Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 134598 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 673(@200wpm)___ 538(@250wpm)___ 449(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 134598 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 673(@200wpm)___ 538(@250wpm)___ 449(@300wpm)
She did?
“I’m glad she’s good to you. You deserve that. I’ll manage.”
And if she couldn’t, there was always the lake house.
Ethan walked away from the pool, leaving Rhodes and Cate to their talk. He stepped into the living room, where he could hear voices.
“Polly? Took you long enough to answer,” Samantha snapped into the phone. “Yes, I know it’s Sunday. Are you trying to say that I can’t call you on a Sunday? Good.”
Ethan glanced over at Seth who was frowning at Samantha with his arms over his chest. Samantha was turned away from them both, so he wasn’t sure if she was aware they were listening to her.
How did Rhodes not see this woman for what she was? Although he guessed she acted differently around the other man.
“I need you to arrange a moving company. No, I’m moving in with Rhodes. Yes. Yes, this week. Everything will come here, of course. I don’t like most of his furniture, so we’ll get rid of it. Also, I’ll need you to contact the landlord and get out of the lease. I don’t care how you do it.”
She was planning to move all of her stuff here?
“I thought you were just moving in here while there was a threat,” Ethan said as she ended the call.
Samantha let out a small cry and turned to him. A smile filled her face as she stared at Ethan hungrily. He raised his eyebrows and gave her a stern look back. He wasn’t sure why she looked at him like he was a snack. Seth was usually the one women flocked to.
“Sorry, I didn’t know you were there. Are you coming with us to my place?” She strolled toward him.
“Pretty sure Rhodes told you Seth is going with you.” He crossed his arms over his chest.
She slid closer to him. “But I’d rather have you.”
“Too bad you can’t have me.” He turned away and walked toward Seth as Samantha let out a huff of annoyance.
“Rhodes,” she called out as she walked over to the doors.
“She likes you,” Seth said to him. “Sure you don’t want to go? I could stay and read by the pool with Cate.”
Yeah, that wasn’t happening.
“I’ve got Cate.”
Seth shot him a sharp look. “Yeah?”
“Something wrong?” Ethan asked.
“Nope. I’ve just never known you to be anything but professional with a client.”
“I’m being professional.”
“Hey, man. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with it. Technically, Cate isn’t paying us. She’s an adult. She can do what she wants. But Rip might not see it that way. And Cate is . . . vulnerable.”
“I know that,” Ethan snapped. “I’m not going to take advantage of her.”
“But if you like her, I’d never stand in your way. I know you’ve had a long dry spell.”
Ethan groaned. “Get out of my business, dickhead.”
Seth grinned before he grew serious. “But I should probably take point with Cate if you want to pursue anything.”
“I’m not pursuing anything.” Much as he might want to.
“Yet,” Seth said.
Asshole.
“So you think we should give Rip a heads-up about that phone call?”
Ethan sighed as Rhodes and Samantha stepped up to them. “Can I have a moment before you leave, Rhodes?”
“We have to go,” Samantha said.
“It will only take a minute,” Ethan said firmly. “You can go wait with Seth in the car.”
Her eyes narrowed, and she opened her mouth.
“Please go wait with Seth, Samantha,” Rhodes insisted.
Ethan turned to him after Seth and Samantha had left. “Listen, I need to talk to you about—”
“Your intentions with my sister,” Rhodes said. “You’ve been reading with her.”
“Um, you say that like it’s a bad thing. It’s just reading.”
“No, it’s not. Reading is her favorite thing to do. It’s her escape. The world can be a hard place for her. It can be overwhelming. When she reads, she relaxes. And she doesn’t do that around other people. Except you. So, do not hurt my sister. If you do, I will come for you.”
Ethan nodded. He understood. “I respect that. If someone hurt my sister, I’d destroy them.”
He was still considering killing Stu for letting Lana go to a concert alone. Even though she’d come home perfectly safe.
That wasn’t the point.
“Good. Now, what did you want to talk about?”
“I walked in on a phone conversation between Samantha and someone called Polly.”
“Her assistant. She’s a sweet girl. She might be a regular visitor now that Samantha is staying for a while, so we should add her to the list.”
Ethan nodded. “No problem. Hope I’m not overstepping but Samantha was instructing Polly to hire movers to move everything from her place.”
“And put it where?” Rhodes asked.
“Here.”
Rhodes sighed. He ran his hand over his face. “She’s misunderstood. I’ll talk to her.”
Misunderstood? Or had she just decided to do what she wanted to do?
Ethan wasn’t so sure.
“We can’t spread ourselves among the three of you if you’re all going to different places,” Ethan pointed out. “And before you say it, you are the target of the stalker. We have to go with you.”