Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 94639 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94639 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
“Have you lost your mind?” I ask, shaking my head. “This isn’t your home, and Harper isn’t your family. And the only way I’m going anywhere is if Harper tells me to. You had your chance and you lost it. You fucked up. I get it, man.” I step toward Harper, who is frozen in place. “The dumbest decision I ever made was walking away from Harper, but we’re together now and you’re just going to have to accept it.”
Richard smirks once again, looking almost demonic. “You may have been together, but there’s no way Harper would be dumb enough to stay with you now that she knows the truth.”
“That’s not for you to decide,” Harper says, finally speaking up, at the same time I ask, “The truth about what?”
Richard’s eyes bug out as his head whips around to look at Harper. “He’s no good for you. You heard what I told you.”
“And I need to hear it from Landon,” she says calmly.
“I told you what happened!” he roars. “Do you really want to be with a man capable of murder?” His finger points at me and chills race down my spine.
No. No. No. There’s no way he’s saying what I think he’s saying. Those files were sealed. Nobody has access to them except… Fuck! The hospital.
“You want to tell her how you killed her best friend?” Richie asks. “Or should I?”
“You looked into sealed medical records,” I say. For insurance purposes, while the files were sealed, the hospital has to keep what happened on file in the hospital records. But they assured my attorney they were sealed and nobody would have access to them. But Richie isn’t just anyone—he’s the fucking chief of surgery. On the fucking board of the hospital. He could’ve requested the files be sent to him. I imagine the patient has to sign off on it, but it doesn’t mean he didn’t figure out a way to get around that—illegally.
“You realize I can take that precious license from you, right?” I point out. “I have the money and the means to make sure you never practice medicine again.”
Harper gasps. “So, he’s lying? You never hooked up with Melissa and then killed her?”
What the fuck did she just say? “Fuck no, I didn’t hook up with Melissa.” I glare at Richie. “Is that what you told her?”
“Landon, I need you to explain this all to me, please,” Harper begs. Then she looks at Richie. “You need to go so I can talk to him.”
“Like hell! I’m not leaving you alone with a murderer. I know what I read. He’s lying, and as soon as I leave, he’s going to lie to you.”
“The next time you look into confidential files, make sure you get your facts straight,” I say to him. I’d rather say what I need to say to Harper alone, but fuck it.
Grabbing Harper by her hands, I guide her to the couch so we can sit. She looks pale and I’m worried about her. “When you told me you were pregnant and engaged, I knew I lost you. I lost us. I was too late, and it just about killed me. I went to the closest bar so I could get drunk enough to temporarily forget that you were no longer mine. I was sitting at the bar and had just knocked back my first shot when Melissa walked up to me.
Thirteen Years Ago
“So, judging by the look on your face and the empty glass, you’ve seen Harper?” She smirks, like the evil bitch she is, and I ignore her, knocking back my second shot.
“What the fuck do you want?” I ask, neither confirming nor denying. Fucking small towns.
“Nothing.” She shrugs and saddles up on the stool next to me. “Just wanted to see how you’re doing with the news.”
“What news?” I ask, playing dumb.
“Oh, c’mon.” She scoffs. “You’re back in town and sitting at the bar, looking to get drunk. There’s only one reason why you would be doing that. You went to see your precious Harper and found out she’s knocked up and engaged to Richie.”
“I don’t give a fuck what she is or who she’s with.”
“Yeah, okay. Keep telling yourself that.”
I raise two fingers to get the bartender’s attention, and when he looks my way, I point to my empty glasses. He nods once, indicating he’s on it. My phone buzzes in my pocket, and when I pull it out, I see it’s my brother. I hit decline, but it immediately starts ringing again.
“Hey, man, now’s not really a good time.”
“Dad’s been admitted into the hospital,” he says.
“What?” I stand, needing to go somewhere quiet so I can hear him better.
“Dad collapsed earlier and the neighbor found him on the ground. She called for help and they transported him to the hospital. He had a mild stroke.”