Total pages in book: 186
Estimated words: 178688 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 893(@200wpm)___ 715(@250wpm)___ 596(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 178688 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 893(@200wpm)___ 715(@250wpm)___ 596(@300wpm)
Eric looks over her for a few seconds, puts her fingerprints on the gun before dropping it next to her, then hurries back to the car. Not wasting any time, we zoom down the road and end up outside the pub.
“Wanna get a drink?” he asks nonchalantly.
“Are you serious?” I don’t even know what the fuck just happened, and my brain is trying to catch up. I’ve seen some crazy shit, but that takes the cake.
Eric gets out, then heads inside. Not knowing what else to do, I follow him. Once I’m next to him, I flash him a glare as my body buzzes from adrenaline. He’s not fazed by my shell-shock expression and orders a shot of tequila.
“What the fuck just happened?” I whisper when he downs it and orders another.
He peels off his gloves and tucks them inside his jacket pockets. “It’s over,” he says in the calmest voice ever. “It’s finally over, Ty.”
After twenty minutes, my phone buzzes with frantic text messages from Everleigh.
Everleigh: Where are you?
Everleigh: I need you to come home. I’m so fucking scared. There was a shooting on the street outside of the house. It’s all blocked off, and I had to give a statement to the police of what I witnessed.
Tyler: I’m at the pub. I’m heading home now.
“We’ve gotta go,” I tell Eric, and he nods after he signs the credit card receipt. Since the road is closed, we decide to walk home, and my heart is hammering in my chest the entire way.
“Want to explain some things to me?” I finally turn to him as I see the ambulance lights in the distance.
“The gun was one of Victoria’s and had her fingerprints all over it. Chris, her bodyguard gave it to me. From what I can tell, what happened out there was nothing more than a lovers’ spat.”
“You called Mickey DeFranco?” I’m putting the pieces together.
“I just called a few people who could get the word back to him. He’s a jealous man, so I knew he’d lose his shit.” Eric shrugs. “She got what she deserved.”
When we walk up the sidewalk, Everleigh runs over and wraps her arms around me. She’s shaking like a leaf, she's so frightened.
“Are you okay?” I ask.
She nods. “There was a fight, and this couple ended up shooting each other. I thought this was a good neighborhood,” she says, and tears spill down her cheek.
I let out a cool breath, realizing she never mentioned another person. She never saw Eric. “Wow.”
“I already gave my statement,” she tells me. “No one else heard anything. It was crazy and is no doubt gonna be the talk of the town tomorrow.” She buries her head in my chest.
“You should go inside and have a glass of wine.”
Everleigh nods and does what I say. I look at the street and see three covered bodies. What a traumatic fucking experience for my sweet little sister to have to witness. Before we go inside, I turn to Eric. “Why did we go to the pub?”
“For an airtight alibi. I did some research on the sheriff and learned he was lazy as hell. There won’t be a proper investigation, forensics, or any of the shit we do in the city. Lovers’ quarrel that ended poorly. The ultimate Romeo and Juliet story.” He smiles, and we go inside.
I sit on the couch, my body almost feeling numb because I can’t believe this is really over, and Victoria is dead. For the first time in five years, I feel free.
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
GEMMA
My life as I know it is changing, and all my freedoms are gone. Every day, a black cloud seems to hang over me, and I can’t get away from it. At work, Tyler and I have kept our distance, but sometimes, I find myself staring at him, longing to be close again.
The last time I spoke with him, he quickly explained that Victoria died, and Everleigh witnessed it. She had told me what happened, something about a lovers’ spat and a shooting outside her house, but I hadn’t pieced the two together. Victoria did terrible things to Tyler and Eric that changed the entire outcomes of their lives. I was just shocked that her boyfriend came here to take care of the problem. I’m so relieved for Tyler, knowing he now has the freedom he’s been seeking since he met that woman. It might not have been the kind of justice he was after, but justice was definitely served for what that woman has done to people.
After having lunch alone, I get a group text from Katie and Everleigh, and that’s when the dread really settles in.
Everleigh: I know the circumstances aren’t really ideal, but since you’re getting married in two days, I think we should have some fun. Let us throw you a bachelorette party tomorrow night. We can drive over to Nashville and do it up real big! Cowboy strippers and lots of alcohol!