Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 134598 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 673(@200wpm)___ 538(@250wpm)___ 449(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 134598 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 673(@200wpm)___ 538(@250wpm)___ 449(@300wpm)
But the only real problem for her was her brother. She’d never lived away from Rhodes and while she didn’t expect to live in the same house with him forever . . . she never thought she’d have to move halfway across the country.
However, Rhodes told her not to worry about that. He’d sort it all out.
Whatever that meant.
There had been so much change and upheaval lately that she didn’t know that she could cope with anything more. Samantha was in jail. Oliver was in a high security psychiatric hospital. And poor Kevin was dead.
She didn’t think she’d ever feel sympathy toward Kevin, but while he could be a jerk, she didn’t think he’d deserved to die.
Rhodes wasn’t ready to get a new agent.
“Say the code phrase and I’ll get you out of there.”
They’d come up with a code phrase if she was uncomfortable and wanted to leave without saying so. All she had to say was that she had a meeting to prepare for the next day.
“Will they get upset if I don’t meet their gaze?” She sometimes struggled with that. Although not usually with Ethan. But a bunch of strangers . . . yeah.
“No one will get upset with you,” he said with a firm look on his face.
Cate nodded and forced a smile. Ethan got out of the car and walked around to open her door. After undoing her seatbelt, he helped her out.
“Are you sure this isn’t too many people for Zipporah to meet?” she asked, looking around at the cars, trucks, and motorcycles in the driveway.
“I asked that too,” Ethan told her. “But apparently, she’s met a lot of us already and handled it well. Plus, not everyone is coming or can make it.”
She knew that. She’d made a list with information about each person coming and put it into a binder, along with photos. It might also be color-coded.
Duke and Sunny.
Spike and Millie.
Jason and Jewel.
Hack and Greer.
Savage and Livvy with their youngest, Wyatt. She wasn’t sure where the two older boys were, but perhaps that could be a conversation starter.
Razor and Tabby.
Reyes and Emme.
Brody and Autumn. But not their boyfriend who she wasn’t supposed to talk about.
Matthieu, Butch, and Seth.
There. That was everyone. She hoped.
It was still a lot.
And some of their names were quite terrifying.
Although at least she already knew Ink and Duke from high school.
He continued to hold her hand as they moved to the front door. After pressing the doorbell, they only had to wait a few seconds for it to open. But to her surprise, it wasn’t Ink standing there. Or his girlfriend, Betsy.
It was a little girl with midnight hair put up into two ponytails and green eyes. She stared up at them suspiciously.
“Who’re you?”
“I’m Ethan Stone and this is my girlfriend, Cate Ripley.”
The girl looked them both over. “Why does she look scared?”
Did she look scared?
Ethan turned to look at her worriedly. If she was scared, she thought that she’d hid it well.
“I look scared?” she asked.
“Uh-huh. Is it because of this guy? Is he threatening you?” The girl turned to glare at Ethan.
Oh no. She couldn’t have her thinking that about Ethan.
“No, of course not. Ethan takes good care of me. He’d never force me to do something against my will.”
The girl, who had to be Zipporah, punched her fist into her hand. “Because if he is making you, I’ll punch him.”
Cate’s eyes widened. How could she think she could take on Ethan?
She was a brave little girl.
“I’m just nervous about meeting all these new people,” Cate told her honestly.
“Oh, I can help you. I know everyone. Don’t trust ‘em yet, though.”
“Fair enough. Trust is hard,” Cate said.
Zipporah nodded. “My name is Zippy. Just Zippy. Don’t call me Zipporah or I’ll have to punch you.” She smacked her fist into her hand again.
Goodness.
“Hey, you’re here!” A young man who looked to be in his late teens appeared next to Zippy. He was wearing jeans, a T-shirt advertising a band she’d never heard of and a pair of scuffed shoes. His hair was up on end and he had an easy smile. “And you’ve met Zippy. Isn’t she adorable?”
Zippy grinned at the boy before turning that stare on Ethan. “Remember, the name is Zippy.”
“Got it,” Ethan said.
“Brother, the Stone is here, and he brought his girl,” the boy yelled.
Another young man appeared, identical in looks to the first but dressed completely different in a button-up shirt and jeans with polished shoes.
He smiled at Cate. “Hello, you must be Cate. I’m Royal. This is Baron.” He gestured to the first boy. “This is Zippy. Don’t call her Zipporah.”
“We’ve had that conversation,” Ethan said.
“Isn’t she great?” Royal said.
They were obviously besotted with the small girl.
“She starts school on Monday,” Baron said. “We’re going to drop her off.”
“And nobody better mess with her,” Royal said.