Total pages in book: 225
Estimated words: 218500 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1093(@200wpm)___ 874(@250wpm)___ 728(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 218500 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1093(@200wpm)___ 874(@250wpm)___ 728(@300wpm)
Hi Coraline and Maddie. Sorry I’ve been out of touch. Life has been beyond crazy as I’m sure you can imagine from the various headlines. Never imagined anything related to my life would make headlines unless it was that I died trying to win a taco-eating contest, but I promise we’ll catch up as soon as possible. Love you guys.
When Alannah stayed over, she told me they were asking questions. She told me she told them the truth. And this horrified me. She didn’t give them a lot of detail, only that Derek Steele had set his sights on me and essentially stolen me from my life, had seduced me and become extremely possessive. But she said as far as she knew it was all mostly very swoony. She’s also kept Jeff in the loop but with only the truth, which has me a bit nervous. I message him next.
Hey Jeffy. Sorry I’ve been out of touch. I just wanted to send my love and tell you I appreciate you. Hope everything is good.
Jeff writes back right away.
Hey Chlo. I’m now employed by the Steele family. They just recruited* me into their legal team.
Recruited? With an asterisk?
I pick up the phone and call him.
He answers right away.
“Hello, beauty,” he greets.
“Recruited you? As in… asterisk?”
“Technically, yes. I start in two weeks. I’m working out my notice here.”
“Oh Jeffy. I’m so sor-”
“Hey. Stop. I stuck my nose in and got too close to a few things. I took that chance, because I love you like a sister. Like a sister!” he exclaims, loudly, then his tone returns to normal. “There, I said that loudly in case your spouse happens to hear this. I don’t want there to be any mistaking my love for you. Absolutely platonic and sisterly only.”
I drop my forehead to the desk.
“I’m good, Chlo. Don’t sweat it. They’re paying me a fucking fortune. It’s all good.”
“But is it… asterisky?”
“Not expecting it’ll be any riskier than the work I do now. But it pays better and one of my dearest friends has the last name Steele now, so I know you’ll look after me.”
“Of course I will. I mean, if I have any control whatsoever, which I’m not sure if I do, but I would absolutely walk across hot coals barefoot for you; you know it.”
“I do know it. And I also suspect you have more control than you realize. Ponder that, will you? Anyway, gotta get into a meeting but I’m here for you. I love you. Like a sister! And by the by… Coraline and I are an item.”
I’m frozen for a beat before I squeal.
Jeffy chuckles.
And then I ask, “Exclusive?”
“I’m not sure I’m an exclusive kind of guy. We’ll see where it goes.”
“Be good to her.”
“She’s quite possessive,” he says. “But I dig it. I might not have a choice but to go exclusive if I wanna keep my balls. And I do like my balls. Anyway. Talk later. Bye, Chlo.”
“Oh shoot. Wait. Cor doesn’t know from Alannah the truth about Derek but if you lie to her too, that’d be a dealbreaker for her. So um…”
“I’ve already given her the truth. She won’t breathe a word to a soul. Don’t let the Steeles force-recruit her to work for them or she’ll have my balls. And once again, I’d like to keep them. Please tell your husband Coraline can be trusted. I’ll tell him the same.”
“Good, because he and I aren’t on the best terms.”
“Well, I hope that changes because it doesn’t sound like he’s willing to walk away,” Jeff says. “But like I said, ponder your power, baby girl. You have more than you realize here. Okay?”
“Hm,” is my reply.
“Bye for now, lovey. Gotta dash.”
“Bye Jeffy. And I love you too.”
“You love me like a brother,” he adds and is laughing as the call ends.
My office door opens, and Derek is in the doorway, looking concerned.
“Is everything okay?” I ask.
“I heard you scream, so I rushed up and then you were laughing.”
“Oh, it was Jeff. It was a happy scream. He and Coraline are a thing. She kind of knows a little but he swears she’ll keep quiet. I swear it, too. Coraline is solid. She’s my second-best friend; I’ve known her over a decade and she won’t do a thing to put me in jeopardy.”
Derek doesn’t say anything.
I clear my throat and ask, “How’s your dad doing?”
His lip curls. “He’s conscious. He’ll likely be released next week. Then we’ll have a… service for my mother.”
“You said it was a hit and run. Any details about that?”
His lip curls.
“If you don’t want to tell me, it’s okay.” I look back at my laptop to show I don’t need him to elaborate if he doesn’t want to.
“Don’t have details yet on who or why. He’s conscious, but he’s too doped up. Not makin’ sense. Broken arm. Broken ribs. Busted ankle. Punctured lung. Head injury. Lost his spleen. Suffered some other internal damage. He’s a mess. We’re trying to get to the bottom of it.”