Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 70628 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 353(@200wpm)___ 283(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70628 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 353(@200wpm)___ 283(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
God. Why, Aspen? Why do you keep running?
This is the third time.
Well, to be fair, it’s only the second time.
The first time was when she left Manhattan without telling anyone. The second time, she just went down for a workout. She just didn’t bother telling me.
So I guess this is really the second time.
Why would she leave me? She said she loves me.
I follow Luke out to his garage, and we get in his Tesla.
He turns to me, and it’s as if he read my mind. “She’s afraid. She’s afraid she can’t control herself—this desire she has for revenge. And she loves you too much to keep you involved.”
“That doesn’t make any sense,” I say, even though in my heart I know it does.
“It does, actually. What if you had the chance to get revenge on the people who have harmed you? And you knew it would put you in danger? Would you want her involved?”
Damn it. I hate that I’m beginning to like this guy. He’s making sense. A lot of fucking sense.
“Of course not. I’d protect her at all costs. But this…” I rub at my forehead, even though there’s no headache. “I can help her. I have resources she doesn’t. I’m going to make her see reason.”
“Do you think you can? I can only tell you this.” Luke pulls out of the garage, and we begin the drive. “When I was messed up, I didn’t understand what love was. But once I got off the booze, and once I fell in love with Katelyn, I didn’t want her anywhere near me. I left her. I left her in Manhattan and came to LA so I could take care of my past. I had to do it to be worthy of her. The last thing I wanted was for her to get involved. This was on me, and I couldn’t risk her being harmed.”
He knows. Luke fucking knows.
He left Katelyn.
He loved her, yet he left her.
“Turns out she got involved anyway,” I say.
“She did, but not because it was anything I wanted.”
“There’s a difference between you and Aspen, though,” I say. “You went back to take care of a situation that was your own doing. Aspen is innocent. She hasn’t done anything wrong.”
“No, she hasn’t. And you’re right. The situations are different. But the emotions aren’t. She knows she may find trouble, and she wants you far away from that.”
Fuck it all. “What’s the answer then?”
“The answer is we go get her. Because she’s just one woman. Granted, she’s a strong woman, but what else does she have working for her? Not your contacts and not mine.”
I resist the urge to grab at my hair and pull it. “Why? Why would she try to do this on her own? She’s not thinking clearly.”
“No, she’s not. She’s thinking through the red eyes of vengeance and rage. Believe me. I’ve been there. I know.”
“You think I haven’t been there? Talk to me when you’ve been starved and tortured and beaten.”
That’s as far as I’ll go. I won’t give Luke the grisly details.
“She’s been through much of the same,” Luke says.
“You think I don’t know that? I want to save her from ever having to go through any of that shit again. That’s I why wanted to leave all of this in the past. It’s not worth dredging it all up.”
“It is to her.”
His words crush me like a fucking anvil.
All I want is what’s best for Aspen. I want her safe. I want her to have a good life. A life that’s so wonderful it makes up for those five years she lost.
But is that my decision to make?
I have a vested interest. I love her. I want to build a life with her. Have children with her someday.
It is to her.
Then it is to me as well.
“I see you understand,” Luke says.
“I haven’t said a damned word.”
“It was a look on your face. You went from rigid to only slightly tense.”
“You saw that in my face?”
“During my years underground, I learned to read people. That’s part of why I was so successful.”
“Yeah? We learn to read people in the Navy too.”
“This isn’t a contest, Buck. For God’s sake. You’re making everything about you and me. About our past. About Emily. This isn’t about any of that.”
God, could I hate this guy more? Except that I’m starting to like him, and I fucking hate that. I also fucking hate that’s he’s making sense.
“We don’t have to be friends,” Luke continues. “It’s probably impossible. But we do have to work together. This is as important to me as it is to you. Because it’s important to Katelyn and Aspen.”
“You’ll never understand.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. I do understand. If I were in your shoes, I’d hate me too. I have a sister you know.”