Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 97865 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 489(@200wpm)___ 391(@250wpm)___ 326(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97865 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 489(@200wpm)___ 391(@250wpm)___ 326(@300wpm)
Her hands shake. “A baby with no father because he’s in jail!” She raises her voice. “You took everything from me, and now. . . now it’s my turn to repay the favor.” Her arm straightens, and I duck, barreling into her chest. The gun goes off as we fall to the ground. Alana slams her head back against the floor as I land on top of her. Just then, the bathroom door is thrown open with such force that it hangs crooked on the hinges. Two hands grab under my armpits, and I’m pulled into Theo’s arms.
Everything that happens next is a blur. There’s yelling and commotion and the faint sound of Alana’s screaming voice as Theo hauls me away.
“Are you okay?” he asks, rushed. He lays me on the floor. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?” I start to shake my head, but the quick motion makes my stomach roil. I raise my hand to the back of my head. When I pull back, my fingertips are red.
“Fuck,” Theo turns and yells. “Help! Someone call for an ambulance!” He picks me up and races to the front doors of the funeral home.
“I’m fine,” I say, feeling drunk and possibly slurring my words. “Just a bump.”
“You’re not fine. You’re bleeding, damn it. Are you hurt anywhere else? I heard a gunshot.” His words come out frantic, and I have trouble understanding him. “Fay? Help!”
The pain in my head gets worse. “Theo, my head hurts.”
“Fay, stay with me, baby—thank God. Over here!”
A nice man in a medic uniform takes me from Theo’s arms, and I’m placed on a gurney while someone inspects my head. “I could really use something for this headache,” I mumble, closing my eyes.
“Hey, keep your eyes open. Can you tell me your name?” the medic asks, flashing a bright light in my eyes.
“They are open.”
“Fay, please. Stay awake.” Theo’s voice sounds so sad and suddenly far away.
“I’m fine. Really.” I force my eyes open and try to sit up, pointing to my dress. “That bitch ruined my dress. Fredrick’s gonna be mad.” I fall back down on the gurney, and everything goes black.
Epilogue
Theo
Eight months later. . .
I tug at my tie as the elevator dings for the penthouse floor. The doors open, and I walk down the hall, the sound of music blaring from our door. I break into a smile for the first time today since I left her. She’s cooking. She blasts the same girly shit when she’s in her element.
The last eight months have been absolute mayhem.
Eight months ago, I sat in a hospital room after my father’s wake, waiting for the woman I planned on spending the rest of my life with to wake up. Alana’s attack gave Fay three stitches to the head and a concussion. A woman who had been confined to her home by the law was able to walk out of her home and cause harm to my woman. I harbored guilt for what happened. When she didn’t immediately return, I became worried. If I had listened to my intuition instead of shaking hands with strangers, I could have done something sooner. Saved her from the psychotic hands of Alana Hill.
Alana was arrested and, this time, denied bail. No matter how much her legal team tried, she was destined for a life behind bars. I hope she never breathes free air again. And Charles Hill was in the wind, not even bothering to stick around to help his daughter. Once his wife heard the news about his transgressions, she left him. She knew exactly what was happening behind closed doors, but greed makes people turn a blind eye.
While waiting for Fay to recover, I made some big moves. Monroe Investment Corp was dissolved. My father and Charles’ greed tainted the good work being done there, and I could no longer confidently walk into the office knowing what they did. I stepped down immediately, and I’ve never felt freer.
My father always taught me to be ahead of the game. With success comes sacrifice, and with sacrifice comes power. What he didn’t teach me was how power can destroy a man. And it almost destroyed me. But then I met Fay. Fay became my lifeline. She saved me in more ways than I can express, and I plan on spending the rest of our lives making sure she knows how loved she is.
Because she's become my reason. My purpose.
I bought the restaurant because I knew she was worthy of another chance to shine. She was amazing inside and out. From her simple pizza recipes to her seared scallops with spiced pomegranate glaze. God, my dick jerks thinking about her food because damn, can she cook. And since my girl is resilient in every way possible, she was writing down ideas, mock menus, and restaurant names before she was released from the hospital.