Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 60447 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 302(@200wpm)___ 242(@250wpm)___ 201(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60447 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 302(@200wpm)___ 242(@250wpm)___ 201(@300wpm)
Tipping her head slightly, she nods in agreement. “Well, you keep me informed. I don’t want you doing anything crazy. He’s already pissed enough at you.”
“He’s pissed, but it didn’t stop him slipping into the kitchen last night and taking me like a wild animal.”
Ciara laughs, throwing a hand over her mouth. “Stop. I’m so jealous. Spike is being ‘gentle’ with me in these last few weeks so he won’t touch me. It’s driving me crazy. I might be pregnant, but a girl needs some sausage.”
I lose it laughing, doubling over. “Jesus, woman, you have a way with words.”
Ciara giggles, pressing a hand to her belly. “Stop making me laugh. Come on, let’s get these kids to the park. Serenity and Janine will be waiting.”
Snorting, I walk over to the playpen and lift Skye out, putting her on my hip. She’s got a toy in her hand, happily playing. She’s the most chill, happy baby I’ve ever met. She only cries if there is something seriously wrong. Danny, on the other hand, is as devilish as his father. When Ciara leans over to get him out, he climbs the side and bolts, making her chase him down the hall.
Oh, he’s just like his dad alright.
By the time she returns, with him tucked under one arm, flailing, I can’t help but laugh. Pregnant or not, Ciara takes no shit.
“This next one better not have the energy of this boy.”
I chuckle. “It’s in the genetics.”
Grunting, we leave the house, and Ciara wrangles Danny into the car. She loves being a mom, but I have always felt like something was missing in Ciara’s world. I know she desperately wanted to go to college before she got together with Spike, but everything that happened with Cheyenne made it so hard for her. I just don’t see her wanting to only be a mom. For some, that is absolutely everything, for others it’s just not quite enough.
And that’s perfectly okay.
One day, though, I feel like it’s going to drive a wedge between her and Spike, because it seems they have different ideas for the future.
That wild streak of hers will appear soon, and he’s going to have his hands full.
It’ll do him good.
Once Danny and Skye are strapped in, we head to the local park where Janine and Serenity are already waiting. As we get out, I can see Max’s beautiful red hair whipping in the breeze as he giggles with delight with each push of the swing. Ava is on Serenity’s hip, chewing on a banana. Gosh, she’s just beautiful. I love that kid.
Walking over, Serenity and I immediately swap. She takes Skye and I take my baby sister. “There now.” I grin to Skye. “Go to grandma.”
Serenity shoots me a look. “I swear to god, Addison, I’m going to bop you if you call me Grandma one more time.”
Ciara giggles. “Well, I mean technically, Jackson is Grandad so that makes you Grandma ...”
Serenity scowls at her, and then we all burst out laughing.
Oh, what a complicated web we weave.
“Ugh,” Janine comes over, placing Max on the ground. “Tell me this morning sickness gets easier?”
Ciara shakes her head. “It does, but then you get round and fat and can’t walk anymore.”
Janine pouts. “Max never made me this sick.”
“Maybe it’s a girl,” I point out. “Skye had me vomiting at the mere mention of nausea.”
Janine smiles, rubbing her belly. “I hope so.”
I hope so, too.
“So, our girl here is up to no good,” Ciara tells the group, and points a finger right at me.
The thing about us ladies is that we keep nothing from each other. We’re closer than family, and we’re a team. If one of us is in, we’re all in.
“Yikes, Ciara,” I say. “Just drop me in it.”
Grinning, she proceeds to tell them everything.
I guess I’m not doing this one alone.
4
Cade – Then
Blood splatters as I drive my fist into his nose, over and over, until the cracking stops and his body goes limp. Throwing him on the floor, I stare down in utter disgust at my sister’s boyfriend. One who just beat her within an inch of her life. Nobody lays a fucking hand on her and gets away with it.
“You ever fucking touch her, come near her, say her name, or even breathe in her direction and I’ll gut you like a fish. Do I make myself fuckin’ clear?”
Coughing blood, the man rolls to his side with a groan.
“I said,” I roar, “do I make myself clear?”
“Yes,” he spits out.
Good.
Turning, I stomp through the blood on the ground and past the onlookers, watching but not daring to intervene. They wouldn’t want to, because I’d have their fucking heads. Reaching my truck, I get in and turn the key, getting the fuck out of this shit part of town. Clara is going to get herself killed. The crowds she is hanging with are trash, and that’s putting it nicely. She’s going down a bad road, and it doesn’t seem to matter what I do, she won’t stop.