Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 72126 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 361(@200wpm)___ 289(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72126 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 361(@200wpm)___ 289(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
At first, I didn’t notice anything unusual. I just tossed everything into the hamper and went on my way. I carried it to the laundry and started tossing everything into the washer. I was about to pour in the detergent when something on his t-shirt caught my attention.
I reached in and pulled it out and gasped when I saw there was blood on it. And not just a little, either. There were splatters and smears like someone had really been hurt—but who?
My breath caught in my throat, and for a second, I just stood there staring at it, and then, I remembered his hands. I said I was going to let it go, but this was too much. I had to at least ask him about it, so I took the shirt and carried it into the living room.
Sutton was sitting in his recliner, watching the game—completely unaware that I was on the brink of losing it. I cleared my throat, holding the shirt up so he could see it. “What’s this?”
He looked up, and his eyes narrowed when they landed on the bloodstained fabric. His expression didn’t change, but I saw the way his jaw tightened. He didn’t say anything at first. He just sat there, staring at the shirt like he was weighing how much to tell me—so I gave him a push. “I know I’m supposed to be hunky-dory with all this and let it go, but this is a lot, Sutton.”
Finally, he let out a long breath and sighed, “It’s not my blood, Cricket.”
“Okay. Then, whose is it?”
My voice shook, and I hated that it did. But after everything Toby and I had been through, the last thing I needed was more violence in my life.
“I can’t answer that. All I can tell you is... I handle things when they need handling.” His movements were calm and deliberate as he stood and started over to me. “That’s all you need to know.”
I had no idea how to respond, so I didn’t.
I just stood there staring at him, and eventually, he said, “The time has come, Cricket. You’ve gotta decide, once and for all ... Do you trust me or not?”
He was right.
And deep down, I knew the truth.
I wasn’t afraid because I didn’t think he was the right man.
I was afraid because I knew he was.
There were just things that made it hard to give into him completely when there were so many things he kept from me. I knew there were things about the club he’d never be able to share, but there were some things I simply had to know. It was the only way we could move forward, so I said, “I want to trust you, Sutton. I really do, but you don’t make it easy. You have all these things you can’t talk about, and you’ve yet to tell me about your past and what happened to you.”
He didn’t respond.
He just stood there staring at me with a blank expression, so I pushed, “You know about my nightmares, but I still know nothing about yours.”
“You’re right. I should’ve told you.”
“Then, tell me.” I crossed my arms and stood my ground. “You want me to trust you, but you’ve yet to trust me.”
“I do trust you. That’s not it.” Anguish filled his eyes as he said, “Honestly, I don’t know why I haven’t told you. I guess I figured talking about it would open old wounds, but they’ve never really healed. Not sure they ever will.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Sutton. What wounds?”
“I was married.”
His words hit me like a truck.
He’d never mentioned anything about an ex, much less a wife.
It was a shock to hear, but he wasn’t done yet. In fact, he was just getting started. “Her name was Tracy, and we had a son named Grady.”
A knot formed in my throat, and it grew and grew as Sutton told me the story of how he’d learned about his son’s death and the funeral that followed. It was gut-wrenching to hear, and I could only imagine how hard it was to live through it.
I could still remember when Toby was that age and how little and vulnerable he was. My heart ached at the thought of losing him. “Oh, Sutton. I’m so sorry. I had no idea.”
“I still have nightmares... It’s one of the reasons I came and got you last night. They don’t come when you’re with me, at least, not the really bad ones.”
“What are the really bad ones?”
“The ones where Grady is calling for me. His arms are up, and he’s begging for me, but no matter how hard I try, I can’t get to him. And just when I start getting close, he disappears.”
“Oh Sutton, that breaks my heart,” I replied, as I reached for him.