Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 34098 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 170(@200wpm)___ 136(@250wpm)___ 114(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34098 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 170(@200wpm)___ 136(@250wpm)___ 114(@300wpm)
“In the beginning, yes. I wasn’t going to let it define me. This,”—he pointed at his arm—“it’s nothing. I’ve had worse.”
“I hate them,” Holly said. “Whoever hurt you in the past, I hate them all.”
He gripped her chin. “They’re not going to hurt me.”
“What about other children?”
“Trust me, they won’t hurt them either.” He smiled at her. “Haven’t you realized yet, that I take care of everything.”
Tears filled her eyes and he stared down into her face. “What’s the matter?”
“I was so scared. I love you, Mason, so much that it’s scary, and I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“I won’t. I promise. I know how to take care of myself.”
Chapter Eleven
Mason was busy and for the first time in nearly three months, Holly ate lunch on her own. She knew she wasn’t quite on her own, but she sat in the park, watching the swans as they danced around in the small pool. The children as well, chasing after some bubbles their parents were blowing into the air. It was getting colder, and everyone had their coats on.
Holly had on a hat and a scarf. Her gloves were inside her coat pockets as she ate her lunch. Mason had sent her some hot meatballs and pasta from one of his favorite Italian places. If he couldn’t be there to see her eat well, he’d at least send food. She couldn’t help but smile as one of his men delivered it to her.
Evie had sent her off to go and enjoy lunch. Her boss and friend had grumbled at men and how her own husband had stopped doing sweet things like that for her years ago. Holly knew she was lucky. Mason was one of a kind.
She twirled her pasta and watched the kids as they giggled and she couldn’t help but smile. She wasn’t pregnant yet. She had taken a test last night as her period was late, and it had given a negative reading.
The doctor had told her it might take awhile for her to get pregnant. All she had to do was give it time.
Everything was moving fast with Mason, but it wasn’t a scary fast anymore. She loved him, and even though she had been married before, she knew this was going to be different.
Life with William was not the same as with Mason. With Mason, she really lived. They spent time together, they laughed, made love, and enjoyed each other. Ten years ago, she didn’t know that was how it was meant to be.
“You’re a hard woman to find these days.”
Holly looked up to see William sit on the bench beside her. He had on a hat, gloves, scarf, and half of his face was covered.
“William, what are you doing here?”
“I came to see you. I know that’s impossible with all your bodyguards around you,” he said.
“Why—”
“Shut up and let me speak. I heard the guys at work talking that Mason had gotten engaged. He doesn’t want a prenuptial agreement and your name was mentioned. You’re engaged to him?”
She glanced down at the ring on her finger. “Yes. Mason proposed and I said yes.”
“Could you be any more fucking stupid? Do you have any idea what kind of man he is? What he’s capable of? He’s a murderer, Holly. He is a monster. Do you know he’s considered the fucking king of this city? He has a lot of enemies. People who would like to see him dead. The law firm I work for, they help him when he needs it.”
Holly glared at him.
“How could you have been so fucking stupid? You need to get out of this. Go to the police. They’ll help you.”
She closed the lid on her lunch, because she had eaten enough, and stood up. She glared at William and pointed a finger at him. “Do not ever call me stupid again. Yes, I was stupid, for the nine years I was married to you. I thought you loved me but the truth of it was you needed me to make you look good. Your company needs family people, and that’s what you tried to do. You used me and manipulated me, screwing other women and cheating on me. How dare you even come here and claim to care about me! You have your own agenda here and you leave Mason out of it.”
“You’ll end up dead,” William said. “If you stay with him.”
She shrugged. “Then at least I’ll be happy. If you come near me again, I will have Mason hurt you.”
Her heart pounded inside her chest and she felt sick to her stomach. She moved out of the park and then approached one of the men she recognized.
“Where’s Mason?”
He stared at her and then past her shoulder.
“I know you work for him, so don’t try to pretend. I need you to take me to him, now.”