All Chapters of Total Surrender : Chapter 71 - Chapter 77

“Pamela,” Richard’s voice broke, raw and desperate, as he let the knife fall with a dull clatter and dropped to his knees beside her. His hands, rough but so gentle, cupped her face, his thumbs brushing away the tears streaming down her cheeks—tears she hadn’t even noticed. “Sweet thing, are you okay? Please, talk to me.”Her throat burned, each word a struggle as she rasped, “I’m… okay.” The lie felt heavy, her body still trembling from the terror, her skin crawling where the attacker’s blood had splattered across her arms, her chest, her face. She looked down at herself, her thin pajama tank top soaked red, clinging to her like a second skin, and a sob caught in her chest. “His blood… it’s everywhere, Richard.”His eyes softened, but behind them churned a mix of fury and guilt that made her heart ache. He pulled her into his arms, his warmth a lifeline in the chaos, his heartbeat a steady anchor against her cheek. “You’re safe now,” he murmured, his lips brushing her forehead, his v

The door clicked shut behind Ivan and his men. Pamela’s fingers brushed Sophia’s forehead, smoothing back a stray curl, her touch light but trembling. “You’re okay, Soph,” she whispered, her voice cracking with relief and guilt. “You’re gonna be okay.” She wanted to believe it, needed to.A soft groan broke the silence, and Sophia’s eyes fluttered open, hazy and unfocused. “Pam?” Her voice was thick, slurred with pain and confusion, her hand lifting weakly to touch her bruised cheek. “What… what happened? Where am I?”Pamela’s heart lurched, relief flooding her as she squeezed Sophia’s hand. “You’re safe, Soph. You’re in the apartment. There was… someone here, but he’s gone now. Richard took care of it.” Her voice wavered, the weight of the night pressing down on her, but she forced a small smile, trying to anchor her friend. “You’re okay.”Sophia’s eyes darted around the room, widening as they landed on the spot where Nash’s body had been, now just a gleaming patch of hardwood. “The

The morning sun sliced through the city, painting the streets in hues of gold and amber as Richard’s car hummed along the quiet roads. Pamela sat in the front passenger seat, her hands folded tightly in her lap, her fingers tracing the faint red marks still lingering on her wrists from the night before. The weight of what had happened—the blood, the body, the nearness of death—pressed heavily on her chest, but Richard’s hand on her thigh, warm and steady, anchored her to the moment. In the backseat, Sophia leaned against the window, her bruise-darkened cheek a stark reminder of the violence they’d barely escaped. The safe house had been a temporary refuge, a cocoon of quiet where they’d clung to each other through the night. But now, as Richard pulled up to their apartment building, the real world loomed like a storm on the horizon. Pamela’s heart thudded as she glanced at him, his jaw tight, his dark eyes fixed on the road ahead. She could feel the shift in him—a hardening, a resolv

The soft chime of her mother’s voice floated through the haze of sleep, pulling Pamela gently from a dreamless slumber. “Pamela, sweet bun, time to get up for church!” Ellen’s words were warm, threaded with that familiar lilt of love and routine, a sound Pamela hadn’t realized she’d missed so deeply. Her eyes fluttered open, the faint glow of dawn seeping through the curtains of her childhood bedroom. The air carried the scent of lavender and old wood, grounding her in a way that felt like a long-forgotten embrace.“Church,” Pamela murmured, her voice thick with sleep. She hadn’t been in ages—not since college had swept her into a whirlwind of lectures, late nights, and Richard. The thought of him sent a pang through her chest, sharp and unbidden, but she pushed it aside. Not here. Not now. She swung her legs over the edge of the bed, the cool hardwood floor a shock against her bare feet, and crossed to the window. Lifting the curtains, she let the morning light spill in, soft and go