Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 88580 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 443(@200wpm)___ 354(@250wpm)___ 295(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88580 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 443(@200wpm)___ 354(@250wpm)___ 295(@300wpm)
“Can I ask you something?” She’s looking away from me. “Why the urgency?”
“I told you already. The will.”
“You’re thirty-eight. You have another two years.”
“That’s a good point. Maybe I’m capitalizing on an opportunity.”
“Maybe,” she says, eyeing me for a moment. I wonder if she can tell that I have an ulterior motive, but then she tilts her head. “Or maybe you’re just an asshole that does whatever he wants on a total whim.”
“That could be it,” I say, swirling my drink.
She walks off, moving as fast as her legs will take her. I watch her go, marveling at her lovely ass, wondering if she really will wear my ring—
Or if I will have to resort to even more drastic measures to make sure she stays safe.
Chapter 8
Casey
Roxie lounges on my bed. We’re heading to see a movie in a little while, but we’ve still got some time to kill. My dad’s watching baseball on TV downstairs while my mom’s out at work like always.
“Okay, so tell me again why you haven’t thrown yourself at Adler yet?” She kicks her legs up, staring up at my childhood bedroom’s ceiling.
“Well, for one, I’m twenty-six and I still live with my parents. You do know that I’m sort of a loser, right?”
“Ah, stop it, plenty of younger people live at home for a while. Times are tough out there, and you’ve got it even tougher.”
I instinctively touch my knee. “For another, he’s like a total alien to me. It’s like we’re different species.”
“Ah, yes, he’s homo-richerus and you’re homo-povertium. Everyone knows those two can’t mate.”
“That’s the other problem.” I give her a look as she props herself up on an elbow. “The whole mating thing.”
She laughs, unable to help herself. I’m at the most desperate point in my life being forced into a totally insane situation, and she’s laughing. “I know, I know, it’s crazy, but god, what a situation. You can either sit around and let your brother get killed, or you can marry an absolutely loaded billionaire hunk, fuck him a bit until he knocks you up, then be set for the rest of your life. Terrible, I say. Just terrible.”
“You act like you’d let him stick it in you right now.”
“Hon, I’d let him fuck me in your bathroom if that’s what it took to get rich.” He sighs and stretches. “You think I’m getting out of this shithole town otherwise?”
She’s got a good point. Roxie’s beautiful, intelligent, hilarious, motivated—but she was born poor just like me, and girls like us don’t leave Pomona, not without luck and help.
My phone starts ringing. I grab it from my nightstand and stare at Shane’s name on the screen. “I have to take this,” I say, hurrying from the room. Roxie says nothing—she must’ve seen who it was.
I head into my bathroom and shut the door. “Hello? Shane?”
“Hey, Case.” He sounds tired. But it’s definitely him, alive and well. “How you doin’?”
“Better than you. Where the hell are you?”
“I’m good, don’t worry about me, just lying low. Hey, uh, have you heard anything? You know, about, uh, me?”
“Maybe like how you stole chips from the Sunrise and now half the town wants to find you?”
He’s quiet for a beat. “Yeah. Like that.”
“What the fuck were you thinking?” I hiss at him.
“Hey, come on, don’t start giving me crap now.”
“I’m serious, Shane. I’ve protected you, bailed you out, and backed you up a dozen times, but you went too far. Everyone knows the one freaking rule—”
“Don’t steal from the casinos,” he finishes for me. “I know, Case, I know. Listen, I bet it seems like I just did something stupid, but big stuff’s going down, okay?”
“Like what?” I ask, incredulous. “You’re an addict. You hang around the Oceanview all freaking day with your addict friends. How is something big happening?”
Normally, he’d be pissed about that, and I shouldn’t have said it—but I’m upset and trying to get a rise out of him. Except this time, he sounds calm.
“I’m in over my head.” His voice is small. Tiny, even. I’ve never heard him sounding so contrite. “I’m practically drowning already, Case. I know you can’t help me. I’m not calling for that. I just—shit, I guess I just wanted to hear your voice. You sure you’re doing okay? Not letting Mom and Dad drain you too much? You haven’t skipped your rehab?”
I actually did skip my rehab appointment this week, but I decide not to tell him that. “Mom and Dad are fine,” I say, most of my anger dissipating. “Where are you right now? Can I come pick you up?”
“Better stay away.” He laughs, but it’s the laughter of a man that knows he’s on the edge. “I always knew you were the good one, even when we were kids back because I started fucking up so much. Mom and Dad were so proud of you when you got accepted into college, do you remember that? I bragged about you to all my friends. Mikey Bluenose punched me in the chest to get me to shut up, but I kneed him in the guts and kept on talking. My sister, smartest person I know. Don’t let this town ruin you, Case, okay? Please?”