Total pages in book: 130
Estimated words: 129323 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 647(@200wpm)___ 517(@250wpm)___ 431(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129323 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 647(@200wpm)___ 517(@250wpm)___ 431(@300wpm)
“Okay, on it,” he says, but I’m not finished with my request.
“I want to know everything. Every detail. I want the coroner’s report. You hear me?”
“Loud and clear.”
I hang up the phone and head back to where everyone is.
“You okay, man?” It’s Hudson who speaks first. He’s always the first to get into everyone’s business.
“I’m fine,” I snap.
He whistles. “Yeah…well…you don’t look fine. Spill.”
“Give the man a break. He’ll talk when he’s ready,” Dane cuts in.
Not surprising too. Dane is almost as closed off with his life as I am. The only reason I know anything about him, despite him being one of my closest friends, is because of his sister. Molly’s the one who lets bits and pieces of his life slip out in conversation. If it were up to Dane, he wouldn’t let anyone in. He’s harder to crack than Fort Knox.
“What he said,” I grunt out even though I’ll never be ready. Because whatever I find out isn’t my story to tell.
Two hours later, we’re landing in Redville.
I didn’t utter a single word the entire flight, lost in thoughts of Cassidy and the letter.
It torments me.
I power up my phone and see I have a message from the PI. He’s sent me all the info I requested on an encrypted email website. All I have to do is sign in and read what he’s sent.
I rush to my car, needing the privacy to go over everything. I don’t bother turning it on. Nothing is more important than what’s in this file. I need to know now.
It takes me thirty minutes in a parked car to go through everything. To be honest, I feel lighter. Freer somehow. Now I need to find Cass, because we need to talk.
This folder changes nothing.
Cass and I are inevitable.
I can’t live without her, and now I need to make her see that.
50
CASSIDY
I’m not prepared for the banging on the door. It’s too late or actually too early for anyone to be here.
“Cass, I know you’re there.”
Aiden.
He’s here.
But shouldn’t he be back home in Ohio?
The team would have flown back right after the game in New York. But instead, he’s found me. He’s standing outside Emma’s door.
“What the hell is going on?” A very sleepy Emma says as she takes a step into the living room. “It’s—what time is it?” She scrubs at her eyes.
I look over at my phone and see it’s five in the morning. “Five.”
“Fuck,” Emma groans. “Are you gonna get that?”
Another knock pounds on the door. “Come on, Cass, please.”
“God, he sounds like a sad little dog,” Emma says as she continues to rub the sleep from her eyes.
I feel awful that my drama is waking her. “I’m so sorry, Emma.”
“Don’t be sorry. Just let him in.” Emma crosses the space and flings the door open.
The moment Aiden steps inside, it feels like all the oxygen from the room is depleted. “Sorry, I just need to speak to her.”
“I get it. And you do. Just give me a minute, and I’ll be out of your hair.”
“Em…” She looks at me, our eyes locking. “You don’t need to leave.”
“It’s fine. I’ll go grab a coffee and then head to the six o’clock hot yoga class.” She shrugs. “I’ve been meaning to try it.”
“You’re the best, you know?” I tell her.
She smiles. “I do.”
Emma heads back into the bedroom to change and a moment later is dashing out the front door.
I turn my attention back to Aiden, who looks very disheveled and obviously exhausted.
He paces the little living room like a caged lion.
“You’re sleeping on her couch,” he grinds out through clenched teeth.
“I needed a place to stay,” I say, not looking him in the eyes.
“And you couldn’t take a minute to see that you have a place in my guest room? With a bed.”
“No.” I shake my head. “I needed to leave.”
“You needed to run away, is what you needed.”
I lift my brow. “You would know.”
His jaw locks. “Oh, so we’re back there? I thought we moved past this?”
“We did, but I just needed…”
“Enough,” he practically growls. “I don’t want to hear another excuse.” He levels me with a stare that has my legs quaking underneath me. I hurt him, and my heart squeezes in my chest painfully. “You broke up with me via a Post-it.”
I slam my lips together. “It was a letter.”
“Semantics.”
Aiden runs his fingers through his hair, pulling at the roots. “Just tell me why. Why now? All the shit you’re holding inside, you could’ve told me. Why end it that way? Why not be honest with me?”
I let out a long-drawn-out sigh. “The journalist approached me. Your mom ran right to him after you left her place. He knew there was a story—and warned me.”
Aiden’s features harden, and I’m afraid that if that man showed up right now, there’d be another death on our hands. I don’t want that. Don’t need Aiden fighting my battles.