Total pages in book: 128
Estimated words: 125140 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 626(@200wpm)___ 501(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125140 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 626(@200wpm)___ 501(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
She frowns. “That’s a bit deep for this time of the morning, isn’t it?”
“I’m just wondering.” I bend and kiss her lips. “Humor me.”
She rolls onto her back and thinks for a moment and I put my open hand onto her stomach as I wait for her answer. “I suppose I would just want all the normal things any girl wants.”
“Like what?”
She shrugs. “A husband who loved me, white picket fence in the country, two kids.” She smiles wistfully. “A dog.” Her voice trails off. “I always wanted a dog.”
I watch her. “You never had a dog?”
She shakes her head softly as if ashamed. “No.”
Sadness fills me. A simple thing like having a dog is her dream. We lay in silence for a moment and I stare up at the ceiling and pull her body across mine. I kiss her forehead. “Sounds nice,” I murmur. “Where would this white picket fence house be?”
“I don’t know, somewhere with rolling green acres,” she murmurs, as if far away.
I flicker my eyes over to her. “Could we build my mom a house on our land?” I smirk.
She pulls back to look at my face and smiles broadly. “Depends.”
“On what?”
“On whether she likes dogs.”
I laugh out loud and she leans up on her elbow above me. “Stop dreaming, Stace. That future isn’t our reality.”
My face falls. It’s true it’s not. “It’s a nice dream, though, huh?” I ask sadly.
She kisses my chest. “Let’s just try to get through today, baby. Dreams only bring heartache.”
* * *
Rosh
It’s 10pm and Stace is in the shower. We’ve had a wonderful day in each other’s arms and have spent most of it in the rooftop pool. He went out this morning and bought us both a few new outfits and phones with prepaid data and credit. I couldn’t go. I was feeling too seedy from last night’s activities. Tonight we are going to try and find this guy who apparently knows where you sell things—the one who owns The Snake Pit. It sounds pretty dodgy if you ask me, but Stace assures me that it will be okay. He asked me to stay here and wait for him, but I am not letting him go alone. I would go crazy waiting here not knowing if he was safe.
I’m happy—God, I’m so happy—and I am petrified that my bubble is going to burst. I’m in my wig and my little pink dress.
I smile as I turn and look at my behind in this dress. Stace doesn’t particularly like it when I have the wig and this dress on. He thinks I look like a hooker and I’m pretty sure he is quite familiar with that look. My mind flashes to Chelsea and my skin prickles with jealousy. I pick up my phone and scroll through the Internet as a smile crosses my face. I can check emails now. Who knew something so trivial could be so exciting? I log into my email account and sip my wine as they load.
“Babe, can you get me the razor from the drawer, please?” Stace calls from the bathroom.
I look around. “What drawer?” I call.
“The stuff I bought today is in the top drawer of the desk. There is a razor in there.”
“Okay,” I call. I grab the razor and take it into him. I am rewarded with a wet kiss from my shower god. I return to my place on the bed as I wait for the emails, and finally, I get the ping that they loaded. The heading of the first one brings a frown to my face.
Downtown Storage Solutions
Subject – Activity
I frown and I click on the email.
Safety Security box was accessed today at 12.32pm.
I sit up in my seat. What? I check the date. No, that’s todays date. The email must have been sent yesterday after we were there? I scroll down the messages with a flutter in my chest. Don’t do it… no, don’t do it.
A second email.
Subject – Activity
Safety security box was accessed today at 11.10am.
The air leaves my lungs. That’s a different email to the one that arrived this afternoon. Stace went to the safety deposit box today without me. I stand and walk to the window and look down at the street below as my heartbeat hammers in my ears.
Really?
Are you fucking kidding me?
My eyes close as the all too familiar feeling of betrayal washes through me.
He’s taken the diamonds and like a fool, I led him to them. Tears fill my eyes. I thought his feelings were real.
Oh God.
I’m just a stupid girl blinded by love.
I trusted him.
* * *
Stace
I shave, shower, wrap myself in a towel and head into the bedroom.
“Rosh?” I call out as I glance around.
Hmm, she’s not here. She must have gone down to the restaurant to get some takeaway to eat. Weird, I thought we were getting something on the way out.