Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 98961 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 495(@200wpm)___ 396(@250wpm)___ 330(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98961 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 495(@200wpm)___ 396(@250wpm)___ 330(@300wpm)
My husband.
The love of my life.
The father of my child.
“Juliet.” Desperation to get back to my daughter fuels me, and the rest of the facade fades away. We’re in some sort of alternate reality. I don’t know how, but— “The fucking ring.”
“What ring? And who’s Juliet?” Easton’s eyes glaze over and he smiles. “You need to get ready for work. You have the presentation today.”
“Easton,” I say slowly and take a step back, remembering I’m only in a towel. “You have to remember. This isn’t our life.”
Shaking his head, Easton goes out of the bathroom. I stand there a moment, racking my brain trying to think of why this happened. Because if I can figure out the why I can get us home. Re-tucking the towel around my breasts, I go into my closet to get dressed. It’s so weird to know things about this fake life while remembering that it’s just that—fake.
And fake-Callie has horrible taste in clothes. I end up in teal athletic pants and a matching sports bra with a white t-shirt overtop. It’s not my first choice in color, but at least I can move around easily in this and I plan on kicking as much ass as I need to in order to get home. Raking my hair into a ponytail as I walk, I go into the living room and find Easton standing by the floor to ceiling windows. He pulled on a pair of sweatpants and is looking out at the skyline.
And that’s when it hits me that it’s not so much that Easton doesn’t remember his real life, it’s that he doesn’t want to. I stop, unsure what to say. Is this the life Easton wanted for himself? Free from demons and magic, settling down with someone, getting a job, and living a normal life? There’s no way either of us could ever live a life that’s normal by most people’s standards. Even if he hung up his demon-hunting hat and I bound my powers, we know too much.
But this? This would be the last thing I’d expect from either of us…which makes me wonder if whatever or whoever is crafting this alternate reality doesn’t know us well at all. Right? Maybe? Ugh. I don’t fucking know. No matter what, I’m not a Martin. But would Nancy or William question it if I never had magic? Still, I wouldn’t be chummy with William and Scott. They’re assholes with asshole views and support asshole laws.
Working at a publisher is somewhat believable, I suppose. I’ve always loved to read.
“Easton?” I ask quietly and take a few more steps into the room. “I need you to really think about it. This life doesn’t make sense. We don’t have a past in this life. And I need us both to snap out of it somehow because I have a daughter who needs me. Neither of us knows what’s going on, really going on, but we both know it’s not good. We’re in an alternate reality or a dream or something and we need to snap the fuck out of it.”
Searing pain hits me in the head again, so strong it makes me drop to my knees and cry out. I get a flash of the woods…of sunlight glinting off a green gemstone. We were walking to the Covenstead but then…then…suddenly we weren’t. Everything is fuzzy from there, but the smell of stagnant water fills my nose and the desperation of wanting to break free from something makes me want to scream.
“Babe?” Easton’s hand lands on my shoulder and I jerk my head up. He knows I hate pet names…so why is he calling me by one? I open my mouth to tell him, but then I suddenly can’t remember.
“I…I…I need to go to the library,” I stammer.
“Instead of work?”
“It’s for work,” I say, again not sure of anything. I’m lying, I think? I blink a few times and let Easton pull me to my feet. His hands settle on my waist and I pull away.
“What’s wrong?”
“Um. Nothing,” I rush out, not wanting to hurt his feelings. Because telling him that his touch feels wrong will hurt his feelings. But why?
Rubbing my forehead, I turn and see a flash of black fur.
Binx.
Holy shit, that’s right. Eyes wide, I keep my mouth shut and speed into the bedroom, brushing my teeth and grabbing my phone. I say a rushed goodbye to Easton, who’s slowly getting ready like everything is normal. I’ll come back for him once I figure this shit out. We’re in this together…I think? I head outside, stopping when I step onto the sidewalk in front of the apartment complex.
Everything is foggy, and it’s like I’m walking through thick sand. I’m fighting whatever has a hold on me, and I’ll be damned before I let it best me.