards me.

“How are you feeling sweetheart?” she asks, taking my hand as she sits beside me and smiles. My heart sinks. Where’s Ethan? Why am I in hospital?

“What happened?” I croak, feeling like I’ve been hit by a bus. “Has someone called Ethan to let him know I’m here?”

“He knows you’re here darling.” She stares at me nervously, “He was with you when you were brought in and needed to be checked over himself but none of us have heard from him since… I suspect he’s just been busy. Doesn’t he have a fight coming up?”

Tears sting my eyes as my brain makes sense of her words and I roll over to face the pale walls wanting to be alone.

I let him convince me that he was different, that he loved me but all this time I’ve just been some live-in booty call.

How could I let this happen again?

I don’t know if it is the sorrow, anger, strong medication, or a mixture of all three but I make a promise to myself, never to let myself get hurt like this again. I make the decision that I don’t need a man to make me happy and I certainly don’t need Ethan Brooks. I can’t believe he hasn’t been to see how I am!

As I lay there for what feels like a lifetime, mum doesn’t move. I still don’t really know what happened to me, but it must have been awful for her to be glued to my side like this.

Finally, I roll over to face her, mustering up a crooked smile. Her and Lexi are all I have left so maybe I should give her a chance, at least she’s here.

“Darling?” She whispers, “I know it’s not what you want to hear right now but, there are plenty more fish in the sea and frankly, if he can’t find ten minutes on his way home to pop in and see if you’re okay, then he is not worth a single one of your tears.”

“Mum?” I sob, “Do you know what happened?”

“You were abducted sweetheart. By one of Ethan’s friends.” She sighs. “I told you that man was trouble, but you had to find out the hard way didn’t you. Stubborn, just like your father.”

The door creaks open and a uniformed police officer peers around it with a concerned expression on his chubby round face.

“Ah miss, you’re awake.” He forces a smile, trying to make me feel comfortable and to some extent, it works, “I was wondering if we could ask you a few questions about what happened earlier today.”

“She doesn’t remember anything.” My mum booms, trying to shoo him out of the room.

“It’s okay mum, can you go get me a drink of water while I talk to them please.”

She nods her head and saunters out of the room as the officer enters the room and takes the seat my mother has been sitting in, his partner pulling out his notepad and waiting.

I tell the officers everything that I remember, from waking up in the dark basement, trying to escape and then waking up here. I’m not sure what good it will do because I don’t really remember much, and my brain is still a little foggy due to the medication I have been given.

“Is he in custody?” I ask, tears pricking at my eyes again as they are about the leave.

“He is. Luckily, your friend had detained him when we arrived, so he was transported and processed straight away. It appears he hit you from behind initially rendering you unconscious before using chloroform to keep you in that state until he got you back to his house and was able to tie you up. You are very lucky that your friends found you