Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 104869 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 524(@200wpm)___ 419(@250wpm)___ 350(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104869 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 524(@200wpm)___ 419(@250wpm)___ 350(@300wpm)
“I’m in Riversend.”
“Where?” Cade asked blankly.
“A small tourist town on the Garden Route,” she elaborated.
“The fuck are you doing there?” Nox asked, looking baffled.
“Smith’s here.”
Cade’s face expression went frosty. “Why are you there?”
“It’s my marriage, Cade. I thought I could save it. It’s become clear that I can’t.”
“Come home immediately.” Again with that no-nonsense tone.
“No. I…I need a break. I’ve taken leave from work and I just need a little time to figure things out before I—”
“Jesus Christ, what the hell?” This from Nox, whose gaze was fixed on some point beyond her.
Kenny winced, not needing to turn around to know that Smith was standing right behind her. A glance down at her image in the corner of the screen confirmed it.
“If he’s left you, if your marriage is over…why in fuck is that arsehole standing behind you with his shirt off?” Gideon asked, sounding more baffled than irate.
To be fair, the question was very valid.
“I came here to talk. He very graciously offered me a place to stay for a couple of nights while I make alternative arrangements.”
“Talk about what?” Cade asked, his face and voice were dark with suspicion.
“The divorce,” she said, sighing impatiently.
“Why are you making alternative arrangements? When are you coming home?” Cade again. Nox and Gideon seemed content to let him ask the questions.
For now.
“I’m on holiday.”
“You can be on holiday at home,” Cade said.
“But I like it here.”
“He doesn’t look too thrilled about that,” Gideon observed, indicating Smith with a thrust of his jaw.
“He doesn’t get a say in where I spend my vacations.”
“I never did.” Smith’s grim, unsolicited response startled her. She hadn’t expected him to comment.
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” Nox asked, his beard practically bristling with irritation.
Smith yawned rudely and scratched his chest, before shrugging in disinterest. “Your sister always went where she wanted when she wanted, without ever requiring my input—or even my presence. Why should now be any different?”
“You’re not fit to—”
“Nox.” Kenny’s low voice interrupted the start of what promised to be a nasty rant and Nox—belatedly remembering her rule about interference—instantly shut his mouth.
Smith’s lip curled into a disdainful sneer. He flipped her brothers off, and sauntered to the bathroom, shutting the door firmly behind him.
“I really, really dislike that arsehole,” Nox complained. “Never understood what you saw in him. You’ll be well rid of him.”
Kenny’s lips trembled and she looked away from the screen for a second as she fought back her tears.
“Nox.” There was quiet censure in Gideon’s deep voice. “This is her marriage, man.”
Kenny looked back in time to see Nox wince. His brows slammed together as he lifted a hand to the nape of his neck.
“Fuck. I’m sorry, Kenny. It’s just—”
“It’s okay, Nox. Just drop it, okay?” Kenny whispered.
“I don’t like seeing you hurt,” her brother lumbered on awkwardly.
“I know.”
“Kenny,” Cade said, choosing his words with care. “You could go literally anywhere on earth, why stay there?”
“I’m just so…” Kenny paused as she considered what to say, not sure if she should tell them about her toe. “I’m so tired. I want—need—to stop and process everything that has happened. This is as good a place as any to do that.”
“But—” Gideon stopped with a confused shake of his head. “Kenny, I’m not sure this is entirely healthy.”
Nox nodded. Great. Of course, they’d choose right now to start agreeing with each other.
“I know what I’m doing. I’ll be fine.” She lied.
“Kenny…” Cade’s face was somber, his eyes full of concern.
“I’ve got to go. I have a lot to do today.” Number one being finding an actual place to stay. “Thank you for caring. Love you guys.”
They all looked ready to protest, but she quickly disconnected the call and placed her phone on silent. She knew they’d probably talk for a while longer, arguing back and forth about how they could circumvent her “no interference” mandate.
That said, Kenny was confident that they would keep their word, take a step back, and trust her to figure this out for herself.
Chapter
Eleven
“This place is a dump,” Smith proclaimed.
Kenny slanted him an annoyed look. She wasn’t sure why he was here. He’d brought her to meet Tina at the house just after breakfast.
The drive and the meal had been conducted in total silence. And Kenny had fully expected him to just drop her at the front door and leave. Or, at the very least, wait outside.
Instead he had trailed after them in sulky silence. Clearly he wasn’t missing a single flawed detail of the house as he dragged fingers over chipped and broken surfaces, checked light fixtures, glowered at the grubby linoleum floor, and squinted at the loose hinges on the bathroom door.
“I’ll take it,” Kenny told Tina, ignoring Smith’s statement, and folding her arms over her chest as she met his incredulous stare with a defiant tilt of her chin.