Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 78867 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78867 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
My mouth hangs open as I look past her shoulder, catching Boomer’s eye. He lifts a glass with clear liquid in it in salute.
“You realize that’s crazy right?”
“You know how dangerous things can be. He’s not spying on us. He’s not here to report back misbehaviors.” She shrugs. “I feel safer knowing he’s there when Legend can’t be.”
“You’re not going to change my mind,” I mutter.
“I was abducted right off the street by a crazy woman. A guy you knew in high school tracked you down because he thought you sent the feds after him. You know better than to just think bad things only happen to bad people.”
I drain my glass, knowing she’s right, but I just can’t bring myself to admit I was wrong. I’ve been wrong about so many things recently.
“Maybe you and Slick can team up and go look for men,” Faith suggests, but it feels like a trap to get me to make declarations about Spade.
She’s going to be extremely disappointed because there are way too many other things I’ve been dealing with than actually being worried about finding a man to warm my bed.
“I haven’t seen him with anyone else since before your trip to Telluride,” my friend says, her mouth in a flat yet reassuring line.
“Who?”
She frowns at me, making it very clear she doesn’t for a second think I’m honestly confused about who she’s talking about.
“It doesn’t matter,” I mutter.
“Maybe if you—”
Tears well in my eyes, making her words freeze on her lips.
“Big Daddy saw on the news about what was discovered in Telluride.”
Faith gasps, her hand coming to her mouth to cover it a few seconds too late. “You had to tell him about your mom?”
Pain lances through me as I shake my head. “He’s been the one lying to me for years.”
Confusion marks her brow as I try to figure out a way to explain what I discovered a few days ago.
“My mother was never abducted by Will’s cousin.”
Her confusion grows more, the line between her brows deepening.
“Big Daddy had her necklace. Will must’ve gone through the house after I left Telluride. He had to have gotten the necklace from there. Big Daddy hid it after she committed suicide.”
Tears flow down my cheeks as Faith shakes her head, rejecting my words.
“Sylvie, no.”
I nod. “Yes. He buried her with my grandmother’s maiden name. According to him, he thought it would be less painful for me to think of her leaving than knowing she was a junkie that took her own life.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“There’s nothing to say.” I use the cloth napkin on the table to dab at my eyes. “Either outcome, the truth of her being abducted is bad, but maybe ending things on her terms might be better. I haven’t been able to decide.”
Her palm rubs circles on my back as I try to get my emotions under control.
“When did you find out?”
“A couple of days ago.” I shake my head, waving her away. “She’s been gone nearly my entire life, but I somehow still had a little hope she’d show up one day, you know?”
“Oh, honey.”
I clear my throat, but it takes several times for the lump to dislodge.
As much as the lovey-dovey shit irks me these days, I’m grateful as Legend walks up, hair still damp from a shower. He bends Faith back, pressing his lips to hers in a kiss that has the potential to turn X-rated very quickly. It doesn’t matter that we’re in the middle of a crowded restaurant. When Legend wants his mouth on his woman, nothing else matters.
Faith looks a little flushed when she comes up for air, her eyes finding mine with a plea. I shake my head, knowing that she may not mention what I just told her at the dinner table, but I have no doubt that she’ll share the information with him once they leave.
“Missed you,” Legend says, burying his face in her neck the second he takes the seat next to her. “What’s wrong?”
Faith shakes her head, the look on her face somehow informing Legend that they’ll speak about it later.
“I think Sylvie is jealous,” Aro says with a wide grin as he sits beside me. “Will you smack the shit out of me if I plant one on you like that?”
I chuckle, taking the distraction the flirty man offers.
The scent of Aro’s leather cut invades my head, making me think of the man I’ve tried desperately for weeks to forget about.
He would’ve held me tight the night I cried myself to sleep after my grandfather laid his bomb at my feet, and that pains me a little to think about. I know Spade would’ve made me feel better. The warmth of his body, his lips on my skin would’ve at least provided a little distraction for the confusion and pain I was feeling.