Never Bargain with the Boss (Never Say Never #5) Read Online Lauren Landish

Categories Genre: Alpha Male, Billionaire, Contemporary, Funny Tags Authors: Series: Never Say Never Series by Lauren Landish
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Total pages in book: 146
Estimated words: 137077 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 685(@200wpm)___ 548(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
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You’re all Riley has too.

Had, I correct.

The reminder is salt on the fresh wound of my broken heart, but I don’t let it sway me from doing the right thing, even though it guts me.

The next morning, I wake up to Grace poking me in the cheek. “Dad!” I think she’s trying to whisper, but it’s Grace so it’s more like most peoples’ normal speaking volume.

“Hey,” I greet her, my throat scratchy and voice rough. I don’t know when I fell asleep. Ten minutes ago, maybe? It feels like I haven’t slept for long. Or maybe I just feel like shit to begin with and lack of sleep has nothing to do with it.

After Cole stormed out, I just sat here, staring at the wall blankly. Cold disassociation got me through hell once before, although it had its friends scotch and bourbon to help then. Hopefully, I can get through this again, without the liquor this time.

“Are you okay?” Grace asks me. Her eyes are narrowed, her gaze shrewd, and I know she won’t miss a thing. Especially my eyes, which I can feel are gritty, possibly bloodshot, and most definitely haunted.

I lick my lips, forcing life into my voice. “Yeah, I’m okay. Are you? I was so worried about you, but you were already asleep when I got here last night.”

She shrugs, trying to play yesterday off, but I heard her voice on the phone, felt her fear when she hugged me after coming out of her hiding spot. “I’m fine.” We’re both faking, one hundred percent lying as we try to speak being okay into reality. “Where’s Riley?” Grace looks around like Riley might be hiding under a couch cushion or behind the curtains.

This is it. The moment I have to tell her that Riley is gone. But I can’t do it, not all at once. I don’t want to rip that Band-Aid off when she’s already had so much loss in her life.

“She has some stuff to deal with, so she’s not here right now.” Baby steps, carefully planting seeds that I can slowly foster into becoming our new reality.

A life without Riley.

It sounds awful. It feels worse.

Grace’s brows furrow as she thinks about my answer, but then she nods. “That makes sense. That Austin guy really scared her, huh? Want some pancakes? Riley showed me how to make them from scratch, and Uncle Cole probably has the stuff.”

She heads into the kitchen, helping herself to the containers of flour and sugar in the pantry and then opening the fridge. She pulls out milk and eggs, then stares at the ingredients she’s compiled. I can nearly see her checking the recipe in her mind.

But what I’m stuck on is Grace saying that Austin really scared Riley. But in that awful moment, she did what she had to so that Grace was as safe as possible. I heard her telling the police that she sent Grace upstairs to keep her out of sight, told her to call for help, trusting that Cole would understand the situation. She’d kept herself between Grace and Austin, ready to fight him with everything she had if it became necessary, and then she’d kept him talking, distracting him so that the police and backup would have time to get there. She did all that while her heart was racing, her fear was building, and her past ghosts came out to haunt her with a sly grin that threatened everything.

I understand all that on some deep level. I truly do. But it shouldn’t have happened in the first place.

Grace does indeed make pancakes for everyone. Cole and Janey eat them happily, though their smiles are strained, praising both her efforts and results. I swallow one, not tasting it at all but telling her that it’s delicious. She preens, crediting Riley with teaching her. Cole and Janey stare daggers at me. If I could feel anything, I’d probably be upset about that, but I’m numb, so I don’t give a shit.

When we get home at half past ten, Grace hesitantly asks, “Sooo… no school today?”

As a rule, I don’t let Grace skip school unless she’s got a fever or is throwing up. And there was the one time she had to miss for a riding competition. But I take school attendance seriously. Today, I don’t give a fuck. I want her here, with me, where I can keep my eyes on her and know she’s safe. I shake my head. “Movie marathon?” I offer. “Or we can watch whatever K-drama you’re into.” I won’t be able to read subtitles right now, but since I’m just going to stare at the screen anyway, it doesn’t matter.

“A movie’s fine. Riley and I are on episode seventeen of Alchemy of Souls, but she’d kill me if I watch without her.”



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