Total pages in book: 181
Estimated words: 171979 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 860(@200wpm)___ 688(@250wpm)___ 573(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 171979 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 860(@200wpm)___ 688(@250wpm)___ 573(@300wpm)
“None of your business.” Sage reached out to open the door. “Leave.”
His eyes were on the hand she was holding the door open with. “Come outside to the hallway for a second.”
“No.”
“Either you can explain why you’re limping and why your palm is raw, or you’ll have to call the cops to get me out of here,” he said in a hard tone.
“I’ll get my phone, then.”
“Do you really want the girls to see the police throw me out?”
“Fine,” she snapped, conceding.
“I’ll be back, Glory!” she called out.
Kent made Sage go through the door first, not chancing she would lock him out if he preceded her.
Shutting the door, she turned to him angrily. “I can’t believe your audacity to have the nerve to come here.”
He shrugged. “I’m a lawyer; that’s a professional requirement.”
Sage stared at him humorlessly. “You’ve never shown up at my door unexpectedly before. How did you figure out I found out about Livvy and you?”
“Mrs. Boward asked if you had brought me lunch. She was surprised you hadn’t. I’m sorry about what you must have heard. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I was going to tell you after—”
“You just can’t stop lying, can you?” Hatred filled her face. “You could have told me last night when I asked you about Livvy. You didn’t. Instead, I had to hear both of you talking about me. Listen to you”—Sage leaned sideways on the wall, turning her face away from him—“have sex with her,” she said brokenly. “I told you I was in love with you; all you had to do was be honest with me and tell me you were only using me to keep whatever you want to call you have going on with Livvy a secret from Garrett.”
“Sage, please …”
She held a hand up to stop him. “Don’t worry; if you came for damage control, I won’t say a word to Garrett or Gail about you two. They have three children; if they separate, it won’t be because of anything I said or did.”
When she touched the doorknob, he put a hand over hers. “How were you hurt?”
“I was nearly hit by a car when I was on a crosswalk. I had to jump out of the way.”
“Did you go to the hospital to have yourself checked out? Did they stop and check to make sure you were okay?”
“No to both questions. The car took off. It probably scared them as much as me that they nearly hit me. I don’t need to go to the hospital. I’m sore. I’m going to take Tylenol before I go to bed. Now, if you don’t mind, I need to finish dinner.” Shaking his hand off, she tried again to open the door.
He braced his hand on the doorjamb to prevent her from going inside. “Why didn’t you tell me Glory and the girls live with you?”
Grief lines etched her face. “Because the time I spent with you was special. It was the only time I could pretend my sister isn’t dying, and when I lose her, I’ll lose the girls, too.”
“Why would you lose the girls?” He frowned. “You don’t get along with their father?”
“Their father is dead.”
“Then …”
“Their father’s … their grandparents want custody of them. Glory has had two court hearings with them. When she’s … gone, they’ll win custody. I don’t have the money they do. I’ll lose.”
“That’s why you have to work so much? To pay the lawyer fees?”
“Among other bills.”
“I can help you …”
“You want to help me?” she burst out angrily. “Go away and never, ever, ever talk or try to see me again. Go live with Livvy and enjoy Garrett’s money. You two deserve each other.”
He let his hand fall away from the doorjamb, and he didn’t try to stop her from going inside this time. Hearing the lock click in place, he left.
In his car, he took out his cell and went to contacts. Pressing Ice’s number, he put the phone to his ear.
“I’m having dinner; what do you want?”
Kent didn’t bother to keep the fury out of his voice. “You were supposed to give me the information I needed in exchange for Mica’s deal to go through without him getting his ass killed. I fulfilled my end of the bargain,” he snarled into the phone. “The information Jackal sent me wasn’t complete. By the time I get up in the morning, I fucking better have everything on Sage Douglas from birth, including her sister Glory’s information, or so help me God, don’t call me when any of the Predators get their asses in trouble or need me to supervise one of your transactions!”
“You need to check yourself,” Ice replied grimly. “Jackal doesn’t make mistakes. What makes you think Jackal’s information wasn’t complete?”
“Oh … I don’t know …” Furiously, he slammed his hand on the dashboard, wishing it were Jackal’s face, not giving a fuck if Ice got angry at him for the way he was speaking to him. “Maybe it would have been helpful to know her sister and nieces live with her, or the fact”—Kent’s voice rose until he was yelling—“that someone is trying to fucking kill her!”