Total pages in book: 123
Estimated words: 117506 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 588(@200wpm)___ 470(@250wpm)___ 392(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 117506 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 588(@200wpm)___ 470(@250wpm)___ 392(@300wpm)
“I’m sorry, not interested,” Dirk stated.
When she pouted, I nearly wanted to puke right there on the spot. Of course, that could have been the four shots of whiskey coming back up, too.
“Aw, but we had so much fun the last time we hooked up.”
“Oh. My. God!” I said as I looked at Dirk, back to the blonde, then to Brock. “Is this really happening right before my eyes?”
Brock nodded and took a sip of his beer. A smirk on his face said he wasn’t going anywhere at all anytime soon. This was one of those shows that he’d have paid good money to sit and watch.
I looked back at the blonde. “How do you know he’s not with me? I mean, what gives you the nerve to strut your ass over here, condom in your pocket, and proposition him right in front of me?”
She shrugged, none of my words fazing her at all. “Dirk, sweetheart, I’m down for another threesome if you are.”
“Oh hell,” Dirk said as he closed his eyes.
“Threesome! Christ on a cracker, Dirk, is she serious?” I nearly shouted as Brock coughed and said something to the blonde that made her walk away. I didn’t hear what he said because my heart was pounding in my chest, and I felt like I was going to hurl.
“Merit—” Dirk started.
“You had a threesome with her?” I held up my hand. “No, wait, please don’t answer that.” I shook my head and then stared at him. “I guess all the rumors about you are true.”
He frowned. “Wait…let me explain. I didn’t realize there were going to be two women. I only—”
I placed my hand over his mouth to make him stop talking. “I don’t give a shit who—or how many at a time—you fuck, Dirk.”
He flinched, and I dropped my hand.
“The only reason I’m here right now is because I want to know why in the hell you put money into my savings.”
A shocked look moved across his face. “What?”
“Do not play dumb with me, Dirk. I know you better than anyone, and when you’re trying to avoid lying you always say what to stall for time. There is no what this time. Answer. Me.”
The waitress walked over with my beer and shot. “Here ya go. And here’s the shot you ordered earlier, Dirk.”
I watched as she slid the shot toward Dirk. He looked like he really wanted it, so I grabbed it and downed it. Then I nearly coughed up a lung. So, I figured the best thing to do was down the other shot for good measure.
“Jesus, what did I just drink?” I asked while I gasped for air. I could hear Brock chuckle from my other side.
“Why did you drink that, Merit?” Dirk asked.
“Don’t change the subject. How did you know about the money? How in the world were you able to deposit that into my account?”
“What money?” Brock asked.
“Nothing, Brock. It’s nothing—clearly she’s had too much to drink,” Dirk stated.
“Oh no. You don’t get to do that.” I turned to look at Brock. “My father is in rehab for a drinking problem. He’s pretty much drank himself to death and, in the process, took out a loan against the farm. He stopped making payments on it for some reason he has yet to explain, and we almost lost it. I had to withdraw money from my swavings.” I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath. “My sa…savings and retirement to get the loan caught up. Then, suddenly, like poof! The same exact amount I withdrew shopped up in my savings account.”
“Shopped?” Brock asked.
“Showed,” I corrected. Hell, the shots were getting to me. I took a sip of beer like that was going to make things better.
Brock leaned forward and looked at Dirk. “How did you know about the money?”
Dirk moaned. “Brock, now is not the time.”
I laughed. “Phil Wilcox. Does that ring a bell?”
Brock pulled his brows in slightly as he tried to place the name. “The guy we went to high school with? I heard he moved to New York City and was a cop.”
“He works for the Montana State Police now,” Dirk stated. “Or the Feds. Hell, something high up.”
I felt my eyes sting with tears that threatened to fall. I saw a glass of water and quickly downed it, realizing I shouldn’t have drank so much. “Why did you have him investigate me, Dirk?”
“What!” Brock said, “You had Phil investigate Merit?”
Dirk closed his eyes and slowly shook his head. “I only wanted to find out why you came back to Montana.”
My stomach churned, and I had to fight to keep myself from getting sick. Why had I come tonight again? Right. Dirk. Money. My account. Right? Yes, yes! To hear him admit that he’d hired Phil made my head swim. Why had Dirk taken the time to find out all this information on me?