Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 109853 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 549(@200wpm)___ 439(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109853 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 549(@200wpm)___ 439(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
“Aren’t you going to talk to them?” she asked.
“There’s no point when Trey’s around. Uma’s not so bad if I’m on my own or with Marcus, but she feels the need to maintain a bitchy demeanor when Trey’s around. Right now, my concern is you. I can’t guarantee she’d resist taking potshots at him right here at the graveside, even though she liked and respected Iris. I don’t want you exposed to that.”
“This day is about Iris.” Frankie licked her lips. “That’s why I’m going to the reception.”
Trick’s eyes narrowed a little. “It’s okay if you can’t handle it. It doesn’t make you weak.”
“No, but it would make me a self-centered coward.” She gripped his arms. “I’ve had my self-centered moments in the past, but I’ve never been a coward. I’m not going to start that shit now.”
He sighed. “That both irritates me and fills me with pride.” Trick didn’t want her in a place where she felt even remotely uncomfortable, but he respected why she felt she needed to be there, and he admired her for being able to push past that anxiety. His gaze pinned hers, all seriousness now. “An hour. We’ll stay for no longer than an hour. If you feel uncomfortable or want to leave for any reason at all before then, you tell me. I’ll claim that I received a call and I need to leave. Okay?”
She smiled. “You’re awesome. You know that?”
“Of course I know that.”
“It saddens me that you have such self-esteem issues,” she said drily.
Jaime appeared then, using her knuckle to wipe away a tear. “You guys ready to go back?”
Trick rested his hand in the crook of Frankie’s neck. “Actually, we’re going to the reception.”
Jaime’s eyes cut to her, glinting with concern. “Are you sure about this?”
No, thought Frankie, but she nodded. “It’s just something I have to do. We won’t be staying long.”
Jaime sighed. “All right. But I’m sure you’ve noticed that a lot of people are curious about you. I doubt that anyone will be rude, but they’ll have plenty of questions, and if they can get you alone they might take the chance to say some shitty stuff about the Newmans, considering that the humans were a big source of Iris’s unhappiness over the years. Stay close to Trick and the rest of our pack at all times.”
“I’m planning to.” Many Phoenix Pack members had attended. Since they all couldn’t leave their territory at the same time and no one wanted to bring the kids to the funeral, the pack had agreed that half would go to the burial and then go home so that the other half could attend the reception. That way everyone got to pay their respects to Iris, and the kids would stay home and be well protected.
Jaime looked at Trick. “I’d say, ‘Take care of her,’ but I know you will.” With that, she crossed to Dante.
Ignoring the weight of his mother’s glare, Trick guided Frankie to the SUV and opened the door. Once they were both inside, he twisted in his seat to face her. “Let it out.” She’d been holding her grief in all damn morning, and it was driving him and his wolf crazy.
“I can’t yet. Not until after the reception.”
“Frankie—”
“I can’t yet.”
He sighed. “All right. But later, you have to let it all go.”
“I will.” It was a promise.
Minutes later, Lydia and Cam joined them in the SUV. Trick drove them through the territory toward Iris’s cabin. The whole time, Frankie stared out the window, taking everything in. Of course, nothing sparked memories to surface, nothing seemed familiar. It was both frustrating and a relief.
As they pulled up near the cabin and she hopped out of the vehicle, Frankie resisted glancing at the cabin that was a few kilometers down the way. That resistance didn’t last long. The cabin seemed a little bigger than Iris’s. It was also boarded up. Apparently no one wanted to live in a place where one person had been murdered and another had committed suicide. Understandable. She was surprised the pack hadn’t just knocked the building down.
Trick held his hand out. “Ready?”
Slipping her hand into his, she nodded. Lydia and Cam entered first, which gave Frankie cover. Her sensitive stomach churned at the smells of coffee, lasagna, finger foods, and perfume. Despite the bright decor and the flower arrangements, the cabin seemed dull—probably because everyone was dressed in black and the mood was mostly bleak.
The den, dining area, and kitchen was all one open space, so it was easy to see that some people were gathered around the buffet while others bustled around the kitchen. Most, however, were seated around the den on the sofa, armchairs, and folding chairs.
She could hear people speaking in hushed tones, cutlery clinking and clattering, and the subdued laughter from those exchanging yet more funny stories.