Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 70661 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 353(@200wpm)___ 283(@250wpm)___ 236(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70661 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 353(@200wpm)___ 283(@250wpm)___ 236(@300wpm)
“Alright. Hopefully, you have enough time to sober up before that happens.”
“I just need another cup of coffee…and maybe a nap.”
The rehab center was in Florence. In a large building just a couple blocks from the opera house, the facility was a spacious and luxurious space that allowed its residents to have a safe place to heal. It felt like a resort more than a place to keep people confined. The staff was extremely helpful. The floors were a beautiful hardwood, and the walls were warm gray with white trim. We entered the dining area that more closely resembled a five-star restaurant than a cafeteria.
When we approached the booth, she was already sitting there. With the same dark hair, brown eyes, and olive-colored skin of my husband, she looked exactly like a DeVille. But one thing set her apart from Maverick and her father.
This girl could actually smile.
Her eyes lit up when she saw her brother. They became even brighter when she saw me. “You actually brought her. Good, I was afraid you would lock her in a closet and never let her see the sky.”
“I’m not a monster.” Maverick scooted into the booth without embracing her with affection.
I took the seat beside him. “It’s nice to meet you, Lily. Maverick has mentioned you a few times. I didn’t even know he had a sister until I asked him directly.”
“He’s embarrassed of me.” She admitted. “But that’s okay. I’m embarrassed of him too.”
I definitely liked her more than Caspian. She was in rehab because she was struggling, but she knew how to take a joke and be cheerful. Maverick and his father were brooding all the time, day and night.
“You have any siblings?” she asked.
“No.” I shook my head. “Only child.” As a result, I was the only living person left of my family lineage. Maybe having a sibling would have made losing my father a little easier.
“You’re super pretty,” she blurted. “Maverick showed me a picture, but it didn’t do you justice, not that you don’t photograph well, of course.”
“Oh…thanks. You are too.”
“So, what’s new with you guys?”
Maverick wasn’t talkative, so he barely said a few sentences. “Just working a lot.”
“And Father?” she asked. “How’s he?”
Maverick only gave a shrug.
Lily watched him for a long time before she looked at me. “You probably know that our father is an asshole, right?”
“Yeah…he’s a little cold.”
“A little?” she asked with a laugh. “That guy is something else. Maverick told me you saved those two girls. I know it’s not my place to give an opinion, but I think you did the right thing.”
That meant the world to me. “Thanks…”
“It’s easy to hate my father because of his behavior, but it’s hard for me to forget how he used to be. As difficult as it is to believe, he used to be a great father. He would take us to the park, swim with us in the backyard, and spend a lot of time with us. But as time goes on, Maverick and I understand he’s not that man anymore…and he probably never will be again.”
That must be the hardest part, hating someone when they used to be so good. “I’m sorry. I can’t imagine how hard it is for both of you.” I saw the way Maverick carried the weight every single day. It always bothered him, always haunted him.
Maverick spoke up again. “He told me to kill Arwen.”
Lily cocked an eyebrow. “What?”
“He told me to kill her since she released those girls. I refused. Now we’re enemies…”
Lily dragged her hands down her face then looked at the table. “Jesus, this is a nightmare.”
“I’m sorry.” I hadn’t meant for this to happen, but I felt like I should apologize.
“It’s not your fault,” she said with a sigh. “He’s lost his mind… He lost it a long time ago.”
“I’m still sorry…” I saw the way it affected both of them. They were grown adults, but having an unhinged father was devastating to both of them. “You guys don’t deserve this. I wish there were a way to make him see reason.” He threatened to hurt his own son all the time and hadn’t visited his daughter once in rehab. The man clearly didn’t care. Now he wanted to kill me…which was enough burden for Maverick to carry.
“He can’t see reason,” Maverick said coldly. “And he never will.”
When we finished dinner, Maverick excused himself to wash his hands in the bathroom.
That left Lily and me alone at the table.
“Is my brother treating you right? And don’t worry, you can answer honestly. I won’t tell him anything you say.”
Sometimes he could be a dick, but for the most part, he was wonderful. “Yes…he’s a good man.” He made sure I got home after a night of drinking, and when some guy didn’t know when to back off, he took care of it. He took care of me in so many ways. “He’s rough around the edges, a little heartless at times, but I wouldn’t change anything about him.”