Total pages in book: 33
Estimated words: 31173 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 156(@200wpm)___ 125(@250wpm)___ 104(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 31173 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 156(@200wpm)___ 125(@250wpm)___ 104(@300wpm)
I’d bet my life all those years ago after I’d shut her down that she vowed to herself that she was done with me. I mean, she was barely a teenage girl telling me that she loved me, and one day she wanted me to be her husband and wouldn’t be happy if I took some other girl to prom. Hell, she never came back to the Silverstein estate after that. I don’t think she knows how much that not only hurt me, but it killed my mom too.
I was still a teenage boy confused as fuck. I’d made promises to myself years before that I wasn’t going to be like a lot of the men that run in the circles of our world. I wanted what my parents had. I wasn’t chasing after any girl. There was no prom date in mind.
The idea of the woman who would be my wife one day was still fuzzy in my mind. Until Emily started to grow up. Of course, that all came after I fucking broke her heart, but what the hell was I supposed to tell her back then? To me, she was still the young girl I was extremely protective of.
I suppose maybe in the back of my mind there were some signs. I’d always remember her birthday or events happening in her life. I’d go out of my way to celebrate in some way with her. Besides my parents, school, and Asher, she was always at the forefront of my mind for as long as I could remember. Then it all began to change.
My attention goes to my phone on the nightstand. The phone is face down, but I can see the screen is lit. Either someone is calling or texting. I watch it as it continues to light up over and over again. I know Emily told her father she was staying out with a friend last night, so it can’t be related to that. Besides, would they call me if they couldn’t find Emily? Not like it’s been a few days or something crazy.
Thinking something must be wrong, I reach over and grab it to see who might be calling. Asher’s name lights up my screen. I see a bunch of missed calls from him. The fuck is going on? Worried something happened to someone, I answer it.
“Hey,” I try to whisper.
“I fucked up.”
“You don’t say.” Pretty sure I told him he was going to do that yesterday if he didn’t watch himself.
“She heard me talking to her mom.”
“It’s not Grace.” Whatever this mess is, whether it be some kind of money laundering by an accountant or some shit, I know it’s not Grace. I’ve always found myself to be good at reading people. Tomas could go broke and Grace would stay. She’d go right back into nursing. It was my understanding that Tomas had to talk her into quitting, saying he wanted to travel the world with her.
“It’s someone.”
“It is,” I agree.
“What time is it?” Emily mumbles.
“You got a chick in your bed?”
“How about you worry about your own personal life,” I clip back. Emily glares at me before she rolls to the other side of the bed. I want to make a grab for her, but she’s too damn quick, and I’m afraid she’ll give me lip, and then Asher will know who I do have in my bed.
“I need some help here.”
“We use the same firms.” I sit up to lean against the headboard, watching Emily venture into the bathroom. “Honestly, I think you need to bring in the feds. Bank footage and shit is going to need to be pulled, and while you could do that in a few calls, you need to do this right so that it can be handled in the proper way.”
“You’re right.” I take a breath. “I love her. I have to fix this.”
“Then you’ll fix it and make it up to her.” I’m one to talk. That’s what I’m doing at this very moment.
“All right, I’m going to call my sister. Maybe she can talk to Molly. They’ve gotten close.” I don’t get a chance to say goodbye before he’s ending the call. Emily comes walking out of the bathroom in one of my shirts. She’s a goddamn vision.
“My brother is a dumbass.” She’s got her phone in her hand. I’m guessing she’s gotten some messages from Molly. “That who you were talking to?” She puts her hands on her hips. She’s annoyed.
“Hey.” I hold my hands up. “I told his ass Grace and Molly were good people, and whatever he was thinking that he was wrong.”
Emily shakes her head. “Not why I’m mad, Chase. You didn’t want him to know, did you? That I was in your bed. Can’t let this little secret get out.” Something flashes in her eyes. I can’t place it, but I know it stems from something deeper than her brother knowing about us. I don’t give a fuck if Asher knows. I just didn’t think that was the moment to let that cat out of the bag. His plate is still pretty damn full.