Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 81581 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 408(@200wpm)___ 326(@250wpm)___ 272(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81581 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 408(@200wpm)___ 326(@250wpm)___ 272(@300wpm)
Joshua, their rambunctious six-year-old, is sitting on the bar playing on his iPad. But when he sees me, he screeches before launching himself off the counter like a spider monkey. I catch him with a grunt as the growing boy nearly tackles me. “Uncle Hawk!”
Violet’s gaze narrows at me as she eases to the side of the kitchen.
“What have you been up to, buddy?” I question as I set him to his feet.
He starts telling me about Minecraft, droning on about creepers and some guy named Steve. I have no idea what he’s going on about so I just nod and smile. Eventually he grows bored. “Where’s Aunt Gwen? She promised to play with me.”
Sadie answers for me. “Aunt Gwen is out back with Daddy. Tell them Uncle Hawk is here.” Sadie turns to me as she grabs the plate with steaks. “I’m going to run these out. I’ll be right back. Help yourself to some wine.”
She knows I don’t drink often for my own personal health reasons but always offers anyway. I do, however, pour a glass for Violet, who has gone tense with nerves.
“Relax,” I tell her as I hand the wine to her.
Her brown eyes are cold as she stares back at me. “What sort of game are you playing, Gray?”
Frowning, I push the glass into her palm. “What do you mean?”
She gulps down the red liquid and sets the glass down rather roughly so that it makes a clang. “This”—she gestures around us—“bringing me here. I thought…” Heat creeps up her neck and she shakes her head. “Never mind.”
“We’re friends, Violet. That’s what you wanted, right?”
She glares at me. “That’s what you wanted. But yes. That’s all we are.”
When voices resound in the other room, Violet once again stiffens. A moment later, two familiar arms hug me from behind. “There you are. Late as always,” Gwen says with a laugh. Violet’s eyes are on mine, and I sense that she’s hurt. It makes my chest squeeze.
“Hi,” Gwen greets, peeking around me to offer her hand. “I’m Gwen Maxwell. You must be the work associate he was telling me about.”
Violet blinks several times before reaching for the wine. I watch her with a lifted brow as she fills it to the brim, ignoring Gwen’s outstretched hand. Instead, she waves and gulps half the glass down.
Gwen drops her hand and looks up at me with a frown. Her feelings are hurt and her brilliant blue eyes shimmer with unshed tears. Before I can do damage control, Bull comes up beside Violet and tugs at her hair before leaning in to whisper loudly. “Just because your boss is an asshole doesn’t mean we are. You can’t help who you love. Ain’t that right, Gwen?” He flashes her a silly smile before regarding Violet. “But we’re not like him.” He points at me, and I flip him off. “We’re a nice lot once you get to know us.”
Violet seems to relax toward Bull but won’t meet my gaze. She’s a tough nut to crack. But I will crack her. I’ll get inside of her in every way that I can, and she’ll never be able to get me out.
Gwen Maxwell.
I can’t believe the nerve of that prick.
Parading his would-be mistress around in front of his wife.
The pain searing through me is similar to the first time Vaughn informed me he was going to share what I thought was sacred between us with another man. I was devastated. Furious even. But when I balked at his request, I’d learned who the strong one was in our relationship. Vaughn brought me to my knees that night with the back of his hand. And through my tears and not-so-silent begging, I’d pleaded for Vaughn to wake up and see what he was doing to me. To us. In one single night, he tore the hard-earned love from my heart and replaced it with something dark and sick.
“You’re a quiet one,” Sadie, the attractive blonde woman, murmurs as she grabs my now empty dinner plate. “Want to help me in the kitchen?”
I’m eager to escape the dining room where their child babbles about cartoons I know nothing about, and Gray’s wife stares at me as if I’m something rotten. She’d been all smiles until I couldn’t bring myself to shake her hand. How does one shake the hand of another woman when moments before she was lusting after her husband?
Bile creeps up my throat, and I wish I had more wine to wash it down with. Thankfully, once in the kitchen, Sadie seems to sense my stress levels. She pulls a bottle of rum from the cabinet and pours some into a coffee mug. Then, she starts the Keurig. Hot coffee pours into the mug along with the liquor. We’re quiet as it fills. Once it’s done, she pushes it along the counter to me.