Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 92474 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 462(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92474 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 462(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
But Victor’s headaches had finally eased up and he’d been given the all clear to return home. Regent was returning home as well today. They were both supposed to take it easy still. But she wasn’t sure how much of that would happen.
Regent was barely mobile. He’d been sent home with a wheelchair, but she could tell he was going to be an asshole about using it.
She’d grown close with all the Malone brothers. Although she hadn’t seen much of Jardin as he’d gone back to where his family was vacationing. But he’d told her that Thea wanted to meet her soon.
Nerves rattled her at the thought.
Victor had been making her rest, but she still felt off. And she thought it was going to take more than a few meals and some good sleep to make her feel better.
She’d nearly lost him.
She tightened her hold on his hand. This was something she was going to have to get over. Because he was always going to be at risk. She still felt ill every time she thought of losing him.
“Baby? You all right?”
“This place is enormous. This is really where you live?”
“Yeah. It’s where we all grew up.” His face was pensive. “Regent has an attachment to the place. It has mixed memories for me. Our mother died when Lottie was around eight. Our father, he was always distant, but he became more so. He only really had time for Regent. Spent most of my time trying to get him to notice me.”
“Oh, Victor. I’m sorry. My brother and I lost our parents when we were young. But Grandpa was amazing. He taught me to bake. And it became like a refuge for me. A way to escape.”
“It was a long time ago, baby.”
Didn’t mean it still didn’t hurt.
“Are you sure it’s all right for me to stay with you?” she asked, not for the first time.
“Gracen,” Victor said in a low voice.
She stared up at him.
“It’s just a house.”
Right. Just a house. He’d said that about his truck too.
“I want you with me. Do you want to be with me?”
“Yes.” It would kill her to leave him.
“Good. So just try leaving me and see what happens,” he warned in a low voice that had her rolling her eyes.
“Bossy,” she grumbled without meaning it.
“Come on, need to get you inside so you can rest. And I’m going to have to help Maxim with Regent. He’s going to be a real asshole to put up with over the next few weeks while he recovers.”
“He’s going to be an asshole, huh?” she said dryly.
“Yeah, he’s not used to having to accept help. Don’t know how we’re going to get help for him either, because he doesn’t trust anyone out of the family and his closest men. Not after . . .”
“Not after what?”
Victor sighed. “He was poisoned a while ago. By someone who worked for us.”
“What? Oh my God!”
“Now the only person allowed to cook for him is Gerald. But he’s away at the moment. He’s been with us for years.”
The car came to a stop at the bottom of the stairs leading to the house. Regent and Maxim were in the car behind them. They’d had cars in front and behind them as they traveled. Regent had been taking no chances with their safety.
Which told her what she needed to know about whether the accident had really been an accident.
Not that anyone would tell her anything. Seemed that all the Malone men could be secretive and stubborn. And bossy. Really bossy.
Like you’d have them any other way.
Victor’s door opened at the same time as hers did. She glanced up into Aero’s face. He was kind of growing on her. If someone who never spoke and never showed any facial expression except menace could grow on you.
“No,” Victor said, reaching for her as she went to get out her door. “You come out my side.”
She sighed but didn’t complain.
She was beginning to figure out that it was pointless to argue. The old adage, that it was better to ask for forgiveness than permission kept running through her mind. She’d just have to find a way to get around him if she really wanted to do something he didn’t approve of.
But she knew that he only wanted to keep her safe, and at the moment, she wanted to lessen all of his worries.
So, she slid out his side of the car, taking his hand as he hauled her up. She stared up at the stairs then over at Regent who was leaning heavily on his crutches. Maxim held his wheelchair behind him.
“Um, how is Regent going to get up those stairs?”
“Regent is going to climb them,” the man replied. He turned to scowl at Maxim. “Get that chair the fuck away.”
“Brother, there’s no way you can get up those stairs,” Victor said quietly. He glanced around at their men who were all poised and watchful. “All of you can go except Jose.”