Total pages in book: 154
Estimated words: 148220 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 741(@200wpm)___ 593(@250wpm)___ 494(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 148220 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 741(@200wpm)___ 593(@250wpm)___ 494(@300wpm)
His eyes narrow. “We’re not using your money.”
“But I asked you to take me, so I should—”
“You think I’m not after him, too? You think this is just a favor I’m doing for you?” His voice is low. Dangerously so. The same voice that I usually heard right before he ordered me onto my hands and knees, and simply hearing it sends little sparks of heat flying through my belly. “You contribute the info. I’ll contribute the bankroll and the muscle.”
That seems lopsided, but I don’t want to argue about it now. “Okay.”
“And new rule: We don’t talk about any of what we’re doing until we’ve got your passport, until we’re in Vegas, and we’re married.”
“Ok—” Wait. My heart thumps like a fist slamming into a heavy bag. “What?”
“You heard right. Because it’ll protect you, and it’ll protect me.” He comes closer, gaze fixed on mine as he crouches next to Daisy and me. “Last night, Creek let a whole lot of your lies pass, because he doesn’t really want those fighters who were in the Cage. He’s not looking to make them pay—he’s just looking for as much info as he can get, because the more he has when he arrests Papa, the better the chance of a conviction. And you…you’re just an innocent swept up in this. But what we’re thinking of doing, you’re not so innocent anymore, understand? Not in the eyes of the law. Killing Papa might be justified, but it’s real fucking illegal.”
A shiver works down my spine, but the mention of Papa chases it with fire. “I understand.”
“And the thing is, the law can make you pay for not telling them something. Like for not saying what you and I were plan—”
“I wouldn’t tell them anything.”
“I know you wouldn’t.” His voice deepens and he brushes the back of his knuckles down the side of my jaw before giving Daisy’s ears a scratch. “But they can make you pay for not saying it. Fines, contempt, jail time, all that shit. And if you lie, there’s perjury. Unless we’re married. A husband and wife have privileges a lot like a lawyer and client do. You can’t be compelled to testify about anything we talked about. You can opt to say nothing at all.”
“Really?”
“Yep. At least according to the internet research I did while I was out for a run.”
I huff out a laugh.
His crooked grin flashes again. “Seems legit, though. If you saw me kill someone, that’d be one thing. But shit we talk about, any plans we make? They can’t force you to testify about it, as long as we don’t go sharing those confidences with anyone else. So you and me, we’re going to Vegas, getting married, then having a road trip honeymoon that might just take us to wherever Papa is. You in?”
A marriage that doesn’t just protect me. It protects him, too. “I’m in.”
“Good.”
Despite that reply, though, his expression doesn’t say Good. Shadowed, his hazel eyes search my face, and there’s something troubled about the way he hesitates that tells me whatever he’s going to add next will hurt.
Hurt more. Because the pain of losing Matt is a deep, constant ache. Yet…being in here with Stone has made it a little easier to bear.
It hasn’t gone away. Hasn’t lessened. It’s simply easier to bear.
Just like last night, the only time I believed I might get through this was when I was riding behind him, holding him tight. Then holding onto Daisy, because as soon as we got to his house, all I could hear was his sister saying how I kept clinging to him. And thought maybe she was right. So I clung to his dog, instead. That was okay. But it wasn’t the same.
Yet in the past few minutes, I’ve been able to laugh and smile, and not think so much about the giant part of me that’s missing now. So instead of waiting for Stone to speak, I head him off, rubbing my face against Daisy’s. “I don’t suppose we can take her with us?”
“Nah. Motorcycle helmets look real cute on her but don’t fit too well.”
That image makes me smile, too. “I guess not.”
“And she’d probably ruin any plans we made,” he says affectionately, rubbing up under her jaw and making kissy noises. “Wouldn’t you, girl? That’s right. Because you’re so cute but you’re also real dumb.”
I gasp in mock outrage. “Don’t listen to him, Daisy. You just turn to him and say, ‘If dumb means someone can’t ride along with us, then who’s going with Maxine?’”
“Shit.” He shakes his head, a deep laugh rumbling from him. “Your damn mouth just… Fuck.”
Suddenly all that trouble returns to his face. I try to head him off again. “Don’t you have work, though? Lumberjacking?”
“Widowmaker will give me the time off.” His grave tone and steady gaze tell me that this time he won’t be waylaid. “Until we’re married, we don’t talk about what’s ahead for us. But before you hitch yourself up to me, we probably ought to talk about what’s in the past.”