Total pages in book: 224
Estimated words: 215705 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1079(@200wpm)___ 863(@250wpm)___ 719(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 215705 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1079(@200wpm)___ 863(@250wpm)___ 719(@300wpm)
“So he tells me,” I say. “He talks about her. More so as time goes on. I know about the letter. It affected him. He hates that she thought he would be like his father.”
“It’s amazing to me how you’ve changed him. I mean, he told you about it. I feel like that is big with Reid.” She lets out a breath. “Mom didn’t know about the murder of his girlfriend. I didn’t know. Does Gabe know?”
“Honestly, I don’t think so, but for some reason, I haven’t asked that. I assumed that he didn’t, but were they in school together?”
“No,” she says. “They actually were accepted into different schools, so you must be right. He told no one. He shut us all out.”
“He felt like you were like her. Like you’d sacrifice yourself for someone you loved so he didn’t want you to love him. He used his asshole persona to just keep everyone away.”
“Obviously, that wasn’t a healthy response,” Cat says. “Should he see someone?”
“I don’t think he will and I think he’s healing.”
“I’ll trust you on that because he does seem better. I just don’t want it to somehow come between you two.”
“It won’t,” I promise. “I think I’ve become his sanctuary of sorts. He was affected by your baby news. He talked to me about it, though.”
“Because of the divide between us, right? I know he talked to me with your prodding. Thank you for that.”
“It was more than the divide between you. He told me—I hope it’s okay—he told me about the blackmail. He was upset that you must have been aware you were pregnant when that was happening.”
“I was,” she says. “It was—hard. I didn’t want to ruin the moment for me and Reese so I waited, hoping I could somehow make it special, despite all of that mess.”
“And did you?”
“Oh, yes. Reese made it special. That man is the world to me, but enough about me. You and Reid. The wedding. I got a list of place for you in the Battery Park area with open dates.”
“You did that for us?”
“Of course,” she says, covering my hand with hers. “You’re family now, Carrie, and we need you in this family.”
I tear up. I can’t help it. I have not felt a part of a family ever in my life. “Oh, honey,” Cat says. “Why are you crying?”
I tell her about my mom and talk about my dad, I feel as if I have a new friend in Cat. After breakfast, we head over to the pier location where Cat suggested we have the wedding and I’m in love. It’s cozy and gorgeous, right off the water, and I can’t wait to have Reid come see it. So much so that I set up an appointment to bring him back.
Cat and I part ways on the pier and I’m walking toward our building when suddenly a man is standing in front of me. Elijah Woodson. “You do know he fucked my wife, right?” he demands. “In my house, in my bed, as a ‘fuck you’ to me for crossing him in business.”
Chapter ninety-two
Carrie
Irecover from the shock of Elijah standing in front of me far quicker than I expect.
“He didn’t go to your house and fuck your wife, and you know it,” I snap. “And stop following me or I will call the police.” I try to walk around him.
He steps in front of me. “He lied to you if he told you differently. He lies. That’s who he is.”
“If you don’t let me pass, I will scream and there are plenty of people around to hear me.”
“Don’t be a fool. He’ll hurt you like he hurt me. I’m just trying to save you the pain.”
“Seems more like you’re stalking me and trying to scare me to hurt him. Move out of my way, Elijah.”
He grabs my arm and pulls me to him. “This isn’t over,” he growls and then he sets me away from him so hard I smack into a person passing by.
“Sorry,” I call out and twist around, darting toward a group of people and then rushing inside the nearest building because I just don’t want to walk alone right now.
I enter a high-rise that I know is a residence for a reason. I don’t want a crowd Elijah can get lost inside and sneak up on me. I enter the lobby and walk straight to security, where I greet the guard. “A man was following me. I’d like to stand here while I call someone to come get me. I live two buildings down.”
The man’s eyes go wide. “Of course. Call. Do you need me to call the police?”
“No. Not yet. I’ll let you know. Thank you.” I pull my phone from my pocket and start to dial Reid and have a really bad thought. I dial Royce Walker instead.