Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 62923 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 315(@200wpm)___ 252(@250wpm)___ 210(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62923 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 315(@200wpm)___ 252(@250wpm)___ 210(@300wpm)
“I’m a lot older than you in other ways,” Ryder argued seriously.
Remi looked at him with sex-lazy eyes and countered, “No; you’re just a tight ass. I’m pretty sure you need somebody like me to loosen you up a bit. Teach you how to let go, live a little, and not take life so fucking serious.”
Chuckling, Ryder said, “I’m pretty sure I’m the one that just loosened up your tight ass, not the other way around.”
“That was the most fucking corny thing to say. Are you serious? That’s the best you’ve got?” Remi had to bite back a laugh. Ryder’s comment had been accurate. He might not be sitting comfortably for the remainder of the week, but he was more than good with that fact.
“Okay, that might have been corny,” Ryder agreed. He pulled Remi closer to him and said, “Tell me something about Remington Newsome. Cassie would never tell me anything about you,” he admitted. “She told me to grow a pair and talk to you myself.”
That made Remi smile. He hadn’t kept how he felt about Ryder a secret to Cassie but had never told her about the one night they’d shared. He was certain that by withholding information about him to Ryder, Cassie had been attempting some match-making-manipulations. She wouldn’t tell him anything about Ryder, either. “Hmm…let’s see. My parents disowned me when I was fifteen, after I told them I was gay. I guess it didn’t fit with a Republican Governor’s image. I mean, it was okay for him to have numerous affairs, but the fact that I liked boys was unacceptable. Thankfully, my grandfather on my mother’s side took me in and gave me all the love and support I needed. He passed away when I was twenty years old and losing him nearly destroyed me. The fact that he left everything to me and nothing to my parents nearly destroyed them.” Remi smiled as he remembered the shocked expressions on their faces when the will had been read.
“Your parents sound like assholes,” Ryder couldn’t help but comment.
“Yep; pretty much,” Remi agreed. “No big loss, though. If they didn’t want me, then they don’t deserve me. I’ve moved on. Let’s see…what else. I just graduated with a degree in creative writing and philosophy—both will probably be totally useless, but I enjoyed the classes. I have no clue what I plan to do with my life but hope that’s okay for now. I’ve had a crush on my roommate’s uncle for about three years, but he doesn’t have a clue. Cats hate me. Oh…and I talk to dead people.” He said the last as a joke, but it landed flat.
Ryder felt Remi flinch as soon as the words left his mouth. “It’ll be okay, Remi. We’re going to figure this out.”
“Fuck, what a Debbie-downer I am,” Remi groaned. “Nothing like a little morbid pillow talk after some awesome sex, right?”
“I’m pretty sure your roommate’s uncle would enjoy any kind of pillow talk with you after awesome sex, morbid or not. He’s had a bit of a crush, too, but was too stubborn to do anything about it.”
“Whatever,” Remi mumbled, not believing Ryder for a second. “Do you want to go ahead and talk about it now or wait until later? You know…the Gary thing.”
“Whatever you’re comfortable with,” Ryder answered. “If you’re awake, we can talk. If you need to rest, we can put it off. You don’t need to push yourself.”
“Are we really going to New Orleans this morning?” Remi asked.
“I think you deserve answers, Remi. We might not be able to get anything from Mystic Mary, but in my opinion, it’s worth a try. I honestly believe Jeremy’s family will be able to help you.”
“Agreed. If nothing else, I wanna punch her in the face for getting me in to this mess. Hell, Ryder, what if this is what the rest of my life is going to be like? Passing out and watching people suffer? I can’t do it. It…it makes my heart ache.”
“I can’t even imagine,” Ryder answered truthfully. He leaned down to drop a kiss on Remi’s forehead. “I know there’s no comparison, but it hurt me to watch you suffering in your dreams. I want to find a way to make this end, too.”
“I…I feel like there’s this big spider web and it’s my place to try and rescue all the people trapped before the spider comes along, you know? I failed with Gary.” He looked up at Ryder. “I can’t fail again, Ryder. I can’t. I have to get them all out of the web.”
The early morning sun streaming in through the wall of windows made it impossible for Ryder to hide his frown. “What do you mean? Do you think they’re connected and more ways than the fact that it was the same man responsible? That there will be more victims?”