Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 61082 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 305(@200wpm)___ 244(@250wpm)___ 204(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61082 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 305(@200wpm)___ 244(@250wpm)___ 204(@300wpm)
“Did you get everything you need over there?” I ask as he sits back down.
“Yes, you Italians sure do love money.”
“It’s our love language,” I reply, smiling.
“Anyway, as I said… you need to leave.” He waves me off and pushes the bag toward me. “And try to be nice to your wife. I’m sure she had her reasons. And it was you she chose to come back to. Remember that. She could have run the minute she got her son back, but she chose you and to stay with you.”
Ha. Did she, though?
Or did she figure I was her safest option?
I’m thinking more of the latter.
“Simone has been asking for you.”
I stop, money in hand. “Did you tell her?”
“I told her you were married, but she didn’t believe me.”
I laugh. Trust her not to believe I could be married. I haven’t seen her since I found out about Adora. It was easier that way. Simone was a piece on the side with needs I could fill. Because in return, they filled my own. I always knew I was destined to get married, so why have anything serious?
“Should I give her your number?”
We used to meet here. This was our spot. She never had my number. Like I said, clean and easy.
“No.” I don’t even have to think about my response.
“See, still pining after your wife. Fix it.”
I say nothing as I walk away.
ELEVEN
ADORA
Joey hasn’t been home, and I haven’t seen him or Abigail since this morning. It’s quiet as I make my way down the stairs with Jerome asleep in his bed. We haven’t left the house all day, watching movies and playing cars, then we had a bubble bath before bed.
It was a good, easy day.
Walking into the kitchen, I grab a bottle of wine from the refrigerator. As I pour myself a glass, I hear someone enter. Joey stands there, his hand scrubbing down his face so he doesn’t see me. When he finally notices me, he lowers his hands and spins on his heel to head back out.
“If you plan to run every time you see me, I’ll move out.” He stops in his tracks, stalks back in, and sits on a stool at the counter. Pouring him a glass of wine, I slide it over to him. He looks at it, unsure. “It’s not poison, I swear.”
“For some reason, I don’t believe you.”
“Believe it or not, you are one of the only men in my life I trust right now. Or really ever have.”
He takes the glass and puts it to his lips, downing a big sip. I do the same.
“Where is Jerome?” he asks, finally meeting my eyes.
“Asleep.”
“He looks like you.” That makes me want to smile.
“Thank you,” I reply quietly. His gaze falls to my chest, but it’s covered. I have one of his button-up shirts on that I pulled from his closet with only panties underneath. I wasn’t planning to come down here, but I couldn’t sleep, so here I am.
“Did you fuck him?” he asks, and I shake my head, readying myself for what he might ask next. “Did you ever plan to tell me the truth?”
“No.” I won't sugarcoat it because he may as well know the truth now. What do I have to lose?
“So you thought, what? Just stay here until you work out how to go back?”
“Yes…” I pause, my heart pounding. “You weren’t meant to happen, Joey. I mean, I knew I had been promised to you. But I figured I was married already, which I knew you didn’t know, and I couldn’t tell you. But I thought enough time had gone by that maybe the control of the contract had eased.”
“The contract never eases.”
I sigh, and he takes another big sip of his wine.
“We all heard about Keir’s contract. It’s been floating around in our world since it happened.” Keir was arranged to marry another woman, who is not his current wife. His circumstances are different, though. He was going to go through with it, despite the craziness that followed her. Until she started in on his current wife, then it was over. His love for Sailor is amazing, and I can see why he fell in love with her.
“Do you regret it?” he asks, and for the first time since everything went down, I see a flash of vulnerability in his eyes. I grip my glass and walk around the counter until I stand beside him. He turns his body, so we’re facing each other.
“Do I regret marrying you?” I ask him, and he nods once. Immediately I shake my head. “No, never.” I smile. “You were one of my best forced choices, apart from my son, that is.”
He pulls me closer, and I melt into him. I’ve been dreaming of being in his arms again. Before I can think or stop myself, I’m leaning down and kissing his lips. He lets me, though he doesn’t kiss me back at first. But like a clock that ticks, he seems to realize he has control. Holding me tighter, fully against him, so no air is between our bodies, he kisses me back with a force that only he can.