Total pages in book: 142
Estimated words: 132031 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 660(@200wpm)___ 528(@250wpm)___ 440(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 132031 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 660(@200wpm)___ 528(@250wpm)___ 440(@300wpm)
Abi’s head was slightly bent, but she looked ready to eat fire as her hand came out, wrapping around Mae’s arm, pulling her against her side. She tapped the screen of her iPad, drawing Mae’s attention there while staring holes through her mother.
He felt Abi’s hostility to his soul.
In all the ways he’d thought this might play out, it was never in front of his children, right before the holidays. And in his imagined scenarios, Tena would at least be accessible to them.
“Tena,” Dev started, holding back the growl boiling inside his chest. The rage coursing through him needed an outlet as his magical night turned to dust.
“I don’t want to hear it. The credit cards are maxed out. I’m tired of you controlling my money. I never wanted this life. You did this.” Her hand flew out toward the girls. “You were the one who dreamed of a family and me being your old lady. But you changed it all. I’m made to be on the back of your bike, not cooking dinner in your kitchen. I never wanted this life.” She shook her head and started for the front door. “I found someone who wants to take care of me. Give me the life I deserve and I’m going for it. You can’t hold me back any longer.”
His heart broke as Mae openly cried, jumping off the sofa to run after her when she opened the front door.
“It’s gonna be okay, baby.” He went after her, wanting nothing more than to offer her comfort.
“Show Daddy your new dog,” Tena said as she brought a small cage through the door. “He’s the reason the nanny quit. She refused to take care of anything else. She’s a fuckin’ jealous bitch.”
Tena put the cage down at Mae’s feet with a small bag of dog food. She reached for Mae, hugging her tightly, a hard, quick grip before letting her go. Tena raised a hand to Abi who continued to give her the death glare.
“She’s so much like you,” Tena murmured, seemingly with complete peace in this decision. “I refuse to feel bad about this. You’re the one who changed everything. Not me.”
She left the apartment again. Dev lifted a finger to the girls, asking for a minute. He tried for a small smile when confronted with the pain from his children. Then followed Tena out, shutting the door behind him.
“You’re breakin’ their hearts,” Dev said, following her down the staircase, trying to stay calm. “You’re their mother. They need you. I thought if you took off, you’d still stay local so they could see you.”
“Fuck you and your guilt trip. You have all these ideas about them going to good schools and living normal lives. Figure it out. That’s not who I am.” At the front door of the building, she shoved through. The hard wood slapped against the inside wall. She double timed down the concrete walkway in her ridiculously high heels.
He followed her out, taking in the scene before him, stopping dead in his tracks on the front porch. The bitter chill caught him off guard in his pair of jeans and nothing more. A black sedan idled at the curb, puffs of exhaust floating on the air. A chauffeur driven Mercedes. The backseat door popped open. A suit-covered sleeve pushed it all the way as if encouraging Tena inside.
“Don’t do this to them. It’s cruel, Tena.” Dev tried to keep his anger and frustration in check. He started down the steps, trying to figure this out before she left. “I’ll do my best to free up more money. Give me some time.”
She laughed, a hysterical sound, and shot him the finger as she dropped down into the backseat of the vehicle.
He snapped. The anger he’d held back surged anew so fast he lost sight of his thoughts. His head spun out of control as the realization of what she was doing set in. “You’re a goddamn bitch,” Dev yelled, taking long strides toward the car, ready to take on the machine and everyone inside.
What kind of person encouraged a woman away from her children? The fucker needed to look Dev in the eyes as he actively destroyed his girls’ lives. He’d beat the fuck out of the man.
Blind rage had him fist-fighting the air.
What a stupid, sorry motherfucker.
The car door shut, and Dev took off running as the car peeled away.
He managed a solid right hook into the back rear of the vehicle. He heard aluminum crunch under the strength of his hit.
Dev continued to run down the street after the car until it turned a corner and sped away.
His chest heaved as the entire weight of the world landed on his shoulders. What the fuck?
He waved his arms in the air in frustration. The devil of destruction he tamped down daily emerged from within him. His blood thundered through his veins as his mind went dark. The blinding rage made it hard to even see straight. A growl resonated from deep in his chest until he had no choice but to let it out by way of an ugly, primal scream. He pivoted around, stalking back toward his building, frustrated he hadn’t even thought to get the plate number on the car. If he had, that sorry motherfucker would be maimed by the end of the day.