Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 60852 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 304(@200wpm)___ 243(@250wpm)___ 203(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60852 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 304(@200wpm)___ 243(@250wpm)___ 203(@300wpm)
“I thought you were dead,” I snap. “You wanted me to what? Never move on? Stay forever in a fucking loop? You were gone, and I had to move on, and that’s exactly what I did. I found someone who brought my soul back to life and now she holds the flame. I know that fuckin’ hurts you and I’m sorry, but I need you to accept that this is what I want.”
“No,” Harper shakes her head, tears falling from her cheeks. “No, I won’t accept it. I won’t because I remember what we had. I remember how good it was. I know you do, too. If you didn’t, you would have chosen her straight away. Stop lying to yourself, Brian.”
She’s right about the fact that we did have something good, and for a moment, for a fucking moment, I let that cloud my decision, but it wasn’t because she is what I want now, it’s because she reminded me of a time when I was so fucking happy it felt like nothing could ever bother me. She was my sunshine, my light, but I was living in the past.
Janine is my sunshine now.
She’s my light.
She’s my future.
“I’m sorry, Harper,” I say, and I mean it. I hate seeing her hurt. “I’m going home.”
“Brian!” she calls, as I turn and walk toward the door.
I don’t stop.
“God dammit. This isn’t over. I won’t give up on you.”
Maybe not.
But I’ve made my choice.
Now, I have to try and fix what I broke.
“WHERE’S JANINE?”
Walking into the club, I let my eyes roam the room. I figured she was here because she isn’t at home and she’s not answering her phone. Not that I expected her to answer her phone. She was aware that I was coming to get the kids this morning, so I figured she would have Serenity waiting at home with them, like usual, but the place was empty.
“She ain’t here, brother,” Cade murmurs, hitting a ball as he plays pool with Spike.
“She isn’t at home,” I mutter. “She must be here. Where’s Serenity?”
“The girls are all out with the kids. Serenity has Ebony and Max, Janine said she could take them to the park. No idea where she was going.”
That’s fucking weird.
She knows I get them in the morning, so why would she give them to Serenity and not tell me?
Something is off.
I pull out my phone, calling her mom. That’s the only other place I think she could be. Her mom answers on the second ring. She’s always liked me, even though what we’re going through right now is shit. She doesn’t have any bad blood toward me, which I’m thankful for because she’s a good woman.
“Muff, I didn’t expect to hear from you. Is everything okay?”
“I’m lookin’ for Janine. She wasn’t at home when I went to get the kids, and she’s not at the club, either. Serenity has the kids and she’s nowhere to be seen. Is she with you?”
“No. I haven’t seen her. Is everything okay?”
“I’m not sure. I’ll keep lookin’. If I find her, I’ll let you know.”
“She was in a bad way last night, Muff. You don’t think ... You don’t think she has hurt herself, do you?”
No.
No fucking way.
She wouldn’t.
She’d never do that to the kids.
“I don’t think she’d do that,” I say, but my voice is tight. “Not to the kids.”
“The thing is ... When Ebony was born, things were really bad with her and Derek and she did make an attempt on her life after he abused her one night. I know this isn’t the same, but ... what if she feels like she’s just never going to be okay again? She thought you were the best thing to ever happen to her, being without you has crushed something in her that I’m afraid she won’t get back.”
Fuck.
What the fuck have I done?
“I’ll find her.”
I hang up the phone and turn to Cade and Spike, both watching me with concerned expressions. “Everything good?” Spike asks, crossing his arms.
“I can’t find her, and her mom is worried she could hurt herself. I need to find her.”
Spike looks to Cade, and then mutters a curse. “There is somethin’ you should know.”
My eyes dart to him. “What?”
Spike proceeds to tell me about Derek’s brother coming into town, demanding money and other goods off Janine that she had stashed in a fucking safe I didn’t know about, then he goes on to tell me just where those guns and jewels came from and how fucking bad it really is.
Before I know it, I have him against a wall, my arm against his throat as I lean in close. “What the fuck were you thinkin’ not telling me that?”
“Get your fuckin’ hands off me,” Spike barks. “I’ll fuckin’ have you on your knees if you don’t.”
“Answer me,” I bellow, pressing tighter.