Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 65346 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 327(@200wpm)___ 261(@250wpm)___ 218(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 65346 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 327(@200wpm)___ 261(@250wpm)___ 218(@300wpm)
“It is. It really is.”
“He deposited all the money back into my account, too.”
“Really?”
Rex nodded. He took a long sip of the bubbling champagne. “I don’t know what he’s getting at, but I don’t need it. I’ve lived without him so far, I can keep going.”
“You have and you should definitely be proud of that…”
“But?”
“But… I think something’s going on, and I don’t think family ever breaks, no matter how stressed the bonds are. Even families like mine, brought together over time, our bonds are stronger than diamond, and I really don’t think yours are any different… I’m just saying—”
“I should talk to him.”
“You should talk to him.” I reached for Rex’s hand. “It won’t hurt. You’re in a good place, and you have a plan set for the future. You said it yourself: you don’t need him. But, and I don’t know for sure, to me, it kind of sounds like he might need you.”
Rex chewed on that for a long moment. The birds filled the silence with their lilting songs. From somewhere in the center of the lake, a fish breached the water, before splashing back in.
“I think you’re right, Benj.”
I know I’m right. “Like I said, I don’t know. But that’s what I feel in my heart.”
He leaned over and planted a wet kiss on my lips. “And that’s why I fell so damn hard for your heart.” He stood up and started packing up the sandwich bags and plates we brought with us. I joined in helping him clean.
“Wait,” I said, realizing something. “You’re going now?”
“I’m going now.” Rex’s face was set in determination. His thick brows didn’t waver, and his jaw seemed tight.
“All right,” I replied, making a decision right there on the spot. “I’m going with.”
“Huh?”
“Not like, inside the house with you. But it’s a long drive—I’ll go with you. I’ll bring a book, so I can sit in the car while you talk to him.”
Rex appeared about to protest, but I grabbed his hand and tugged him toward the house before he could say a word. “Come on. Let’s get there before it gets dark.”
I already knew where Rex’s dad lived because I’d been to his house back when we were kids. Mav had brought us over for a Thanksgiving dinner, Rex’s dad being the governor at the time and living in the governor’s mansion, about a two-hour drive from the sanctuary. It had been an experience I really wouldn’t forget anytime soon. Once he went up to the Senate, he stayed in the same neighborhood but moved to a more modest house, a place I also visited for a Thanksgiving dinner one year.
“You sure?” Rex asked.
“Yeah, I’ve got nothing else to do. Besides, I’ll make sure you stay awake on the road.”
“Yeah, I’ve got a feeling what you’re planning on doing may just distract me as much as sleeping.”
I shrugged and said, “We’ll see.” He slapped my ass as I walked in front of him. I jumped and chuckled. We walked through the house and only spotted my sister, who had a mess of dog food bags in front of her and a chaotic group of wagging tails at her feet. We waved at her and quickly ducked out of the kitchen, heading toward the car. I didn’t want Rex to second-guess this, and with two hours ahead of us, there seemed to be plenty of time for second-guessing. The sooner we got to his dad’s, the better.
We got into the car Rex was renting, a tiny thing with rattling suspension and shaky wheels. For some reason, I started feeling nervous, and all I had to do was stay in the car the entire time. I wondered what Rex was thinking…
“When’s the last time you guys spoke?” I asked as Rex reversed the car.
“A couple months ago, when the first threat hit both our phones. He called me and sounded upset, but Sylvia snatched the phone and started shouting something, so I just hung up. That was the last time.”
“Okay… so… not great.”
“Nope.”
“Still, tonight’s going to be different. Just make sure Sylvia isn’t in the room. Or the house. Maybe even the state—can we make that happen?”
Rex laughed, a buzzing between his legs distracting both of us. The buzzing didn’t stop. It wasn’t just one text; it sounded like an avalanche of text messages. Rex mumbled a “what the fuck” under his breath as he parked the car and looked down.
“No…”
“What?” I sat up in my seat. “What’s going on?”
“Oh no.”
Rex’s face turned a sickly shade of pale. Any color in his cheeks instantly blanched. He furiously tapped at his phone screen. In a few seconds, a video filled the screen.
Then it was my turn to go pale, the blood draining out of my body in one fluid moment.
On Rex’s phone screen, in full color and sound, was the secret tape that had been filmed between him and the two other people. Rex stood there, naked and in full view, climbing onto the bed.