Total pages in book: 144
Estimated words: 138522 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 693(@200wpm)___ 554(@250wpm)___ 462(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 138522 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 693(@200wpm)___ 554(@250wpm)___ 462(@300wpm)
I walk downstairs and once I’m there, I enter the kitchen, which is a respectable size considering the rest of her apartment, complete with a long granite island where I sit down. I send a text to Lulu, asking for a number for Abbie’s mother, and then remember she’s on vacation. Fuck. I send her a “forget it” message and then text Reid: I have this situation with Abbie handled. Stay away from it.
His reply is instant. He calls. “We’re just now about to leave for the airport. We were delayed.”
“Fuck. You’re coming back, aren’t you?”
“We talked about this. Yes. We are.”
“Change of plan. Keep your new wife out of the country. Non-negotiable.”
“Oh fuck. What are you about to do?”
“Whatever it takes. Her asshole ex broke into her place and left a message.”
“I’m coming back.”
“Reid—”
“I get it. I know you. I know you don’t exaggerate danger. Which is why I’m coming back and why I’ll leave my wife behind.”
“She’s not going to let that happen.”
“I’ll come up with a way to make her listen. I’ll see you in fifteen hours.” He hangs up.
I grimace.
Fuck. I need to work fast before he’s here and I can’t make the phone call I need to make. Lulu pretends not to get my “forget it” messages. She sends me the number I wanted for Abbie’s mom, because she’s amazing, which I’ll show her with a bonus. Now that I have what I need, I step into the hallway and dial it.
“Hello?” she answers on the first ring.
“Why, if you know Kenneth is dangerous, would you tell Abbie to stay away from me?”
“Gabe,” she says softly.
“Answer.”
“Because the best way to ruin a good thing is with an old good thing that was never good. He’s going to come after you to hurt her.”
“And you think he won’t come after her if I’m not involved?”
“He won’t care when we sell the property to him. This is all about the property.”
That gives me pause. “Why does he want it?”
“I don’t know. I just know that he’s coming at us hard and fast and he didn’t do that until this property became an issue for him. Once it’s gone, she’s free. And I’m going to give her her freedom. I’d like you to still be standing when that happens.”
My jaw sets. “I will be, but he won’t and you aren’t selling the property. I told you. Wait. I have this handled.”
“Back out of this, Gabe.”
“No. I will not back out of this and leave Abbie, and you for that matter, or even the animals, to deal with this alone. I’m in this. I’m with your daughter. The end.” I hang up.
The door opens and Abbie appears. “Gabe?”
“Yes, sweetheart? Are you ready?”
“Yes. I have a suitcase and—I really shouldn’t be doing this.”
“Yes. You should.” I slide my hand under her hair and lower my mouth to hers. “I meant it when I said you belong with me.” I brush my lips over hers, and the tremble of her mouth beneath mine tells me how affected she is by the connection. Good. Because I’m fucking quaking inside for this woman. I’m taking her home. I’m taking her from him.
The end.
His end.
An hour later, Abbie’s bag is in my master bedroom, and I settle Dexter into his new home and even order a few extra supplies online for same-day delivery. I slip in a few extra things to the order I need right about now that I don’t want Abbie to know about. “Tomorrow we’ll go shopping,” I say, pouring her a glass of wine. “To drink in the bathtub. I have a giant one that never gets used. Be the first to break it in.”
“The first?”
“Yes. The first. In literally years.”
“I’d really love a bubble bath. I don’t suppose you have bubbles?”
“No. I don’t, but I ordered some.” The doorbell rings. “Just in time.”
She smiles and shakes her head. “You, Gabe.” She walks to me and pushes to her toes to kiss me. “You.”
“You,” I whisper and caress her hair from her eyes. “Go get unpacked. I’ll bring you the bubbles.”
She smiles again, God, I love her smile, it’s like sunshine and honey, and so damn addictive. She hurries away and Dexter follows her.
I answer the door, bring the bags inside and grab the bubbles plus a bag of treats, carrying them upstairs, and spend a few minutes laughing as Abbie shows me the tricks she’s just figured out Dexter knows. I reward the pup with a piece of jerky and Abbie with her bubbles. She rewards me with a kiss that sends me back downstairs more determined in my mission than ever. The apartment feels different with her and Dexter here. Alive. I feel alive in ways I didn’t know I could feel alive.
I grab one of the bags from the counter and walk to my office and shut the door. Once there, I open one of the three disposable phones I’ve purchased and sit down. It’s time to make the call that ends this and Abbie’s ex.