Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 83756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 419(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 419(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
“Well, duh. He always has.”
“Yeah. So, believe me. He’s leaving her today.”
As she shakes her head, I bite into my cheek. I wait for the shame, but I feel none, and I think it’s because I know the truth. He never loved Ava, never wanted anything to do with her. He was just repaying someone he thought was a friend. Well, fuck that. I’ll pay the chick off and be done with the whole charade. I want to tell my sister everything I know, and I ordinarily would. We’re close, Stella and I, but I don’t want to tell her this. As much as he thinks he’ll look bad for what he did, I’m the reason he did, and that makes me the scum of the earth.
It’s better no one knows the truth.
“I hope you’re right.”
“He doesn’t love her,” I confirm, and I meet her surprised gaze. “He hasn’t even slept with her.”
She scrunches up her face. “You believe him?”
Why did I say anything? “Yes,” I say, urging her with my eyes to trust me.
Her eyes search mine, and I can tell she’s not so sure. “You know he slept with one of the waitresses at Brooks House.” I can’t help but glare, even if it isn’t my sister’s fault. She’s a manager at our family’s restaurant, so I know she’s telling the truth. I just don’t know why he’d choose someone there. Then again, I doubt he was in his right mind. “She didn’t know I knew him and told me it was the worst lay of her life. Said he wouldn’t even kiss her, didn’t care if she got off, fucked her, and left.”
I shouldn’t be pleased by that.
But I am.
“He told me.” I pause then. “I mean, not specifics, but that he had hooked up with a few people.”
She nods slowly. “Does he know you haven’t been with anyone?”
“Yeah,” I admit, wringing my fingers. “I told him.”
“I hope you’re not being naïve.”
“I’m not,” I promise. “Truly.”
“He should be fucking lucky you love him.”
I smile. “I think you mean I should be lucky.”
“No,” she snaps, her eyes a bit on the harsh side. She takes a step toward me, cupping my cheeks in her hands. Like I said, we’re close, but we aren’t hold-each-other’s-faces close. She let me sleep with her when I was younger and would get scared over the murder shows I’d watch, but she’s never looked at me like this. So much love, tenderness, and wild protectiveness in her eyes. Her voice is quiet as she says, “I will kill him dead if he hurts you, Emery Elaine. I let you run once. I won’t again. Not now, not ever. So, you better be damn sure that you believe him.”
My heart swells as a tightness burns in the middle of my chest. I swallow thickly, and for the first time, I’m scared of what my sister is capable of. “I do.”
She nods but doesn’t let me go. “You deserve the world, Emery. You are vicious and strong and a downright force to be reckoned with. You ran because you felt like you weren’t good enough for him. But Emery, you are better than anyone on this earth, including me. Remember that, and don’t let him make you feel anything less than your worth.”
When tears fall over her bottom lashes, I gape at her. Stella doesn’t cry. I reach up, cupping her hands with mine. “Stella, I promise. He loves me, and he doesn’t make me feel anything but cherished. I hurt him.”
“I don’t care.” She gives me a shaky nod. “Don’t forget.”
“I won’t,” I promise, staring into her eyes. “Are you okay? Did Wes do something to hurt you?”
She scoffs at that, and pure satisfaction fills her gaze. “Please, that man worships me.” She’s not wrong. Wes McMillan treats her like a damn queen. He is my brother’s best friend and somehow got past him to get to my sister. Or really, he got past me. I wasn’t the nicest to him. But he took me in stride, and now I love him.
Because of how much he loves my sister.
“He did do something.”
She threads her fingers through mine and drags me toward their bedroom. “Stella, slow down! I want to see the changes.”
“Later,” she throws over her shoulder at me as she drags me through the house. It upsets me that I don’t even have a chance to take in all the renovations they’ve done, though Stella has sent me photo after photo of the new white cabinets and marble accents. She’s going for a modern country feel but in a drunk wine way.
Yeah, make that make sense for me. I’m gifted, and I still don’t know what the hell she is talking about. No amount of Pinterest boards helps.
When we enter her bright-pink bedroom, I snort since I can’t imagine Wes in here on a daily basis. He’s so rugged and big; it’s comical to think of him lying in a pink bed. But then, he’d sleep anywhere Stella is. “Wow, this is really pink, Stel.”