Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 62923 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 315(@200wpm)___ 252(@250wpm)___ 210(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62923 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 315(@200wpm)___ 252(@250wpm)___ 210(@300wpm)
If Remi thought he couldn’t catch his breath before, he knew he couldn’t now. This time, though, it was pure joy stealing his oxygen. “I’m here, Jeremy,” he finally answered. “I’m here. Thank you so much! Oh, fuck…thank you so fucking much.”
“Thank me?” Jeremy barked out with a laugh. “Little man, you are one motherfucking badass! Don’t hold the whole Mary/Gertie lie against me, okay? I’ll explain later. Right now, I need the two of you on the first plane back to Texas.” A chuckle came from Jeremy’s end of the line. “I assume you both want to know exactly every single word Kris has to say, right?”
Ryder jumped up, ready to throw his stuff back into his overnight bag, but then stopped. He turned back to Remi, dropped his knee on the side of the bed, and yanked him up into his arms. Placing his hand behind Remi’s neck, he pulled his face to his and allowed his lips to devour Remi’s taste. He put every ounce of fear he’d just endured into that kiss…used every skill he had to prove to Remi how much he wanted him. He wanted all of him-physical, emotional, and spiritual. He wanted to hear his laughter and hold him when he cried. He wanted to be Remi’s hero…instead of the other way around. Fuck, Remi was the strongest person he’d ever met. Ryder couldn’t believe he’d once considered the younger man to be nothing more than a spoiled trust-fund brat. He couldn’t believe he’d ever thought he could walk away from Remi.
When they finally came up for air, Ryder said, “I love you, Remington Newsome. Jeremy was right; you are a total badass.” He cupped each side of Remi’s face. “I knew you could do it…and would have loved you just the same if you couldn’t. You know that don’t you, babe?”
“I know that,” Remi answered slowly. “I mean…my mind knows that, but my heart tells me something else, you know? When I left Kris in that car, her hands duct taped to the steering wheel, all alone and pleading for help, my heart didn’t like me very much.” He looked down and added, “I didn’t like me very much.” He licked his bottom lip. “I couldn’t have left her if it wasn’t for the fear that I’d never see you again, Ryder. Did you mean it? Do you….”
“Hell, yeah, I do,” Ryder answered before Remi could finish asking. “I love you, Remi.
Remi grinned. “It took you damn long enough.”
Reaching for Remi’s hand, Ryder said, “I’ll make it up to you; I promise.”
Remi started to get up to help pack, but Ryder pushed him back down. “I’ll take care of getting us ready to fly back to Texas, packing and making the plane reservations. You rest. Got it?”
“You’re awfully bossy,” Remi said, but his voice lacked conviction. His eyes were weak, and his skin was pale and cool to the touch. He shrugged, “Good thing for you that I’m submissive by nature.”
“Submissive, my ass,” Ryder muttered as he placed one more quick kiss on Remi’s lips and then started throwing the few belongings they’d brought with them into a duffel bag. He moved quickly and efficiently, clearly excited about hearing what Kris had to say, even if his boss would probably fire him and Jeremy if he found out.
Remi snuggled into the blankets but then remembered someone else was in the room with them. He turned to look at Mary, who looked much different than she did when they’d visited her house. No make-up covered her face and her clothes were normal, instead of the gypsy garb she’d been wearing both times he’d met with her. There was also a different expression on her face, much softer and friendlier. He smiled at her as he remembered how she’d talked with him during his trip. It had been nice to not be alone.
“So…who exactly are you? And, more importantly, who was the other woman we visited after we left your house? Dirty Gertie?” he asked. “I think I’ve been tricked…or catfished…or whatever.”
Her smile grew wider, and Remi felt his own lips curve in response. They had a connection now, the two of them. One that he didn’t believe could ever be broken.
“My real name is Mary Jeremiah Rowe,” she answered. “Yes, my father clearly wanted a son, but got a daughter instead; I’m simply grateful he didn’t make Jeremiah my first name. I’m Jeremy’s mother.” She laughed, and it was a soft, tinkling sound that sounded like elf music. “You really knocked Jeremy on his ass that first day when you asked him if his grandmother’s name was Mary. He suspected right away that you were talking about me, so he tossed poor little Gertie, his grandmother, out to you and Ryder. Gertie is a voodoo priestess, so he wasn’t lying to you.” Her grin widened even more. “She’s just…eccentric. Oh, and she can be a bit handsy, but I’m sure you already know that. Normally, Jeremy would have sent you to both of us, but, like I said, you startled him with the Mary question. After that, he didn’t feel like you would trust me.” She shrugged. “I suppose he was right in that assumption. When I’m in Mystic Mary mode, I can be rather unbelievable. I give people what they want—a brief glimpse into their future, but always keep it on the sugary side. When I have appointments with people who are believers, they meet with the real me…the true believer in what I do, in the things I see.”