Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 94512 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94512 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
“Tim bought that?” Dare asked.
She nodded. “Apparently, he was a big man when it came to intimidating and controlling me, but with another man? He crumbled like a cookie. He walked around with Brian’s fingerprints on his neck for the next few weeks, but he never came near me again.”
Dare rubbed the back of his neck with one hand. “How did your parents take things?”
“Leave it to you to get to the heart of things,” she said with a laugh. “Brian sent me up to shower, and he cleaned up the mess before they came home. He must have known they’d blame me for everything. It’s just what they did. By the time I came back downstairs, he’d guzzled a bottle of my father’s best vodka and was claiming he’d stumbled in and caused the mess himself.”
“Holy shit,” Dare muttered.
“You can say that again.” Liza stared at her feet. “I let him do it. I knew they’d shake their heads and say it was Brian being Brian, so I never said a word. I can’t say it was my finest moment.” She raised her gaze to his. “And that is why I know for sure Brian would never hurt me. That’s also why I’d go to the ends of the earth to protect him, even from himself.”
* * *
Liza had spilled her guts to Dare and then spent the afternoon with his family as they barbecued, laughed, and joked with each other, including her as if she belonged. Tess came home, and Liza enjoyed watching the teenager interact with her brothers. She obviously knew each one well and which buttons to press to drive them crazy, but it was equally apparent that the teen was loved. She might not have parents in the traditional sense, but she had family, people to rely on, and as Liza knew firsthand, that was more important.
Watching Dare with his sister, Liza was struck by how comfortable he was with Tess. While Ethan had clearly stepped into the authoritative parent role and Nash was still finding his way with the teen’s sarcastic nature, Dare walked the fine line between friend she trusted and confidant on a different level from Ethan—whom she obviously adored.
“He runs the D.A.R.E. program at all school levels,” Faith said, coming up beside her.
“You caught me watching him, huh?”
Faith bit down on a raw carrot. “You weren’t exactly being subtle. He’s great with kids.”
Liza sighed. Of course the man was great with kids. He’d make a great father some day, but Liza wasn’t going to be a mother. She didn’t know squat about kids or even doing what was right with them. She hadn’t exactly had the best role models. And why was she even thinking about these things? Lord, she was losing her mind.
“I’m so glad you’re here,” Faith said, squeezing her arm.
Liza forced a smile. “Me too.” And she meant it. Each time she was with the Barron family, it became easier to feel a part of their intimate group and harder to want to pull away.
But she had to go.
Each time she was with Dare, one of them opened a vein and poured out their lifeblood. How much more deeply connected could they get before he remembered he couldn’t be with her because of her brother? Dare would leave eventually. Everyone in her life did. And when he left, he’d be taking all these wonderful people with him.
“Would you think I was rude if I said I needed to get home? I’m just so tired,” Liza said.
Faith smiled. “Not rude at all. I don’t know anyone who’s been through what you have who wouldn’t be wiped out. Go home. I’ll see you this week at the Brettons’.”
Liza nodded. “Would you do me a favor?”
“Of course!”
“Tell Dare I said good-bye?” He was in the pool with Tess on his shoulders, and she couldn’t face him while she was feeling so raw and emotional.
Faith frowned. “Are you sure you don’t want to tell him yourself?”
“He’s busy.” Liza grinned when Tess reached down and pulled at his short hair.
Faith laughed at the antics too. “Okay, I’ll tell him. Take care of yourself, okay?”
“Always,” Liza said.
She let herself out of the gate that led to the driveway and headed for her car. The side of the house had an extra driveway with a patch of blacktop for guest cars, and she’d parked in one.
She reached into her purse and was looking for her keys when someone tapped her on the shoulder. Already antsy from earlier events, she jumped back, letting out a little shriek.
“Ms. McKnight?” A man wearing a black T-shirt with gold chains and denim jeans stood too close for comfort.
Liza narrowed her gaze and clutched her bag tighter in her hand. She hadn’t yet found her keys and stepped closer to her car in search of personal space, but the man wasn’t taking the hint.