Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 112069 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 560(@200wpm)___ 448(@250wpm)___ 374(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112069 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 560(@200wpm)___ 448(@250wpm)___ 374(@300wpm)
They hadn't talked about Kurt or what had happened after Gio had been abducted, but unfortunately it was only a matter of time. That was something I was coming to understand as well. I'd spent so many years believing that not talking about my past would make it go away more quickly, but life with Luca had proven otherwise. I might have fought battles, but I was far from winning the war and I was tired of doing it by myself.
"When?" I asked. "When do you want me to tell you everything?"
"Have you talked to Luca about this?" Ronan asked.
I shook my head. "Luca and I… he's got his son back now and he needs to focus on him," I murmured awkwardly. "As he should," I added because I didn't want to make it sound like I was jealous. It was just my messed-up way of dancing around the truth—that I was losing Luca soon.
"Well, I don't know what's happening between you and your man—"
"He's not mine," I found myself interjecting, because it actually hurt to hear Ronan refer to Luca that way—in the way that I so badly wanted.
"Remy, that man has been yours from the moment he saw you again at that wedding. It's more a question of whether or not you want him to be yours."
I swallowed hard but didn't respond. What was I supposed to say? That I’d give anything to have a future with Luca and Gio? It was the same reason I couldn't be with Violet—I wasn't in a position to be the things Luca and his son needed.
The silence between Ronan and me stretched until Ronan said, "Why don't you start writing things down as you think of them? We can begin going through them and when we need more detail on something, we’ll sit down together and talk about it. But Remy, I need you to promise me that you'll reach out to someone if it becomes too much to deal with by yourself. I know you don't think of us as your family, but that doesn't change the fact that we do. Me, Seth, Aleks, Dom, Dante… we may not have experienced the same things that you have, but we all understand that forgetting doesn't make things go away."
“Okay," I said. I was completely overwhelmed at the idea that this man truly did consider me a part of his family. There was no reason for him to lie about something like that. And he'd said as much the day he’d talked to me in his daughter's room after Luca had begged me to let him watch out for me and Violet. "I should go," I said. "Dom made me promise to stop by the office after I pick up a few things from my apartment."
"Just remind Dom that I won this round," Ronan murmured as he began walking me back toward the front door.
I looked at him questioningly.
"He and I may have had a little bet going about which one of us would make sure your rent was all taken care of so you wouldn't have to worry about it for a while."
"What?" I said in disbelief. "You paid my rent?" I'd assumed that when I went to my apartment I’d find at least one eviction notice on it, since I hadn't been back to the place in several weeks and rent hadn't been at the top of my list of things to worry about. I'd planned to pay what I owed with the little bit of savings I had left, but I wouldn't have had enough for next month. Even if Dom was kind enough to give me back my old job, it would've taken time to earn enough money to get caught up on all my bills. As it was, I was planning on selling my car just to make ends meet.
Ronan shrugged. "I suppose technically Luca won."
"Wait," I said. "I'm confused. All three of you paid my rent?"
"Well, Dom tried, but I beat him to the punch. You can ask your man how he managed to trump both of us." Ronan smiled and reached to open the door. I was still as confused as ever but decided some things just weren't worth arguing about.
"Thank you, Ronan," I said. I reached out to shake his hand, because hugging the man wasn't something I was ready for just yet. But I'd get there.
"You're welcome, Remy. Thank you for what you did for Aleks. I hope you'll consider what I said about needing someone to talk to."
I nodded. I turned to leave, then paused and glanced at Bullet who hadn’t moved from his spot. "Can I call him?" I asked. I automatically began shaking again as I considered what I was about to do, but when Ronan gave me permission to say the dog's name, I did so. The animal trotted right up to me, and it was all I could do not to move.