Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 75193 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 376(@200wpm)___ 301(@250wpm)___ 251(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75193 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 376(@200wpm)___ 301(@250wpm)___ 251(@300wpm)
“Something’s bothering me,” I said. “I can’t exactly put my finger on it.”
“Talk it out with me,” he said. “I’ve tried to put her down three times now, and each time I do she wakes back up.”
I smiled, knowing that was a fact.
Emily had turned into a spoiled rotten kid.
Between me, my sister and Apple, as well as the multiple men and women at the clubhouse, that little girl didn’t see a lot of crib time.
“Something about Kelly’s explanation bothered me,” I said. “I don’t know what it is…maybe just the way he was so lax in doing anything about Connor. Connor went missing right after I went into the prison. I don’t know. But one day he needed me in place to get information on the Coller Gang, and the next, he doesn’t need me at all. He even wanted me to stay in jail longer. I went back to my life, and was never once questioned in depth about what had happened while I was posing as my brother.”
“Hmm,” Apple said. “Did you ask him about it?”
I shook my head. “No.”
“Well go over to Kelly’s and ask him.”
I planned to do just that.
Turns out I didn’t have to go to him after all. He came to me.
And instead of explanations, I got the surprise of my life.
Chapter 21
Sometimes I wrestle my demons, and sometimes we just cuddle.
-T-shirt
Freya
I rolled out of bed, my back suddenly cold as Ridley bolted from the bed and disappeared into the hallway without a sound.
I slipped on some sleep pants, ones I’d gotten myself at the store on the way home from Ridley’s office, and padded barefoot to the door.
Since I heard low voices in the living room and saw the door to Core and Kitt’s room open, I peered inside, checking on Kitt.
She was sprawled out on her back, her eyes closed and the only thing covered up was her left foot.
I wanted to laugh, but instead went inside, picked up the blanket, and repositioned it to cover her entire body sans her head.
She didn’t stir, but her breathing was strong and steady, giving me the peace of mind to leave the room despite knowing she’d had a seizure earlier.
Instead of heading to the living room to the left, I cut through the back hallway that led to the kitchen.
Two hallways and a laundry room later I arrived at my destination.
Grabbing a glass from the cleaning rack next to the sink, I walked to the fridge and got some ice out of the freezer, then grabbed a Dr. Pepper from the fridge before walking to the kitchen.
Before I could get there, though, a knock sounded from the front door, diverting my attention.
Before I could even get it all the way open, Ridley was at my back, his hand going around my belly to pull me to the side and out from in front of him.
It was a protective action, and one that made me want to smile.
I didn’t, however. I only moved slightly with the gentle push and came to a stop directly next to the wall, hugged in tight between the front hallway closet and Ridley’s hard arm.
Ridley gave me a look, then opened up the door without another word.
“What are you doing here?” Ridley asked whomever was there.
I strained to hear the stranger’s reply, but then Ridley moved back and waved his hand out to the side of him.
His free side, not my side, allowing Ridley’s body to block mine as the man entered through what little space Ridley allowed him.
“What are you doing here?” Ridley repeated.
Movement at the mouth of the hall had me looking up into the worried eyes of Core before he disappeared behind the wall that led to the rooms.
My guess was that he was putting Emily back into bed before he also joined whatever was going on here.
Core, I’d noticed, was extremely protective of Ridley, just as Ridley was protective of Core.
Although their relationship had started out being rather rocky, seeing as Core had knocked Kitt up, any bad blood between the two of them was now gone.
They both had common interests, Emily and Kitt being at the top of that list.
“We need to talk,” the familiar voice of a man I’d only met twice, said.
Once, at the prison, and the other time only this afternoon or actually yesterday since it was so late.
Ridley had explained to me that Kelly was a part of an organization that specialized in black ops.
I’d wanted him to expound on that explanation, but Ridley had declined, and I’d been too tired to argue at the time.
Now, though, I really wished I knew a bit more about the man.
“Okay,” Ridley said, pushing me further into the corner, telling me with his body that he wanted me to stay where I was. “Let’s go to the kitchen.”