Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 154037 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 770(@200wpm)___ 616(@250wpm)___ 513(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 154037 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 770(@200wpm)___ 616(@250wpm)___ 513(@300wpm)
Her words deepened in sympathy and dread. “In the end, they’re still criminals. They still have blood on their hands. River was terrified of letting me in. Of loving me. Afraid of what his involvement in Sovereign Sanctum could mean for me.”
“Yeah, and look what it did mean for you. It meant you found everything you’d lost. You found your family. How could that ever be bad?”
Charleigh’s head barely shook, and her gaze filled with compassion. “They all have their demons.”
I chewed at my bottom lip as I glanced back across the street. Even in the distance, I could tell that River and Otto were speaking in hushed, secreted tones.
I turned back to my bestie. “I’m worried that there’s more. That he’s hiding something. But you can’t tell River that I told you that.”
I would never betray Otto that way.
Concern twisted through her expression before she seemed to land on a resolution. “I think everyone has secrets, Raven. We each have things we hide because we’re ashamed of them or afraid of them or worried they’re going to hurt the people we love.”
My spirit shivered. I understood it intimately. The truth that some things couldn’t be shared.
Guilt bottled in my throat, but I swallowed around it and gave her a shaky smile. “Yeah. I know. It’s human nature. I just want him to see past it. See me and who we could be and not let anything stand in our way.”
I inhaled a deep breath. “He says he wants to fight for me, Charleigh, and I want him to fight for me. For all of it. That is, if he wants me that way.”
A bit of insecurity rippled in, my stomach sick with the idea that maybe he didn’t feel the same.
That maybe what had happened between us was purely superficial. Brought on by stress. Or worse, pity.
Charleigh blinked. “Are you crazy? Have you seen the way that man looks at you? He goes completely rabid. I think he has to restrain himself from tossing you over his shoulder and carrying you to his bed every time he sees you. I honestly don’t know how River doesn’t know or hasn’t noticed. Otto’s entire being shifts whenever you come into the room. You’re his gravity, Raven.”
In emphasis, she squeezed my wrist. “I promise you, this is not one-sided.”
Nervously, I chewed at my bottom lip. “And what about River?”
A tiny flicker of annoyance washed through her features. “I love that man with every fiber of my being, but it’s time that he views you as who you really are. A resilient, brave, capable woman who gets to make her own choices.”
Her gaze deepened as she angled around to make sure I was in her line of sight. “You are the only one who can decide how you live, Raven.”
“I know. The only problem is getting the rest of these overprotective bobbleheads to accept it.” I tossed it out like a tease.
“The only question here is exactly how my amazing bestie is going to get Otto to accept it?”
“By my sexual prowess, of course.” I let a dose of lightness wind into my voice. “Operation seduce Otto Hudson is officially in full force.”
Charleigh giggled. “Oh, the poor man isn’t going to know what hit him.”
“I plan on bringing him to his knees. I mean, not that he wasn’t already on them for me.”
I wagged my brows at her.
She choked over a laugh. “Oh, I can only imagine. You’re going to have that man crawling for you.”
“That is the plan.”
She let go of a breath, and her tone turned serious. “Just be honest with him, Raven. Let him know what you want and what you need, demand it in return, and if he can’t give it to you, then let him go. You deserve every joy this world has to offer, and you can’t wait around your entire life for someone who isn’t willing to return it.”
“I will,” I promised her. “It’s time. It’s been time for a while, and I’m not willing to pretend any longer.”
“Good.” Then she frowned, taken back to what had brought her here in the first place. “Be careful, okay? It’s so scary that someone is threatening you like this. Are you sure you can’t think of anyone it might have been?”
A face rose up from the depths. From the darkest place where I’d kept my own secrets hidden.
But it was impossible.
There was no chance.
I shook my head. “No. There’s no one. I keep thinking it has to be random. Some weirdo who saw me walking down the street or saw my picture or something. I don’t know…it feels unreal. Like another one of the nightmares I suffer.”
“You know they’ll figure out who it is and take care of it.”
A quiver rolled through my insides when I thought of the way it would be handled.