Total pages in book: 128
Estimated words: 121360 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 607(@200wpm)___ 485(@250wpm)___ 405(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121360 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 607(@200wpm)___ 485(@250wpm)___ 405(@300wpm)
She opened her mouth, but no words came out. Utterly speechless, she didn’t know what to say. “That’s very kind of you…. Her eyes shifted to me before she looked at him again. “Honestly, your son is very good to me. I wouldn’t be here right now if it weren’t for him. He has a good heart. He makes me feel safe, makes me feel beautiful. I know evil because I’ve seen it with my own eyes…and he’s not it.”
When my father looked at me again, all the hostility was gone. Something about her words softened his resolve. “Good…I’m glad to hear that.” He stepped back from her and slid his hands into his pockets. “We’re going to keep this from his mother since…I don’t think she would take it well. So this will stay between the three of us…and Conway.”
Mia looked at me, the affection and sincerity in her eyes. She wore her heart on her sleeve when it came to me. She obviously respected me, and there wasn’t a hint of fear coming from her. When I’d first captured her, she was constantly timid around me, so I noticed the difference in her behavior. Now she was comfortable and relaxed, knowing she had far more freedoms here than she would have anywhere else. “I understand.”
After a bout of silence, my father spoke again. “Well, I should get going.”
“I’ll walk you to the door.” I escorted him through the kitchen and back to the entryway. I thought he would stay for lunch and I would show him around the house, but he clearly wasn’t interested in that.
We walked outside into the hot sun where his black car was parked.
“Thanks for not telling Mom.”
“If Mia isn’t going to be here forever, I don’t see why we should. If this were the woman you loved…that would be a different story.”
I cared about Mia a lot, would do almost anything for her, but love wasn’t on my radar. She was the longest relationship I’d ever had because most of my flings were just a few weeks. I respected her story, respected her resilience. “I’m sorry I disappointed you, Father. I hate it when that happens…makes me feel like shit.”
He looked into my face, his expression unreadable. His gaze flicked away for a moment, and he sighed quietly. When he looked at me again, there a small sign of affection. “No matter how much you disappoint me, it doesn’t change the way I feel about you. You’re my son, and I love you with everything that I have. I’m still proud of the man you’ve become and everything you’ve accomplished. I’m not perfect, so it’s unrealistic for me to expect you to be perfect…but I want you to be better than me. That’s all a father wants… for his son to be better.” He moved his hand to my shoulder and gave me a squeeze.
I lived for those squeezes, lived for my father’s praise. I looked up to him in many ways, had always wanted to be a strong man like him. Sometimes he was irrational and emotional, but he was still the smartest guy I knew. Everything I learned, I learned from him. “Thanks, Father.”
He gave a slight nod before he dropped his hand and walked away. “Invite us over for dinner. Your mother wants to see you before Sapphire goes into labor.”
“Alright. I will.” I stood in front of the house and watched him leave the property and drive out of the gates. They closed behind him automatically. I heard the engine of his car as he sped away, and when the sounds stopped, I knew he was gone.
Now that he had left, I questioned everything about myself. I’d put everything on the line for a woman I didn’t love. I was having her son live with us when I knew nothing about kids. I didn’t even want kids myself. My whole world was changing to accommodate this woman. I didn’t consider myself to be a hero, so it wasn’t in my nature to help someone like this.
But I wanted to give this woman everything…everything she deserved.
Six
Bones
We stood together in the doorway of the apartment. My black bag was over my shoulder, and Vanessa was staring at me with eyes full of tears. Last time I left, she was stronger. But this time, all of her strength had disappeared. She’d been pushed too far, her heart beaten too severely.
It hurt me so much that I considered calling the whole thing off.
But I couldn’t do that to my boys. I could never betray my family. They had my back, and I had theirs—end of story. I just had to make it through one more time. When this was over, I would never hurt her again.
Vanessa sniffled then wiped her tears away. “Sapphire is going to go into labor at any moment.”