Total pages in book: 128
Estimated words: 125020 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 625(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125020 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 625(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
“She loves you. Not like she loves me, but she loves you,” Pit says as he comes up beside me.
“I know, what’s your point?”
“You think I don’t see something’s been going on with you? As far as I can dig up, it’s not connected to Vander, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t happening.”
“This is your wedding day. Walk away.”
“It could be Christmas and you could be sitting in Santa’s lap and I wouldn’t give a fuck. I see you spiraling and I have this nasty feeling in my gut it’s going to affect her in some way. So I want you to start talking now.”
“You don’t know everything. There’s shit they don’t want you to see and because of that, you need to mind your business,” I snap. “Enjoy your wedding. There were sacrifices made to ensure you would. Say thank you and go dance with your wife.”
“What do you need?”
“What?” I turn to look him in his eyes.
“What do you need? For as long as I’ve known you, you’ve kept us all at bay. You need something. What is it?”
“You’re going to have the world on your shoulders in five seconds. Enjoy this freedom while you can. I’ll figure my shit out.”
“And Shawna?”
“What did you just say?”
“You look at her the way I look at my wife, not when I was pining after her and thinking you were fucking her. Nah, you look at her the way I look at my wife now that I am fucking her.
“I’m not stupid. You two didn’t just meet last night. Your best friend isn’t stupid either. She’s going to home in on you two when she’s not stressed out over planning a wedding.
“Then I suggest you buy her a house or start on those babies. Keep her busy because now is not the time for her to be involved in anything I have going on,” I snarl.
“And I’m the one who’ll be in the doghouse behind his secrets. She’s going to be all in my shit for this,” Pit mutters to himself. “Josh.”
“What?”
“When you’re done being an asshole. I’m here to help. You mean something to her and that girl means even more. So when you need me, I’m here.”
I close my eyes and nod. “It was supposed to get better. I did what I was asked to do. He shouldn’t be provoking me. This should be over,” I choke out.
“Who?” Pit asks and places a hand on my shoulder.
I shrug him off and shake my head. “No one. Forget I said anything.”
“Yo, talk to—”
“It’s your wedding day. Go dance with your wife.”
“Learn to tune that shit out, Kelex. If you want all of that to stay out there, you can’t allow it to spill out in here.” He taps my temple.
“How? You’d be doing me a favor if you told me how.”
He shrugs. “I think you already know what works for you, but when I really need to shut everything down, music helps.”
I give a nod and swallow. Closing my eyes, I think his words through. “Thanks, and Pit?”
“What?”
“Stay out of my business. Stop digging. They’ll tell you what you need to know when they’re ready.”
“They who?”
“To have ears and not hear. To have eyes and not see. Today isn’t the day. It’s coming, but it’s not today. Enjoy your wedding, Pit.”
I turn and walk off. I need some fresh air. I catch Shawna’s eyes and she follows as I exit the ballroom.
Shawna
“Is everything okay?” I ask as I find Josh in the parking lot of the reception hall.
“Pit knows. He doesn’t know, know, but it’s only a matter of time.”
“So we tell them.”
He shakes his head. “Now is not a good time.”
I search his face. Something has been going on with him for the last few weeks. He’s been irritable and short-tempered at times, not with me or the kids, but with everyone else.
“Why not? The wedding is over. We can come clean,” I say.
“Baby, there’s something else going on and it’s just safer for us to keep this under wraps for now. I have a lot going on.”
“Is that the reason Zoe gave me one of her guards?”
I was a little surprised when Zoe said Linus would be my new security. He was her wedding gift when we returned to the States. My husband is a very wealthy man, so I didn’t find it too strange at the time.
“Linus is related to Helios. I know their family. I wanted someone I could trust to watch over you and the kids.”
“That’s not an answer to the question.”
He sighs and pushes a hand through his hair. “Yes, but I don’t want you to worry about any of that.”
“Tell me what I can do. I hate seeing you like this.”
He tugs me into a hug. I wrap my arms around him and hold on tight. It’s been killing me to keep my distance this weekend.