Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 62710 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 314(@200wpm)___ 251(@250wpm)___ 209(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62710 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 314(@200wpm)___ 251(@250wpm)___ 209(@300wpm)
I could confront him about it, but then all my chances of digging deeper would cave.
I need to keep what I know to myself ... for now.
“I’m here to get information for you,” I finally say, when his silence lingers. “If I didn’t offer my services up, you wouldn’t be sitting here right now. Let’s stop playing games and accept reality. We’re done here. You and I both know it.”
“No,” he says, pushing back his stool and standing, “we’re not done. We’ll be done when I say we’re fuckin’ done.”
With that, he turns and walks through the crowd, disappearing.
God damn him.
I want to scream in frustration. The nerve of him, to think he can just choose how my life goes. Why does he always get to have the last say? Why does he get to make the choices? I’m the one he didn’t want a single thing to do with only weeks ago, and now that I’m changing my mind, he has decided that he wants to what? Try it again? There is no way we can make this work, even if deep down in my heart that thought hurts.
I have to think about the kids in the town that he could be involved in making go missing.
I have to consider that the man I thought I knew was exactly who he said he was all along. He warned me, he told me he wasn’t a good person, and I refused to believe it. Can I truly blame him for something he was always scarily honest about? Or do I blame my own determination for chasing him down even when he didn’t want it.
This is exactly what I was warned would happen.
Angrily, I finish up my shift and head home.
I want to sleep.
I want all of this to go away.
Maybe Georgina was right, maybe I should just step away from all of this while I still can. Bill has his little article out now; the town will believe him and things will go back to normal. They don’t need me to fight their little war, what they need is for me to disappear so I’m no longer tangled amongst this mess.
Yet, even thinking that, I feel everything inside me pushing against the idea.
Leaving means never getting answers for those boys.
Leaving means that whatever sick illegal business that has been running through this town for decades will continue.
Leaving means I’m taking the easy way out.
I’ve never been one to take the easy way.
I’m not about to start now.
“YOU OKAY?” LEO ASKS, narrowing his eyes as I make my coffee a week later.
I’m about to go into the club after being called in by Colt. I’ve managed to successfully avoid it since the last time I saw Western, but that has come to an end. I can’t give up now, I’m going to find out what’s going on here, but I needed time and space to get myself past what was going down between the two of us.
“Yeah, why is that?”
“You look ... unwell.”
I have been feeling sick the last few days, but that’s no surprise considering the stress I’ve been under. Things have been hard, to say the least, and I’m not getting any sleep. Luna was away sick last night at the club, so I’m probably catching what she had. I’m sure it’ll pass soon, but it’s the last thing I need right now.
“Just a bug, I think. I’ll be okay. I have to go to the club now, but can we catch up later? I enjoyed you being here last night.”
Leo came by last night and we watched a movie, had pizza, and he allowed me to have the first comfortable sleep I’ve had in weeks. I kind of don’t want him to leave because he brought me a comfort I was so desperately seeking. He has a life, though, and I’ve already caused more than enough stress for him in the last few months.
“I can’t tonight, I’ve got a date.”
I raise my brows. “A date? Like, an actual date?”
He grins. “Yeah, an actual date. I like this one.”
“Why are you just telling me this now?”
“You’ve had a lot going on.”
I punch his arm, and he groans. “Ow!”
“You tell me when you’ve got things going on,” I instruct, crossing my arms. “Now tell me about this date. What happened to the last girl who was claiming she was pregnant? Don’t tell me I was right about that.”
He chuckles. “You were right, so right. Anyway, this one ... I actually like. I mean, I haven’t once tried to get in her pants. We’ve been hanging out, and I’m liking the time with her. Like, really liking it.”
“Aw, Leo is falling in love,” I tease.
He flips me the bird. “I don’t think so, but it is nice having someone that I actually want to spend time with.”