Total pages in book: 180
Estimated words: 182075 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 910(@200wpm)___ 728(@250wpm)___ 607(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 182075 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 910(@200wpm)___ 728(@250wpm)___ 607(@300wpm)
Indie could feel her heart starting to race. Sweat coated her body as she attempted to breathe steadily.
This was it.
Now she really didn’t have a home. It was strange, she’d never thought of this place as home, as her safety net.
But now that it was gone, she felt like she was in freefall.
“I thought this lunch would be a courtesy to let her know what was going on and so she could check to see if she has anything here that she wants. I’m unsure how that makes me a bad person.” Edward actually appeared confused.
“It’s even worse that you don’t realize how this makes you an asshole,” Slade told him.
“Slade,” she said in a quiet voice, reaching out to put her hand on his arm. “Leave it.”
This had happened to her a lot over the years. Where her mum would move in with a guy then cheat on him or show her true colors.
And then they’d be kicked out, never to see him again.
This time it was more of a shock because Edward had been in her life for so long.
But it wasn’t losing him that made her feel like she was on the edge of a panic attack.
It was the idea that she might lose them.
That they might walk out of her life as easily as he had.
Rock leaned down, his lips brushing her ear and making her shiver.
She was acting ridiculous.
“Calm.” His voice was low. That was one of the few words he’d ever spoken to her so she knew he could tell that she was freaking out. “Breathe.”
Then he stood and glared at Edward before tugging her from the room. She could hear Edward and Slade arguing as Rock headed upstairs with her behind him.
“There’s nothing of mine up there,” she told him. “Mum told me she got rid of everything I’d left here.”
“Fucking bitch.”
She startled, turning to find Spencer behind her. She just shrugged at his words.
That was her mum.
God. She couldn’t believe that she’d been so blatant about having an affair. Was she insane?
“I can’t believe she’s done this.” Indie ran her shaking hand over her face. “And she didn’t even tell me.”
“Like I said, she’s a bitch, Princess.” Spencer moved up the stairs until he stood close to her. “Don’t even think about her. She’s not worth it.”
She glanced up at Rock, who nodded.
“Edward never wants to see me again,” she said, feeling numb and out of it. “I mean, we’re not close. I guess I just never thought . . .”
“That he’d cut you out completely,” Slade said angrily as he stormed toward them, Quaid following. “That’s because he’s a fucking wanker.”
Great.
Now she was getting between Slade and his father. Something she never wanted to do. They didn’t have the best relationship and this would only make things worse.
“Don’t be angry with him over me,” she said quietly.
Slade shot her a look like she was being an idiot.
“He’d go to war over you,” Spencer told her quietly as Slade headed outside. “We all would.”
Quaid stared up at her solemnly. “Is there anything you need from this place?”
She shook her head.
“Then let’s go.”
6
Indie blamed what happened on her mum and Edward. If she’d been in a better frame of mind she would have protested as the guys bundled her into Slade’s Phantom.
But it took her at least ten minutes to notice that she was in his car, being driven away from the estate.
She was in the backseat while Slade drove and Quaid sat in the front passenger seat. Spencer must have gone with Rock. Turning in her seat, she saw them behind them.
“Easy, precious cargo,” Quaid murmured to Slade as he took a corner too fast and she nearly slammed into the door. Man, this car was nice. The whole thing was expensive and gorgeous.
Although why did Quaid say that? Did they have something in the boot of the car that was precious?
“Yeah, sorry,” Slade told him as he slowed down, changing gears.
“What . . . where are we going?” she asked.
“Where do you want to go?” Quaid asked, turning to look at her.
“Uh, I guess the train station.”
She rubbed her arms. She didn’t really want to return to Billy.
But what choice did she have?
Tell them to take you back to their apartment.
Tell them that he scares you.
They’re your family.
Indie gathered up her courage and opened her mouth to tell them that she didn’t want to go back to Billy when Quaid’s phone rang.
He answered it with a frown. “It’s Sunday. Yes . . . right . . . fuck.”
That was such a shock from the usually calm and cool Quaid that she jumped in shock.
“How the fuck did that happen? What do you mean? Sure?”
He ended the call.
“Problem?” Slade asked.
“Ah, yeah. Apparently someone tried to hack our systems. Shepherd managed to keep them out. But he wants us at the office, checking over everything and helping him tighten it up.”