Total pages in book: 120
Estimated words: 113464 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 454(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113464 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 454(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
“He would be that vindictive?”
“That’s not the only problem we have.” I don’t want to talk about my father anymore. I don’t like the look he has on his face. The tension grows between us, and all it’s going to take is the strike of a match to make him explode. “Somebody is following me, and I’m scared, Callum.” I hate the anguish that fills my voice. “I don’t know what to do.”
“I think I need a drink.” He’s holding the photo in one hand as he crosses the room and pours a drink with the other. As he does, I watch the photo crumple in his tightening fist.
“So that’s how she knew,” he mutters, his back turned to me.
“Who? What are you talking about?”
Instead of answering, he takes a long gulp from his glass. “I don’t think it’s you the photographer was following. If that makes you feel any better.”
My heart shudders. “What do you mean? Are they following you? Why is somebody following you?”
“My ex is a vindictive, greedy bitch,” he spits.
I can’t help wincing at his bitterness. “Tatum’s mom?”
His head bobs up and down before he turns slowly. I wouldn’t want him looking at me the way he now stares down at his clenched fist, holding the crumpled picture. “Things have been bad for a long time. She’ll do anything she can to get money out of me. Even have someone follow me around, it seems.”
“So, you think this was her?” I don’t because I know where the picture came from. It was Lucas, not Amanda. But I don’t want to tell him that, so I’ll play along. And it wouldn’t be a bad idea to know what we might be up against from her, too.
“It’s exactly the kind of thing she would do.” The grim certainty in his voice tells me his mind is made up.
“But why?”
“It’s a long story having to do with how much money she can squeeze out of me.” He seems to find this funny since, out of nowhere, he laughs. “Why didn’t I think about that? Like she wouldn’t do everything she could to have leverage over me.”
He shakes his head, still snickering. “I have to give it to her. She’s a clever bitch.”
I don’t feel super comfortable with him using that word, but I don’t feel comfortable asking him to stop, either. We have bigger problems, anyway. “Even if they were following you and not me, I still don’t feel any better. Is this what happens all the time? Am I supposed to look over my shoulder wherever I go?”
“I don’t think it’s that serious.”
“Maybe not for you. You’re used to it. But I’m not asking for any of this. I only want to be with you. Does that mean having to live with your vindictive ex-wife and people spying on me?” And all the other things he threatened me with weeks ago, things I don’t want to think about now.
His brows lower over stormy eyes. “What are you trying to say? You’re afraid to be with me?”
“It isn’t you I’m afraid of.” Not exactly true, but I want to believe I’m safe with him, even if most people aren’t. “It’s all the people around you.”
“I can take care of anybody. Don’t you know that?”
“I don’t know what I know anymore,” I confess, with tears threatening to choke me. “I only know that if my dad finds out about us, that’s it. He will do everything he can to make you miserable. I know it.”
“I can handle him, too.” He finishes the thought with a snort, like it’s funny.
Something about the way he says it. Or maybe it’s the darkness in his eyes—that flat, blank look. I don’t want my mind to go in the direction it’s taking me, but I can’t pretend the question doesn’t exist.
Speaking slowly, I ask, “You wouldn’t do anything to hurt him, would you? Because that would kill me.”
His head snaps back like he’s surprised. “Do you think I’m a monster?”
What a loaded question. “No. But…”
“But?” he snaps. “Tell me. You think I’m capable of that?”
I don’t know what to think anymore. That’s the problem. I haven’t had the first clue since this craziness started. My heart tells me one thing, my brain tells me another, and my body is in a constant state of longing for him. It’s amazing I can get through a day.
Suddenly, I’m crying again, big sobs that make my shoulders heave while I cover my face with my hands. It’s embarrassing the way I can’t get a handle on this. “I don’t know! I don’t know anything anymore. I’m scared of what this means.”
“Hey.” There’s regret in his voice when he crouches in front of me beside his desk. This might be the first time his touch has ever failed to light me up inside. The presence of his hands on my thighs is comforting, but I’m too upset for it to mean more than that. “This doesn’t have to mean anything. It’s just a picture from your piece of shit ex, who I’ll gladly pay a visit to if it makes you happy.”