Total pages in book: 146
Estimated words: 147801 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 739(@200wpm)___ 591(@250wpm)___ 493(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 147801 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 739(@200wpm)___ 591(@250wpm)___ 493(@300wpm)
“I haven’t been in love!” I shout, my face heating.
“He hasn’t been in love with him,” Grandpa yells simultaneously, his voice laced with denial.
Dad’s lips twitch, but his gaze sharpens. “All right. I definitely believe you. Was he the one who kidnapped you?”
“No,” I mumble. “He saved me. It was his wife’s brother.”
“Is the brother dead?” Dad’s tone hardens.
“I…don’t know.”
“Probably not,” Grandpa interjects, crossing his arms. “Considering the two guards stationed outside since you were dropped off.”
My brows knit. “Two guards?”
“Yes,” Dad confirms. “The woman who drove you here and another guy built like a brick wall.”
Nadine didn’t leave? Or Simone—whatever her name is. Not my fault she has two identities.
“Don’t send people to kill him, Grandpa,” I say, flicking my thumb on the corner of my lip. “We’re nothing to each other now, and he promised not to hurt you. We don’t owe each other anything.”
“Like hell we don’t!” Grandpa snarls. “He used you. Lied to you. Asher, we need to do something about this.”
“He did it for his wife,” I argue softly, my chest tightening. “I think you’d do the same, Dad.”
Dad’s gaze hardens, but his voice is calm. “Gareth, you’re far from okay if you’re hurting yourself instead of him.”
“I’ll blow his head off if he comes near you again,” Grandpa adds with a growl.
A bitter smile tugs at my lips. I guess we’re safe since I’ll never see Kayden again.
Even if he’s still in my blood. Even if I can’t remove him unless I rip myself apart.
But I won’t do that—not when it’ll make Dad and Grandpa look like this. Distraught. Torn.
Grandpa feels guilty for involving Baltimore, but he shouldn’t. He had nothing to do with Cassandra’s death. Nothing to feel guilty about.
Dad, though, is another story. He’s regretting not handling Baltimore himself. In his mind, if he had, none of this would’ve happened.
But that means I wouldn’t have met Kayden.
And that’s a reality I hate more than this feeling.
An hour later, the door to my room bangs open, and my brother strolls in with Glyn trailing behind him. He looks slightly disheveled, like he just rolled out of bed, which is rare for Killian.
Dad and Grandpa exchange glances before standing up and leaving the room. Not without first giving me a look, though. Not sure what it’s supposed to be. Concern, maybe?
Do they think I’m fragile or something? That I’m breakable? Please. I don’t do feelings, so this…thing isn’t affecting me.
At all.
It’s not like I’m itching to go back to him. Or that I keep glancing at my fingers because he bandaged them. Or that I’m fighting the urge to call him just to hear his voice.
I haven’t smelled him in more than a day, and I’m pretty sure that’s the reason for the headache.
Morbid withdrawal. That’s it.
That’s all.
“Oh my God, are you okay, Gaz?” Glyn rushes to my bedside, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.
Her messy bun wobbles as she sits, dressed in casual jeans and an oversized sweater. Judging by the dark circles under her eyes, she hasn’t slept well. Probably fretting over Killian, who’s standing a short distance away with both hands stuffed into his pockets.
“We were so worried about you when you disappeared.” Her voice wavers slightly.
“I’m fine.” I grin at Kill, ignoring her mushiness. “Were you also worried about me, brother dearest?”
“She dragged me here against my will.” He juts his chin toward Glyn, but his eyes are locked on me, scanning me up and down like he’s taking inventory. His expression is as unreadable as ever, but his gaze darkens slightly upon seeing my bandages, betraying him.
Kill might pretend he’s indifferent, but I know better. My brother is someone who thinks I belong to him, just like I think he belongs to me. Sure, he gives me shit, but if anyone dared to touch me, he’d raze their entire existence to the ground.
Guess that’s our warped way of showing care.
“He’s lying,” Glyn pipes up, giving him an exasperated look. “He lost his mind when you went missing. Made everyone look for you, including my brother Lan—whom he never talks to. Can you imagine? He actually said, ‘You, stop being a waste of space and use your skills to do something useful for once in your miserable life.’ He even stormed the Serpents’ territory and nearly killed everyone just to confirm you weren’t there. It was terrifying, honestly.”
I bite my bottom lip to keep a smile from breaking through. “I’m touched.”
“I did it for Mom and Dad,” Killian grumbles, his gaze snapping to Glyn in warning. “They’d start crying, and I didn’t want to deal with the drama.”
“I appreciate it anyway,” I say with a shrug.
“He’s still lying.” Glyn rolls her eyes dramatically. “He was agitated the entire plane ride.”
“Motion sickness, not agitation,” Kill corrects her without missing a beat.
“You don’t get motion sickness.” She glares. “Would it kill you to admit you were worried about Gareth?”