Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 94609 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94609 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
“That’s not true, Peter,” Grandma started, but he waved her off.
“Don’t try to lie, Grandma. Everyone knows it. We’ve all known it our whole lives. Little broken Theo who had a mother who didn’t love him. Poor Stuttering Theo who couldn’t pronounce words. Let’s give him everything handed on a silver platter.”
“Watch it, Peter,” I growled, stepping closer to him. The whole house had their eyes on the two of us, uncertain what Peter might’ve done next. He was wasted out of his mind. He fucking shoved his own kid!
Grandma agreed. “Yeah, honey. This isn’t going to make anything better—”
“Back off, Grandma,” he spat out.
Jensen stepped up with his chest puffed out. “Dad, don’t talk to her like that.”
Peter turned toward his son with daggers in his eyes. He moved in closer, hovering over Jensen. Before he could say anything, I stepped between the two of them.
My hands turned into fists. “If you say or do anything to that boy, I will end your life.”
It wasn’t a threat. It was a promise.
Peter hesitated for a moment, his breaths heavy and erratic. He must’ve found some common sense because it was clear that I would kick his ass again if needed. Peter might’ve been big, but I was bigger. He might’ve been able to take me when we were kids but not anymore.
Peter slowed down his breathing and noticed everyone in the space was staring. All eyes were on him.
He laughed, but it was laughter packed with embarrassment. I didn’t even know Peter had the ability to be embarrassed, but maybe that was what whiskey and funeral rants did.
He shook his head. “Of course. Even my kid loves you more than me.”
“Well, maybe if you weren’t such a dick, that wouldn’t be the case,” Jensen spat out, shocking the hell out of me. Jensen was a good kid, and he never talked back to his father. But there he was, next to me, eyes packed with emotion and pain. I knew that pain. Wanting a parent to be something they would never know how to be. Staring into the eyes of the person who brought you into the world and not understanding how they wouldn’t want to give you all the love they had within them.
Jensen’s hands were in fists.
I placed a hand on his shoulder. “It’s all right, Jensen. Breathe. You’re all right.”
Peter huffed and gestured toward me. “Just like that. Theo’s the hero.”
“What’s your problem with me, huh? Why have you been riding my ass for the longest time?”
“Oh, I don’t know, Theo. Maybe it’s because you act like you’re this stand-up guy who just keeps to himself, but the truth of the matter is you’re a snake. You’re a fucking slimy snake who takes things that aren’t yours.”
“You’re the one who slept with his girlfriend, Dad,” Jensen spat out, his words packed with angst.
“All right, I think this is all going on way too long,” Grandma chimed in, moving to step between us, but Peter’s eyes were locked on his son.
Peter’s chest rose and fell with his heavy inhalations. “Yeah? Yeah? Well, call it fucking payback for him fucking my wife!”
The room went silent after those words escaped Peter’s mouth.
I stood back, stunned.
Holy shit.
He knew about Thalia and me?
How?
My mouth parted, but no words were found. What the hell was I supposed to say?
Peter laughed, still wiping at his face. “Yeah. I bet you didn’t know that I knew, huh? I bet you didn’t think I’d read Thalia’s damn diaries after she passed away, but I did. I read every fucking page she wrote. And you know what? All the love letters she crafted were written out to you. You piece of shit.”
The whole room gasped from the reveal of Thalia’s and my history.
The most concerning looks came from Grandma and Jensen.
Pure shock and heartbreak.
I stood there with my mind spinning. I didn’t know what to say. What to do. How to engage. How to make anyone understand what had happened between Thalia and me all those years ago. How it was a onetime thing. How I didn’t mean…
“Yo-you tt-t-two were broken u-up,” I spat out, feeling as if I had to avenge myself. He broke her fucking heart! She came sobbing to me about it! I held her. I didn’t even want to sleep with her. I just wanted to hold her and let her know she’d be okay. She was my friend. My only friend. I didn’t mean to… I didn’t mean…
I felt dizzy and confused. Ashamed.
I felt so fucking ashamed.
There was nothing else I could do.
So I left.
Embarrassed.
Ashamed.
But mostly heartbroken.
CHAPTER 29
Willow
After Theo left Molly’s house, I wasn’t far behind him. I saw the pained expression in his eyes. What hurt me the most was the idea that he’d suffer alone with the heavy thoughts flying around in his head.