Total pages in book: 44
Estimated words: 40566 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 203(@200wpm)___ 162(@250wpm)___ 135(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 40566 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 203(@200wpm)___ 162(@250wpm)___ 135(@300wpm)
“Think that’s damn smart. I’ll get the brothers out here to rip out the carpet, patch the drywall, get some paint on the inside and outside, plus a few minor repairs, and you should be able to get it on the market. When you’re ready to upgrade more, do it at the end of a lease when someone moves out.” Ryland makes it all sound easy. Maybe it is and I’m overthinking the whole process.
“I’d like that. I can’t pay you much, but I can help here and there.” It’s the least I can do. Between healing, school, and work it’ll be tight. I’ve had it worse and made it work.
“We have everything. Got the manpower, the drywall, and paint from my place. I’m willing to bet there’s hardwood beneath the carpet, which will just need a good staining. It’ll be minimal cost, and even then, let your man cover you, yeah?” I nod, thinking maybe I should pinch myself feeling like this is an alternate reality.
“Yeah, I will.” Giving in is easy. I’m sure later on, I’ll dwell on the conversation, rehash it during the nights I can’t sleep and come up with some way to pay everyone back.
“That fucking whore, she’s dead!” Ryland’s jaw clenches, and he spins around, keeping me behind his back. Shane’s car is parked along the street since the trucks are blocking the driveway, and he’s marching his way up the small walkway. The front door is open because we’re supposed to be moving things out of the house.
“Get your brother!” Wild states, coming out of nowhere and charging at Shane. It’s then I realize Ryland is hoofing it toward the front door. I run after him, or try to; my legs aren’t nearly as long as his. Ry’s one step is two of mine, but Lawson enters the doorway just as Ryland is right there.
“Ry, get it together. You in jail right along with him isn’t going to do Sutton a bit of good,” Lawson says.
“Sounds pretty fuckin’ good to me right about now,” Ryland seethes, fighting his brother’s hold.
“Then think about this: you gonna leave your woman and your son alone? He could bond out. You wanna leave them unprotected?” Ryland shakes his head once. “That’s what I thought.”
“Ryland, he’s not worth it. Please, stay with me,” I plead. The two brothers are blocking the view of Wild and Shane. My heart rate has yet to settle down, and chills take over my body. There are so many what-ifs running through my mind as tears stream down my cheeks and my body trembles. Ryland must notice the tone in my voice isn’t okay.
“Let me go. I need to get to Sutton.” He pushes away from Lawson, and I’m wrapped up in his warmth in less time than I can blink the tears from my eyes.
“Don’t leave me, don’t ever leave me,” I mumble into his chest. The outside world disappears when I’m in his arms as he lowly coos soft words back to me.
“Love you, babe. Love you so damn much. I’d never leave you.”
“You love me?” I lift my head and look up through tear-stained eyes.
“Fuck yes, I do.” Ryland’s nose slides along mine. “Haven’t said it, but you clearly need to hear it. You deserve to hear it. And I’ll tell you how much I love you from now until the day I meet my maker.”
“Shut up and kiss me,” I say with a smile. His lips meet mine, and the noise from outside doesn’t seep in. I’m trusting that Lawson and Wild have everything under control with Shane, and knowing those two men, they absolutely do.
TWENTY
RYLAND
“My Case!” Sutton announces when we walk into the diner after school. It’s been two weeks since Shane was arrested outside her house. The charges stuck like glue. He also lost his bail and is sitting in the county jail until his case goes to trial. Next month can’t come soon enough. It’ll be one less thing for Sutton to worry about, and we can put that chapter of her life to rest.
“My Sutty!” Case runs his way through the diner. She squats down, arms out, and picks him up the second he smacks into her. I worry about his strength and him knocking her down one day, but for now, she’s fine. When he gets older, that’ll be a different story entirely. I meander my way through the crowd, saying my hellos, tipping my head, and come up on the break in the diner bar.
“Babe.” My hand moves toward her, guiding her to a standing position, then I wrap my arms around her waist. My lips land on hers, and I get the smallest taste of her before my son’s attention turns to us.
“No kissy, kissy,” Case tells us. This is his new deal. Anytime I kiss her, he makes a game of trying to push us apart, and when we pull him closer to us, Case wraps his arms around Sutton and me, hugging us tightly.