Total pages in book: 134
Estimated words: 130159 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 651(@200wpm)___ 521(@250wpm)___ 434(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 130159 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 651(@200wpm)___ 521(@250wpm)___ 434(@300wpm)
He should have seen that question coming. “Shut up.”
“No chance, mate,” Liam said with a smug smirk. “And if that’s your best comeback, that tells me you know I’m right.”
“Are we keeping score?”
Liam shook his head. “You’re glum enough. The final tally would only depress you more.”
“Then let’s skip the rest of this chat. You’ll just tell me to spill my guts and let the chips fall,” Seth drawled as he scooted his chair back and stood. “And I’m telling you I can’t.”
“Sit down,” Liam chided. “I’m not through.”
“What’s left to say except that I was a fool for opening my mouth in the first place? That part of my life is over. Done. There’s nothing to be gained by digging up the past. It’s where it belongs. It needs to stay buried.”
Liam didn’t say anything for long seconds, simply held him with a piercing stare. Finally, he took another drink of water. “You’re aware that our girls talk, right?”
“Sure. Raine is the only girlfriend Heavenly really has.”
“Then it’s no surprise I’m privy to the fact that, while you and Beck haven’t taken Heavenly to Shadows, you two are giving her quite an education about Dominance and submission.”
A crooked smile tugged at Seth’s lips. He would have loved being a fly on the wall when sweet Heavenly described all the kinky things he and Beck enjoyed doing to her. “It’s been brief but thorough.”
“Rumor has it that, after you and Beck discovered Heavenly was working at Bazookas, you two had hard words for her all the way home because she’d lied about her job.”
“River has a big mouth. Heavenly didn’t lie, but she omitted the truth.”
“Like you’re doing now?”
“It’s not the same thing.”
“Not exactly. What you’re doing is more deceitful. If you expect Heavenly to be open and honest, to communicate all her feelings, and to give you her trust, you have to give her the same in return. If you don’t, your relationship with her and Beck won’t be built on solid ground. And how long do you think it will last?”
People can’t be in relationships with partners who aren’t honest. The words Seth had once spoken to Heavenly zipped through his brain—and bit his ass like a shark.
He scrubbed a hand over his face, then stared at Liam. “This is the part where you start busting my balls for real, right?”
“Indeed. Now stop avoiding my question.”
With a sigh, Seth settled into his chair again. “I can’t tell them the truth.”
“You can. You simply don’t want to because you’re afraid it will change how they feel about you.”
“If you already know the reason, why are we playing twenty questions?”
“Because I was hoping you’d find the courage to tell me yourself, you daft prick,” Liam said in exasperation. “Clearly you’ve no intention of being honest with anyone, even yourself.”
“Don’t pull that reverse psychology crap on me. I know the truth.”
“Do you, now? Then I’ll ask question number twenty-one. Did you think less of Beck after he shared the news about killing his father?”
“Of course not.”
“What about Raine? She killed her father, too. Do you think less of her?”
“You know I don’t.” In fact, he admired the hell out of her.
“Good. Hammer and I don’t, either. We’re proud that our girl is a lot stronger than we’d given her credit for.”
“Beck’s and Raine’s pasts aren’t like mine. They killed in self-defense. I chose to dive into that cesspool of violence.”
“I remember well. I was there. I was also there when you climbed back out, haunted, broken, and barely human.”
Brutal memories flooded Seth’s brain. His stomach knotted.
“But you fought your way back to reality, to sanity, and to the love of your family and friends because you wanted to live again,” Liam continued. “Beck and Heavenly are your future. Everything that’s happened has been a part of the plan.”
Liam’s words exposed a possibility he’d never considered—until now.
White-hot rage seared Seth’s veins. Launching to his feet—and sending the heavy wrought iron chair crashing to the concrete—he squeezed his hands into fists and clenched his jaw. “You knew? You fucking knew they were going to die and you didn’t tell me?”
Liam scowled and shook his head. “No. Bloody hell, mate. Do you actually think if I had known Autumn and Tristan were in danger I wouldn’t have told you? I would have helped you move them someplace safe. Hell, I would have driven them myself—whatever you needed. I wasn’t listening to my inner voice then. Besides, decisions hadn’t been made. The future hadn’t been written. I was as blind as you.”
Panting, Seth dropped his chin and tried to force the rage from his system as he righted the chair and sat again. “Yeah.”
“I can’t explain why my gifts have grown stronger and sharper recently,” Liam said, his voice low and calm. “I think it has something to do with embracing my life with Hammer and Raine. Finally being happy.”