Total pages in book: 28
Estimated words: 25840 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 129(@200wpm)___ 103(@250wpm)___ 86(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 25840 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 129(@200wpm)___ 103(@250wpm)___ 86(@300wpm)
“Rosy, you get your ass out here right this second, or so help me god, I’ll tear this building apart!”
There’s a click at the door, and then it slowly opens to reveal Lindsey standing there with her arms crossed over her chest. “You’re gonna pay for that damage.”
“I’ll write you a check,” I say, trying to push past her.
She surprises me by putting an arm against her doorframe and blocking me. “Can I help you?”
“I want my wife.” My teeth are clenched, and I know I might be on the verge of a breakdown.
“You should know better than to come to my house demanding anything.” She narrows her eyes at me as she takes a step forward. “I don’t care how big and mad you are, baby brother, you’re not getting past me.”
“Lindsey, this isn’t your fight.”
“You’re my fight, she’s my fight, my family will always be my fight.” I see fire flare in her eyes. “I think one of us has lost sight of that lately, and it ain’t me.”
Some of the anger bubbling up inside me deflates.
“Do you think any of us would have traded our old lives for this?” She pauses, waiting for me to disagree. “We would have gladly stayed in that gutter if it meant we stayed together.” She pokes me in the chest, and it stings almost as much as her words. “She’s the heart of this family, Darian, and you’ve broken it.”
“Fuck.” I put my head in my hands as flashes of the past few years come tumbling at me all at once. It’s images of Rosy and how her light has slowly been slipping away from her. I’ve tried to give her everything she ever wanted, and in the process, I took away what she loved most. Me.
“I think you should go,” Lindsey says softly, and I shake my head.
“Please.” My voice breaks. “Please, I need to see her.”
“Darian.” Rosy’s voice comes from behind Lindsey, and my heart lurches toward the sound.
Lindsey closes her eyes for a moment and then opens them before she straightens up. “Fix it,” she says in a low voice. “For all of us, you better fix it.”
She moves away from the door, and behind her is Rosy with red eyes like she’s been crying. The sight of her tears makes me weak, but I don’t move, afraid if I do she’ll run.
We’re silent as we stare at one another and then a smile tugs at the corner of her mouth. “I should have known you wouldn’t give me any space.”
“Never.” I shrug, not at all sorry.
“Darian, I meant what I said. I do love you—”
“I love you too,” I cut her off, and she shakes her head.
“But maybe that’s not enough.” She looks down at the ground and sighs. “I know that what you do is important, but so am I.” When her eyes finally meet mine again, I see the tears.
“You are the reason I do the work. For us.” I can’t stand the distance between us anymore and take a step closer. “Rosy, you are the reason I wake up every day. Without you, it all means nothing.”
I shake my head as she begins to talk.
“Please, let me just say this.” She hesitates and then nods as she presses her lips together. “I thought by giving you your old life of luxury, I was somehow making up for taking you away from it. All the times you told me that you were happy to give it up, I thought about all you had to sacrifice, all we had to sacrifice when we didn’t have two pennies to rub together.” I put my hand on my chest as I feel the hollow ache clench. “Those were our best times, not because of the money, but because we had each other, and I’ve lost sight of that.”
I take another step closer, and I can almost reach out my arms and touch her.
“After I read your note, I could only think about one thing, and it was the first time you looked at me. It was the first time in my life that I felt like I could do anything. One look from you and I could take over the world and become the man I was destined to be. You gave me the courage to do that, and then without realizing it I left you behind.” I shake my head and take one small step closer. “I lost sight of my purpose, and that’s always been to love you.”
“Darian,” she says softly, and this time it’s her turn to step toward me until we’re a breath apart.
“On the way over here tonight, I relinquished my control of the company. They have everything they need to keep my work going forward, and I named Lindsey as head of operations.”