Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 88447 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 442(@200wpm)___ 354(@250wpm)___ 295(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88447 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 442(@200wpm)___ 354(@250wpm)___ 295(@300wpm)
Leo nodded and turned to leave, until I said, “Wait! My house…is anything left?”
He slowly shook his head. “I’m afraid there isn’t much. Some of the interior closets were only a little damaged, but your workshop and most of your house was destroyed. Living so far from the firehouse, even with your alarm system alerting them almost instantly, it took them fifteen minutes to get there.”
My lower lip quivered as Vali leaned against my leg. “Right. Okay, thank you.”
Leo and Mark, now wearing his sleep shorts, exchanged some words while I stared at the wall and absently patted Vali’s head.
My workshop…gone.
My study…gone.
All the things Mark had bought me, all the cool stuff I’d collected…ashes.
I closed my eyes and hugged myself, letting my hair fall forward to obscure my face.
Before I could sink too deep into my depression, strong arms wrapped around me, binding me to the earth.
“Layla,” he whispered as he kissed my forehead. “Look at me, baby bear.”
I shook my head, tears falling down my cheeks. Vali nudged my hand, and I stroked him, loving his weight against me. Sandwiched between my men, I managed to draw a full breath, calming myself a little bit.
He held me tighter, enveloping me in his embrace. “Believe me—please, believe me—when I say it is absolutely fucking unfair that you lost your possessions. But it was just stuff. You and Vali are alive, you’re okay, and things can be replaced. I know, sometimes items are more than objects—they’re memories, but you’re alive to make more memories. New ones. Better ones. I swear, baby bear, I’m gonna make the most beautiful memories with you. I’m going to fill your life with nothing but sunshine.”
While I was still sad, I had to admit his comforting words really helped.
After my tears slowed and I finally opened my eyes, he placed a gentle kiss on my lips. “Better?”
I nodded.
“Hannah sent some clothes over with Leo. She figured you’d want to be dressed when you talk with Pat and Jan.” He paused for a moment, conflict filling his eyes before he said, “It would be better if you didn’t mention that your house fire might be arson.”
“What? Why would I lie to them?”
“I didn’t say lie, I said don’t mention it.”
“Mark, stop playing word games. What’s going on?”
He took a step away from me, then handed me a lovely baby blue cotton dress covered in yellow flowers. It was flowy and had a hippy feel to it with its handkerchief hem, but the fabric felt expensive. Considering the dress probably cost bank, I resisted the urge to throw it at Mark’s head. With a huff I changed, grumbling to myself the whole time. Vali pressed his nose into the sensitive skin behind my knee, and I patted the bed, watching as he turned in a few circles before laying down with a quiet huff. Honey joined him a second later, flopping into his side with a grunt. Vali was a social dog, and I was happy to see he had a friend. When I turned around again, I found Mark studying me with an intense look that was more than a little disconcerting.
Rubbing his fingers through the thick, dark hair on the back of his head, Mark said, “The Cordova’s security division is working with the police, but the official story is that it was simply an accidental gas fire caused by a malfunctioning piece of welding equipment.”
“But you said it was arson.”
“It is, but your parents can’t know that.”
“Why not?”
“It’s for their safety, Layla, and your own. If we want to catch who did it, the task will be much easier if they don’t know we’re onto them. Plus, the less your parents know, the safer they are. I can’t imagine Pat letting something like this slide. As a member of Scottsdale’s city council, he’s a powerful man in his own right. He has friends in high places, but he’s also popular with his constituents. Pat has common sense and empathy, something you don’t often see in politicians. He’s helped lots of people. If he wants to make a stink, the public will listen. With as much as he loves you, and how protective he is of you, he could easily raise hell and attract the wrong kind of attention.”
“That’s the thing, he is protective of me. He’s going to want me at home where he can watch over me. I know my dad, and he is not going to like this setup. I mean, I know I’m almost twenty-six, but he still acts like I’m thirteen sometimes.”
“Then we need to convince him.”
Setting a pair of white flip flops with pale yellow beaded flowers on the floor, he then surprised me and knelt before me, the dogs leaning over the edge of the bed so they could try to sniff him.