Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 93929 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 470(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 313(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93929 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 470(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 313(@300wpm)
A part of me wonders if Finn’s right. Maybe it’s better if we back off and wait a while. I don’t want to get caught just because I’m impatient and can’t wait a few more months. I have the argument with myself over and over, and each time I come to the same conclusion: I’m a freaking shark, baby.
If I stop swimming, I’m donezo.
At around one-thirty, Liam appears outside. He pauses, looks around, and stares down at his phone. I resist the urge to perk up. He might notice any sudden movements. Instead, I stay where I am, shifted down low behind the steering wheel. After a few more minutes, another Uber pulls up and Liam climbs into the back.
I follow it. There’s no way Liam’s going to notice as the passenger and I doubt the driver’s paying any attention. We snake our way through the side streets, heading toward Queens. It takes forever, but eventually the Uber stops and Liam gets out in front of a shady, crumbling row of houses.
I roll past, heart racing. I doubt he saw me, but there was an instant where I was right next to him. I go around the block, confused about what the heck is going on.
Why would Liam want to be in this place in the middle of the night? There’s nothing around here but residential streets, a few bodegas, shady daycares, stuff like that. Am I about to witness a drug deal or something? Knowing my husband, that’s extremely possible.
I park the car around the corner and hustle out. I try to be subtle and quiet, but everything’s terrifying. I flinch at shadows and my heart races up into my throat as I slowly stroll onto the street where I last saw Liam, doing my best to be casual about it.
There’s nothing here. Most of the buildings are abandoned, and the ones that aren’t have thick metal bars over the windows. I frown, looking around, searching for where he could have gone—
“Hey, Caroline. You’re fucking terrible at this.”
I yelp and whirl around. Liam’s leaning against a stoop, casually puffing on a small cigarillo. He gets it going and grins at me.
“Holy shit, you scared me.”
“Good.” He blows out smoke. “Come on.”
“Wait, where are you going?”
But he’s already walking back the way I came. I curse to myself, but what else can I do? I have no idea where I am or why we’re out here. I’m forced to follow him down the block, hurrying to catch up.
“That thing stinks,” I comment as he keeps smoking his cigarillo.
“Bad habit,” he admits, glancing at me sidelong. “Keep moving. Don’t look back.”
“What are we doing here, Liam?”
“I know what I’m doing here, but I have no clue why you thought staking me out was a good idea.”
I nearly trip over my own feet. “You knew I was watching?”
“The whole time. I got a particular bit of pleasure when you were forced to take a piss—”
“You saw that?!”
“Not up close, relax. Finn would cut my throat.” He chuckles and takes a puff.
I take a second to compose myself. I’m mortified, but I can’t let that derail me. “What are we doing here though? You brought me out this way for a reason, didn’t you?”
He shrugs, his enigmatic smile lit up by the glow from his cigarillo. “I thought I’d reward you for your patience.”
“By getting me mugged and murdered?”
“Nah, don’t worry, it’s not that bad.” He frowns slightly. “They’d probably just murder you and skip the mugging.”
“Liam.”
He slows his pace once we’re a couple blocks away from where I parked my car. “Those houses back there aren’t as bad as they look from the outside. From what I’ve heard, the interiors are actually pretty nice. Rumors say a bunch of high rollers like to gather in there for big poker games.”
My heart skips a beat. “High rollers like my brother?”
“Could be.” He drops the end of his cigarillo and stomps it out. “I’m quitting. Seriously, that’s the last one.”
“Why are you showing me this on purpose? You have to know Finn doesn’t want me here.”
Liam’s smile gets bigger as a car door opens nearby.
I nearly scream when Finn climbs out.
He stands on the curb staring at me in black jeans and a black shirt. My husband looks like a beautiful, pissed-off, vengeful god. My pulse rockets erratically, and for the first time, I’m genuinely afraid. I’ve never gone out of my way to disobey him like this before, and I know I’ve crossed a line.
“Sorry, but now you know where my loyalties lie, at least,” Liam mutters and starts to walk away.
“Where are you going?” I stare at him in a panic. “You could at least witness my murder.”
He laughs and Finn only sighs.
“My wife’s so dramatic.” He comes to me slowly, a considering look on his face. His hands are shoved into his pockets. “I’ll give you this. You really are determined.”