Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 122074 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 610(@200wpm)___ 488(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 122074 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 610(@200wpm)___ 488(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
“I wasn’t in danger.”
“You put yourself in danger this time.”
“I know, but—”
“Don’t do that again.” His words were fierce, and he pulled back to see me again. His hands framed my face. “Please. Don’t. Just, don’t. Please.”
Oh. Wow.
I was nodding, and I held on to him. “I won’t. I promise. I won’t.” I meant it. The switch needed to retire, or it had retired. I wasn’t sure, but: “I just needed to go this last time. I promise. It’s the last time, but Ashton.” I framed his face with my hands back. “I’m okay. Really.”
“You have to stop doing that shit. I mean it.”
I nodded. “I will. I promise.”
He studied me for a beat. “Pinkie?”
I flashed a grin. “Pinkie.”
A whole shudder went through him.
I was in the arms of a guy who was my next chapter. Whether it was good, long, bad, brief, or whatever, wherever Ashton planned to take me, he was the next chapter. Everything after would be affected because of this time right now.
A lump in my throat doubled in size.
He lifted his head, like he couldn’t stop looking at me. He lifted a hand, tracing a finger down the side of my head, picking up a strand of hair and tucking it behind my ear. “This feels like something more than just me freaking out over you.”
I didn’t have the words because I couldn’t explain how this whole event was sweeping through my body, where I knew I was changed from today on, and he was part of that change. It was deep and painful but beautiful, and I felt like a crying, molted butterfly. Not that I was flapping my wings for the first time, but that I’d remembered they were there and I was fluttering them, remembering there was a thing called love. I was on that path, walking toward it.
That’s what was going on inside me, but I didn’t want him to look at me like a freak, so I just leaned in and grazed my lips over his. “Thank you.”
He kissed me back. “For what?”
That lump. It was so strong and powerful. “For you being you.”
His eyes went dark, but he nodded. “I care, more than I want to, but I do.”
I grinned, feeling some of my tears hanging on over my nose.
He laughed shortly. “Most women wouldn’t be happy about that statement.” He reached up, wiping those tears away too.
I shrugged. “I’m different. I get it.” I settled back over him, getting comfortable.
His arms tightened around me. “That’s a good thing?”
I just smiled. “I’m a molted butterfly.”
His arms went stiff. “What?”
I patted his hand. “You’re not supposed to understand.”
His arms relaxed. I felt him nudging my neck, but then his phone began blowing up.
He answered. “Is this the other side? You’re calling to tell me you’re seeing me there?”
Now I tensed, half twisting my head so I could see his phone.
He pulled it from his ear and put it on speaker.
Detective Jake Worthing’s voice came over, all gravelly. “Dr. Nea Sandquist is saying she was forced at gunpoint by your woman, Jess Montell, Jess’s mother, and another male.”
The whole air in the vehicle changed. It went from being beautiful and emotional to being charged and deadly. Ashton didn’t move, but the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. He was close to doing something dangerous. I eased back so I could see his face better.
His eyes were like ice. The old Ashton was stepping forward. The one whose reputation was how very cruel he could be. “You know that’s not true.”
“We’re aware. We have security cameras backing up what Officer Montell is saying. She had the weapon in her hand, but it was never pointed at Nea Sandquist. She never issued a threat. Her mother is backing up her statement, as did Mr. Pialto. I’m calling to see if Molly corroborates that statement.”
“I do. We never threatened her. Jess asked if Nea would help us. Why would she say that?”
“Hello, Molly.”
I gave the phone an impish smile. “Hi, Detective.”
Ashton’s hand dropped to my leg, and his thumb was rubbing over it in a slow caress.
“I’m calling to let you know that’s what she is saying. It’s up to you to figure out the reason.”
Ashton’s eyes closed; the bags under his eyes seemed a bit more pronounced. “She’s scared.”
“Possibly. I was under the impression the doctor and Jess were on friendly terms.” Detective Worthing paused before he added, “I’m also letting you know that I received a phone call minutes ago. A couple phone calls. The first was that whoever was my cousin’s backer, the publicity from the shooting at the hospital was too much for them. They’re pulling out. The other phone call was from my family members. It’s been decided that Nicolai will no longer be speaking for our family.”