Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 160732 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 804(@200wpm)___ 643(@250wpm)___ 536(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 160732 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 804(@200wpm)___ 643(@250wpm)___ 536(@300wpm)
“Jesus,” Buck muttered.
“That just about covers it,” I agreed.
“He wants to see you,” Nolan put in, and both Buck and my eyes went to him.
“Sorry?” I asked.
“Rogan. He’s asked me to ask you to visit him.”
I blinked.
Then I said, “Let me get this straight. He steals from people, cheats on me, completely ruins my life, sets me up for public ridicule and brings me so low, homeless people have to do me favors, and now he wants me to visit him?”
“I see you don’t get this,” Nolan replied. “I told you and Rogan told you…repeatedly…he has feelings for you, deep feelings. He loves you, Clara, always has. And now he’s dying, and he wants to see you before that happens.”
“Yes, Nolan,” I spat, leaning into him. “You told me that and Rogan told me that, repeatedly. And sure, I can see that’s the kind of love I’d hold dear, the love of a man who promises me happiness while he fucks everything that moves. And at the same time, while he’s cheating on me, he’s cheating hundreds of people out of the option of having financially-stress-free golden years.” I put both hands over my heart. “I’m awash with happiness. Lead me to him straight away.”
“Think it’s time for you to leave,” Buck rumbled.
He’d come close and was situating himself between Nolan and me.
Nolan didn’t take his eyes off me. “If you don’t go to see him, I’ll advise him to change his beneficiary and alter his will.”
“Knock yourself out,” I invited, leaning around Buck. “And while you’re advising, do me the favor of sharing with Rogan that he can shove that six and a half million dollars straight up his ass.”
There were some chuckles and some indrawn breaths.
Buck made not a noise but shifted so he was almost dead in front of me.
I shifted so I could see Nolan.
“Same old Clara,” Nolan muttered, eyes squinty and angry on me. “Everything that man did, he did for you.”
Now that, that took it too far.
Without hesitation, I launched myself at him, and Buck turned swiftly and caught me around the waist, holding me back as I pressed toward Nolan.
“Babe,” he said softly.
“You have got to be joking!” I screamed at Nolan.
“You came from nothing and Rogan wanted you to have everything,” Nolan retorted. “Throughout this, all he ever did, he did looking out for you. He gave you a beautiful life, a beautiful home, a beautiful car and put himself on the line to give it to you, and you never said thanks once. You just divorced him when he needed you the most. And after you turned your back on him, he still did everything he could to look out for you.”
“Let me educate you, Nolan, and feel free to share this with Rogan,” I shot back, still straining against Buck, though mostly at that point, I was doing it so I could see around him and keep eye contact with Nolan. “The way Rogan could have looked out for me was to not commit multiple criminal acts. And I’ll throw in, he might have reconsidered before he paid for sex with multiple prostitutes!”
“Gash,” Buck gritted. “Get that fuckin’ guy outta here before she explodes.”
There was movement in the room, but I was still entirely focused on Nolan.
“You need to arrange to see him,” Nolan persevered.
“Dude, you need to let it go and move on,” Gash, who was now close to Nolan, advised.
Nolan twisted his neck to scowl at Gash. “You touch me, you’ll buy yourself problems.”
“Do I look like I care?” Gash returned.
Nolan turned back to me.
Buck glanced over his shoulder to Nolan but kept a handle on me. “You got three seconds to get the fuck outta here, and you gotta know, I count fast.”
Nolan glared at Buck then he looked at me. “Call me when you’re ready to arrange the visit. I think you can find my number.”
“Three,” Buck bit.
Gash moved, and Nolan was shuffled right out the front door with Gash’s hands bunching his suit jacket.
“Out,” Buck went on, and the bevy of bikers and employees sifted through the door.
Raul was the last one out, and he closed the door behind him. The whole time he was doing this, his gaze was on me.
“Babe,” Buck called, and I looked from the door to him, my eyes hitting his brown ones, my flesh feeling his strong fingers pressed into my waist, my nose smelling his scent, fresh-cut wood (he was on a job, working on cabinets in the warehouse), my senses feeling the power of him enveloping me.
And I disintegrated.
Buck pulled me with him as he swiveled the office chair around, sat in it, taking me down on his lap. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and shoved my wet face against his neck as the sobs wracked my body.