Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 100470 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 502(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100470 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 502(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
“Kota kicks too much,” Raegan complains. “I don’t know why I have to share the couch with him.”
Next door, they’re all packed in tight while me and Ryder have his cabin to ourselves. Uncle Atticus and Aunt Eve have all their kids plus Chet and Sadie bunked up in their RV. Rowdy went back to his own cabin, taking Spirit with him.
“Destiny gets to sleep peacefully next to Mom on the bed with her and Dad. But me? I get woken up to Dawson trying to poke my eyeballs out and Declan almost always ends up sleeping on top of me if he can’t find a spot in the bed with Mom and Dad. It’s too crowded over there.” Raegan huffs, turning on her side to face Ryder. “You have an unused couch and all this space for me. I don’t understand what their problem is. Just because I’m a girl.”
The sound of Raegan and Ryder whispering eventually manages to calm me down. My heart doesn’t race like it did earlier and I’m no longer breaking out into cold sweats.
I’m safe.
“I overheard Mom asking Aunt Eve if she should take Destiny into town to see a doctor,” Raegan murmurs. “Since she won’t talk or respond to anyone.”
My stomach tightens at her words. Would she make me go to town to see a doctor if she knew what Logan did? Would the doctor have to examine me? Nausea makes my mouth water uncomfortably. I don’t want anyone looking at what he did to me. Ever.
They continue their soft chattering, but I can’t make my ears stop ringing long enough to make sense of what they’re saying. My Logan-filled thoughts have transformed into that of an evil doctor snapping on a latex glove and instructing me to bend over.
My ass clenches and I wince in pain.
Will it ever stop hurting?
The cabin door opens again sometime later, making my heart rate ratchet up again, but I relax when Mom walks in. Her blond hair is wet from a recent shower, and for once, she doesn’t have Dawson glued to her hip. When she sees Raegan tucked into bed with us, her lips press into a firm line.
“Raegan,” Mom barks out. “How many times do I have to tell you being alone with your brothers is inappropriate?”
Ryder winces at her words, but anger strikes my chest like the lighting of a match and then spreads quickly as it burns through my body.
“We’re just talking, Mom,” Raegan sasses back. “No one’s getting pregnant.”
Mom storms over to us, yanking the covers off us. I’m dressed in sleep pants and a shirt, but Ryder wears nothing but a pair of tight black boxers that do nothing to hide his morning wood. Raegan doesn’t look much better with her shirt showing off her naked thighs. It definitely looks a lot worse than it really is.
“Get out of this bed, young lady,” Mom hisses. “You of all people should know better. Have you seen your sister after what they did to her?”
Wait.
Is Mom insinuating we’d rape Raegan like Logan did to me and what I assume Jace did to Destiny?
Unbelievable.
Raegan hops out of bed, face turning bright red with anger. “You’re insane, Mother. We’re doing nothing wrong!”
Mom grips her shoulders and physically moves her to the door. “Out. Go check on your baby brother.”
Raegan makes a frustrated sound before stomping out of the cabin. Ryder sits up, hands in the air as he speaks to Mom, his voice shaking, “Mom, we weren’t doing anything—”
“Yet. Not yet, but keep this up and something bad will happen.”
Unable to take it any longer, I let my fury fuel me. I scramble past Ryder and off the bed, body shaking with indignation. “Really, Mom?” My words are sharp like a blade. “After all the shit we’ve been through and you’re worried about that?”
“I’m trying to protect my daughter—”
“From us?” I snap, face souring at the insinuation. “Raegan can handle herself from our rapey ways.”
She deflates at my words. “You know I didn’t mean it that way, Ronan. I’m sorry, but I just worry…”
“No, you’re thinking the worst and being judgmental when we just need you to be understanding.” I cross my arms over my chest and glower at her. “No one judges you and Dad.”
Ryder makes a choked sound and Mom gapes at me. I don’t back down.
“What?” Mom hisses.
“He’s your dad, right? Wild told us the truth.”
Her eyes grow wider than I’ve ever seen them before. Owlish. Young. Horrified. But I see the truth gleaming in them. “Ronan, that’s enough.”
“I think I can speak for Raegan and Ryder,” I clip out. “Your worries are unwarranted, way off base, and, frankly, ill-timed. We’re tired of your bullshit.”
“Ronan!” Ryder and Mom both cry out at once.
“Whatever,” I grumble. “Be mad at me for being the one to state the truth. I don’t fucking care anymore.” I wave a finger at Mom. “But do not accuse me or Ryder of taking advantage of Raegan. It’s insulting as fuck, especially after the hell we just endured.”