Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 23292 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 116(@200wpm)___ 93(@250wpm)___ 78(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23292 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 116(@200wpm)___ 93(@250wpm)___ 78(@300wpm)
“You’re more like me than you want to admit,” Richard says with a sneer.
This time when Flynn moves toward him, I grab him by the arm.
“Stop.” I pull on him hard, but I’m under no illusions that he’s not much stronger than me.
“Get off my property. I told you what would happen the last time you showed up unannounced.”
“It was nice seeing you, Zelly. Tell your mother I said hello.”
I’ve got both my hands wrapped around Flynn’s bicep, and I dig my nails in. Thankfully, his father listens this time and turns to leave. I don’t want to release my hold on Flynn, but I don’t have much of a choice. Once Richard is through the open door, Flynn slams it closed and locks it for good measure.
Afterward, he rests his hand on the door while keeping his back to me.
“The bridge wasn’t your fault, Flynn. I would have followed you to the ends of the earth. I was going to jump before you or my brother said anything.” I want to reassure him because I can tell he's livid right now. Has Flynn been hiding his temper from me all this time too?
He turns around to face me, and his eyes are clouded. I’m not sure if it’s anger at me or his father but I glance down as fear runs through me.
I’m not afraid of his temper but of what he might say next.
Chapter Twelve
FLYNN
The distant sound of my father leaving has some of my anger dissipating, but seeing Zelly look at me with cautious eyes doesn’t help.
“I’m sorry you had to see that.” I shove my hands deep in my pockets because I can’t touch her with them. I busted one of my knuckles after hitting him, and now they feel dirty. I feel dirty.
“Flynn.” She says my name softly with a controlled tone someone might use on a wild animal. I suppose that’s what I look like to her right now.
Weren’t we kissing? Wasn’t she under me and in my bed like I’d always dreamed of? All that went away in the blink of an eye because of my father. Just like my chance to marry her.
“He ruins everything he touches.” The words come out of me, and I realize I didn’t mean to speak them. My eyes are on the floor as I think about what just happened. “I’ve turned into him.”
“Talk to me.” I hear her come closer, and I don’t know how she can look at me and not see a monster. “Tell me why you made him leave.”
When my eyes finally meet hers, I see worry as she reaches up to touch my face. I’m so damn selfish because I lean into her touch and take the comfort she’s offering even though I acted like an asshole.
“He’ll want to use you against me,” I finally say and then reach for her waist.
If I wasn’t watching her so carefully, I might miss the way her eyes widen and her lips part at the confession. But when it comes to Zelly, there’s not much I miss.
“I think he used my mother to get information from your mom about Prince Enterprises. I don’t have proof, but that’s my suspicion. My father made excellent investments that just so happened to coincide with our mothers’ get-togethers, and I think somehow your mom found out. And maybe she thinks now I’m going to do the same with you. Or that I’ve tried to do it in the past with Leo.”
“But you don’t work for Evermore Holdings,” Zelly says, and I shrug.
“Yes, but my seat is always open. I could go in at any time and use what information Leo said in passing or you overheard to my advantage.” It’s a truth I’m willing to admit to her even though I’d never do it.
“You wouldn’t do that.”
I’m stunned at how quickly she comes to my defense even after all these years of keeping my distance from her.
“My father tried to use the accident against me. After you were taken to the hospital, he tried to hush it up. I knew that if he buried it, eventually he’d hold it over my head. That’s why I made it known that it was my fault. It also didn’t do me any more favors with your mother.”
“She’s hated you all this time because of what your father did,” Zelly says softly to herself. “Because she was betrayed by her best friend.”
I nod, knowing that’s the same conclusion I came to. “It’s the only thing that makes sense. I’m lucky that you and Leo didn’t let her keep me out of your lives.”
“You kept yourself out long enough.”
“Like I said, I blamed myself for what happened to you. And I had to make sure that when I cut ties with him that there wasn’t a way for him to pull me back. I couldn’t risk dragging you into his world.” The sigh I let out is heavy. “Now you’re here for two seconds and I’m turning into him.”