Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 99960 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 500(@200wpm)___ 400(@250wpm)___ 333(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99960 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 500(@200wpm)___ 400(@250wpm)___ 333(@300wpm)
I drove toward the house, already anticipating seeing Allegra after hours of not being with her. She’d been a bit quiet these last few days because of what happened to the chickens. I wasn’t going to push her to invest in more birds until she was ready. And I wasn’t going to mock or judge her for developing emotions for the wee creatures. The way she’d looked after them and loved them was one of the many reasons she’d made it so hard to resist her.
Allegra had spent the day with her friends in town, so I knew she was all right. But I still needed to see her for myself, and, truthfully, I didn’t like her being at the house on her own. The security company was coming tomorrow to fit the cameras and alarm system. Jim’s police officers had found my father and pulled him in for a proper questioning. The bastard had tried to call me afterward from a new number and then texted me to back off and let him get on with his life. I’d blocked him. Again. The officers told me that my father had an alibi. He was in London the night the chickens were poisoned, and he had proof.
That didn’t convince me that he wasn’t behind it. He could have paid some arsehole to do his dirty work. And my father grew up on the farm. He’d know the easily accessible items that could poison a chicken or any animal, for that matter.
For now, however, there was nothing more the police could do. The officers had told me to contact them personally if anything else happened.
Relief flooded me as I drove up to the house. I could imagine in the winter it would be lit up, a warm, beckoning glow in the darkness. For five years I’d returned every night in the winter to no lights. To no one.
I thought that hadn’t bothered me.
Apparently, I was wrong.
Striding toward the house, I glanced down at my T-shirt that was smeared with mud and damp with sweat. I should really head upstairs for a shower first, but my priority was to check in on Allegra. Rounding the house, I headed toward the mudroom. The sound of music hit my ears before I even opened the door. A song blared in the kitchen and my first feeling was agitation. Anyone could catch my wife unaware when she was listening to music that loudly.
I stifled the irritation because tomorrow it wouldn’t be an issue. We’d have the security system in place, and I was going to insist she arm it when she was home alone. Just until this whole strange mess had blown over.
Toeing off my boots, I cocked my head as I realized she was listening to what sounded like jazz. It wasn’t her usual thing. We shared a taste for a decent amount of the same bands. As I walked through the mudroom, Allegra came into view at the kitchen counter. She was washing dishes, her perfect heart-shaped arse swaying in exaggeration as she crooned along with the woman singing out of her phone. Instead of her usual tee and shorts, she wore a short summer dress. A strappy wee number that was sexier than I think she probably realized. Allegra had gorgeous fucking legs that went on for days. The hem of her dress fluttered with her movements, dangerously close to flashing her knickers.
The song was a jazz version of “Creep” by Radiohead.
Leaning on the doorframe with my arms crossed over my chest, I let my gaze roam over my wife as she sang, with not a bad voice, actually, along with the woman. I was relieved to see her enjoying life amid the madness. Yet I also sensed that familiar hunger no amount of sex with her seemed to satiate.
“I’m a weirdo!” Allegra yell-sang turning on the balls of her feet, hair flying. “Whahhh!” Her hand flew to her chest as she caught sight of me.
I chuckled as she shot me an embarrassed glare that immediately turned into laughter.
“How long have you been there?”
Walking over to her phone, I tapped the screen to switch off the song. “That’s something you’d know if you could hear anything.”
“I thought I was alone.” She huffed, turning back to the sink.
With a gentle touch on her arm, I stopped her from turning away from me. I kept my tone soft. “Exactly. I just want you to be safe until we know who is behind the animal attacks.”
Her eyes shone as she nodded. “I get it.”
Brushing a soft kiss across her cheek, I stepped past her to wash my hands at the sink. Amusement bubbled on my lips. “So, apparently, sex with me is mind-blowing.”
There was silence at my back for a second, so I glanced over my shoulder.