Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 24098 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 120(@200wpm)___ 96(@250wpm)___ 80(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 24098 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 120(@200wpm)___ 96(@250wpm)___ 80(@300wpm)
“I hate to bring this up, but have you heard anything from my mom lately?”
I pause while attacking my Reuben.
“No, not recently. We don’t keep in touch with each other, so honestly, I wouldn’t know.”
Cleo sighs a little herself.
“Well, last I heard, Jeannie will be getting out of jail soon. She’s been on good behavior, so at least we have that to look forward to? Maybe? A little?”
I nod.
“It’s fine. We’ll deal with it when it happens.”
Cleo smiles, a little sadly. But then she shoots me a curious look.
“But one thing I’ve never understood is why you married Jeannie all those years ago. I don’t mean to put my mom down, but I just can’t imagine anyone willingly getting involved with her, seeing her problems and whatnot. You know that this designer purse thing is only her latest foray into crime.”
I nod, sitting back in the booth for a moment. The truth is that there’s a lot to unpack, and I’m not sure how much I should reveal to Cleo just now.
“Well, when we met, you have to understand that Jeannie was completely different. This would have been when you were maybe three or four years old. Back then, your mom was carefree, fun-loving, and enrolled in a nearby college to become a dental hygienist while working nights as a bartender. She was a single mom, and I loved that about her. I admired her for laboring incredibly hard, and for wanting the best for you.”
Cleo nods.
“Things have changed, haven’t they?” she asks in a soft voice.
I nod.
“They have, but back then, Jeannie had a lot going for her. She was smart, pretty, and practically a superwoman, juggling work with raising a kid and also making time for me too. I never understood how she did it all and still managed to have fun. And goddamn, was she fun.”
“What did you two get up to together?” Cleo asks, raising her brows.
I know better than to say too much, so I merely grin.
“Nothing too crazy. Not like what you’re thinking, sweetheart, because really, it was the simple things that we enjoyed the most. You know, just hanging out at the mall, or sometimes we’d bring you to a park. Even though we weren’t doing anything particularly special, we still managed to have fun, and she made me laugh,” I say simply. “Jeannie had a great sense of humor.”
“But then what?” Cleo asks, sensing what comes next.
I pause for a moment, thinking of how to phrase my words.
“But then Jeannie changed,” I say. “She started kiting checks, gambling, and hiding her debt too. I didn’t even know it was happening until the whole thing blew up spectacularly, and as you probably already know, my name was on some of those checks. So I filed for divorce, and we went our separate ways. It was tough, but it was for the better.”
Cleo nods.
“But you know Jeannie never stopped even after the divorce. In fact, she gambled even more, and yeah … it was bad.”
I nod and neither of us says anything for a few minutes. After all, what is there to say? Her mom sits in prison now doing hard time, and it is what it is. But then I squeeze her hand again, sending Cleo a small smile.
“At least there’s a happy ending to the story.”
“There is?” the sweet girl asks while furrowing her brows.
“There is,” I nod. “The two of us got to know each other, and we stayed in touch, even after your mom and I went our separate ways. You are the one good thing that came out of that marriage, and I’ll always take care of you, Cleo. Do you understand?”
The curvy girl seems to tremble as tears come to her eyes, but then she smiles, bright and genuine.
“Yes Brody,” she breathes. “I believe you. I know.”
A feeling of possession spreads through my chest and I fix her with intense blue eyes.
“Good, because I want you to feel safe and secure, knowing that you belong to me. Now, no more talk about depressing shit. Let’s enjoy this meal, okay?”
With that, Cleo squeezes my hand once more before letting go to bite into her tuna melt, and I watch with avid pleasure as she swallows with bliss, enjoying the savory fish mixed in with melted cheddar. After all, everything I said is true. This woman’s happiness means more to me than the world, and I’ll do anything in my power to make sure Cleo lives a life full of joy and contentment.
6
CLEO
I’m walking to my dorm the next morning—more like limping, wincing with every step I take. After our date at the diner last night, Brody took me back to his hotel and we ended up making love until the early hours of this morning.
It was planned because of course, we missed each other desperately. So when a sex scene came on during the movie, one thing led to another. I was sitting on his lap. I felt him getting hard and then … well, let’s just say the limping seems to be the least of it. My bottom’s sore, my pussy’s achy, and even my back feels like it’s been thrown out a bit from all the positions Brody put me in.