Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 78807 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78807 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
I jab an elbow at him. “This isn’t some kind of assassination or something insane like that, is it? Are you working for Finn’s dad now?”
Lucas’s eyes go wide. “Assassination? Finn? What the hell are you talking about?”
“Don’t lie to me. You ruined my life once already, I won’t hesitate to return the favor, you skinny asshole.”
He shakes his head rapidly. “Dar, I have no clue who you’re talking about.”
I let out a long breath, deflating somewhat. “Then how the hell did you know I was here?”
“I asked Kathryn,” he admits, glancing away. “Don’t be mad at her.”
I take a step back, feeling betrayed. I am going to have a big, long talk to her about boundaries and safety when this is over. “Why the hell would she tell you where I am, much less even bother talking to you?”
“Because I’m here to try to make things right.”
I let that sink in. It’s surprising. I expected him to disappear forever, too ashamed of his shitty behavior to ever come back.
Lucas can’t even glance in my direction, and he seems more defeated than I’ve ever seen before. He was never a tough guy, never the sort to slam on the horn when cut off in traffic or the type to call out a line cutter, but he did have at least some quiet dignity. He always said pride came from helping others. Although apparently, he decided that also meant helping himself to my fucking bank account.
But now he’s looking like he wants to wrap himself up in a cocoon and disappear from the world.
“What happened to you?” I ask finally, curiosity overwhelming my anger. “Where’s Christine? I thought the two of you were running away to engage in marital bliss.”
“She left me,” he says, somehow managing to fold into himself even more. “Took everything and left me alone in Mexico. I don’t even speak Spanish. It took me a week just to get back over the freaking border. Got robbed twice on the way.”
“Huh,” I say, arching an eyebrow. I try to muster some empathy, but nope, totally fresh out. “Fucking sucks, right?”
“Yeah.” He leans his head back and sighs. “I really fucked up, Dar.”
“I know you did.” I tap my foot on the porch. “Why’d you do it?”
He’s quiet for a few seconds before answering. “All my life, I never took a risk. You know me, Mr. Dependable, right?” He smiles at the old nickname. I don’t share his fond feelings. If anything, I’m resisting the very powerful urge to toss him off this porch into the sticker bushes growing in the flowerbeds. I guess my dad’s hatred of gardening is good for something. Lucas continues: “That’s me in a nutshell. Nothing exciting, nothing flashy, but I was always there when people needed me. Then Christine came on to me one night when we were drunk and you were passed out—”
I hold up a hand, trying not to puke. “Spare me the fucking details,” I say, rubbing my temple. “Also, you’re gross.”
“I know,” he says. “But she was exciting. She made me feel like a man, you know what I mean?”
“I know you were never a man and you still aren’t.” I glare at him. “Get to the point.”
“Christine made me feel like I could be more than Mr. Dependable. We kept sleeping together, and I knew it was so fucked up, but the thrill—”
“Seriously, Lucas, I don’t want to hear how cheating on me was thrilling, you asshole.”
“Right. Right. Okay.” He takes a deep breath. “Anyway, she came up with this plan, and I thought, yeah, let’s do it, let’s live a little bit. Maybe you’d get hurt, but you always land on your feet. You’re amazing. I guess I didn’t think about how badly we’d be hurting you.”
“You didn’t think that dumping me for my roommate and draining my bank account wouldn’t hurt me… because I land on my feet.” I stare at him for an agonizingly long moment. “You must be the stupidest man alive, Lucas.”
He winces but doesn’t disagree. “As it turns out, Christine’s plan is also Christine’s move. I drained our joint account, and the moment I gave her access to mine, she drained my accounts and disappeared.”
I whistle, actually kind of impressed. Christine was always quiet, kept to herself, cleaned up her dishes. She was a good roommate. I didn’t know her that well—I found her through Craigslist, of all places—but things were fine between us. I guess she ended up being crazy after all. Serves Lucas right, the dick.
“That’s a long con to make a few thousand dollars,” I muse.
“I know, right? It’s not like you were rich.”
“I was doing pretty good though.” I glare at him hard. “And anyway, I’m rich now.” I hold up my hand with the engagement ring. “I guess you’re right about landing on my feet.”