Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 57240 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 286(@200wpm)___ 229(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57240 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 286(@200wpm)___ 229(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
“I’m sorry sweetbaby. I guess that’s understandable too.” He got his laughter under control, and kissed the top of my head. We stood there for the next few minutes not moving, not saying anything; just savoring the moment.
He sighed deeply, pulled my head back and looked deeply into my eyes then placed the gentlest of kisses on my forehead before grabbing my hand. “Let’s take a walk outside in the moonlight.”
Nick
She had a lot more to get off her chest after we took our walk and I let her have her say. It was like reliving the whole thing all over, and there was so much hurt there.
I don’t know why I thought time had erased some if not most of it, but I knew now that was just a pipe dream.
She talked of things I never even thought of. I’d been so focused on what I’d lost I never imagined how hard it must’ve been for her as well. I guess as much as I selfishly didn’t want her to go on with her life with someone else, subconsciously I always believed that she had. Knowing that she hadn’t was bittersweet.
That night I just held her in my arms until she fell asleep. I didn’t try to make love to her, she was too raw for that after crying most of the night. It was enough just to be with each other.
Once I was sure she was asleep I slipped out from under her and headed down to my office. Just because this part of my life was back on track didn’t mean I was about to neglect the other.
This last part of the plan had to be handled with care. I’d learned some things in the last few months while I’d been on my spree. Before I’d sent each of the men I killed to the hereafter, I’d asked the pertinent questions. Only two people knew what I was working on so it could only be one of them who sold me out.
It could’ve been that the enemy came after me only on the back of what I’d done publicly, but I knew better. I’d barely scratched the surface, bringing down low-end dealers as far as the public was concerned.
I had a hell of a lot more than I let on, but so as not to show my hand too soon I’d kept most of it close to the vest. I’d even held some things back from the two men I’d chosen to work with me. But no one knew what I was really after other than those two men.
Men I’d trusted because of circumstances. The one who’d betrayed me was worse than the criminals. Him I had a special kind of hell planned for. It was he that I was working on next. I’m going to kill two birds with one stone.
I’d played around with going after the mayor and the commissioner as well. All the men I held responsible for standing in the way of bringing Rossi to justice. But in the end I’d decided to deal with them in a whole other way.
15
Nick
In the morning, I went downstairs while she was still asleep. Our first breakfast in our home, had to make it special.
I knew we still had a lot to work out between us, but as far as I was concerned we’d crossed the hardest part off the list last night. Now we could start to heal, and put the pain of the past behind us.
I’d shared stories about my son with her, letting her into that part of my life. She’d offered comfort and even owned to wishing she’d met him since he was a part of me. I knew she would’ve loved him if given the chance.
It was enough that she didn’t close out talk of him, didn’t cringe and shy away from the obvious love I still bore his memory.
I happened to see my work phone on the counter and realized this was the first time in a while that I had awakened feeling nothing but peace.
Did I think that having Shelly back in my life would somehow sway me from my goal? No, but today I didn’t wake up with burning anger and rage first and foremost in my mind.
I heard her light tread on the stairs and moved to fill her coffee cup. “Good morning sweetbaby.” I held the cup out to her as she peeked at me shyly from beneath the hair that had fallen into her face.
“Morning.” That same sweet shyness was still there, and it was like time stood still.
The early morning light touched her hair as it came through the bank of windows reminding me of other days we’d started like this.
Those days when we’d sneak out to spend the night together at my family’s log cabin. “How did you sleep?”