Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 108362 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 542(@200wpm)___ 433(@250wpm)___ 361(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108362 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 542(@200wpm)___ 433(@250wpm)___ 361(@300wpm)
“It beggars belief,” Isla added. “Just goes to show you can never really know someone.”
A quiet fell, a chill settling over us. Finally, Isla left to go monitor the street just in case Dixon decided to return.
“I’m so sorry,” I said to Jace, going to sit by him and instinctively bringing my hand to his hair, pushing my fingers through it. He seemed to sink into my touch, like he needed the comfort. “I invited Margie into my life, let her be around Zara. I feel sick just thinking about it.”
“How could you have known? She never showed signs of being untrustworthy. There was no way for you to suspect her of being anything other than a nice woman who’d become your friend. Besides, Angelica hired Dixon without a full background check. If anyone’s to blame, it’s her.”
“Don’t be too hard on her. He created false references to fool her. And despite everything he did, if he hadn’t been there to stop Margie from attacking you that night in London, who knows what might’ve happened. He might be a bastard, but he did one good thing.”
Jace sighed and rested his head on my shoulder. I wrapped my arms around him and stroked my fingers through his hair again. “Fuck,” he said then, like he’d just realised something.
“What is it?”
“We’re going to have to remove your entire security system and replace it with a new one. Dixon helped install it. If he has a way of hacking the cameras”—he paused to shudder—“it doesn’t bear thinking about.”
For the first time, I truly didn’t feel safe under my own roof. Knowing how Dixon had been in here, how much he knew about the place, was chilling. My stomach pitched, a shiver running down my spine. “Jace,” I whispered.
“Yeah?”
“I don’t want to be here, not after … and I don’t want Zara to be here either.”
“Okay, so you’ll come stay with us.”
I shook my head. “My parents have an apartment nearby I can use. They keep it for when they come visit, but it’s empty most of the year. Dixon doesn’t know about it, and neither does Margie. I know I could just go stay at your parents’ house, but he might show up there anytime, and I don’t want to ever see him again. Plus, Margie’s been arrested, but only for car theft. They probably won’t hold her for very long. She said she regrets everything she’s done, but I just don’t know …”
Jace’s hand came to rest on my shoulder, and I quieted. His gaze met mine solidly like he understood what I was feeling. It wasn’t just that Dixon could turn up at his parents’ house. Sleeping under the roof where we first fell in love, all the memories we’d made there, was too overwhelming. I’d rapidly fallen for him again, and I was starting to feel like my heart was rushing ahead of me in a way I couldn’t control. My parents’ apartment was neutral ground, less intense, and he could stay there too without having to resort to sleeping on a couch since there were three bedrooms.
“It’s okay. We’ll start packing now. By the time Zara’s out of school, we’ll have you all moved into your parents’ apartment. You don’t need to come back here until we know for sure Dixon and Margie can’t get to you.”
His reassurance had relief rushing over me. Honestly, Jace was the only thing grounding me when everything else was bulging at the seams, waiting to split apart.
“Thank you,” I whispered, pressing my lips to his and set about packing.
***
“This place is amazing,” Jace said as I led him inside the spacious top floor apartment.
The building was only a couple years old and housed six units in total. It also came with inbuilt security cameras and a doorman, which was an added stress off my mind. Of course, the yearly service fees were astronomical, and it was far more luxurious than it needed to be, given my parents rarely occupied it, but they were the type of people who never, ever slummed it, even on short visits. Plus, knowing them, I was sure there was some benefit to owning the place. It was likely a part of their retirement strategy or something.
“I actually picked it out for them,” I said. “They wanted a base in Dublin but didn’t have the time to come look at apartments, so I did the groundwork.”
“I knew there was a reason I liked it,” Jace said as he went to open the French doors that led out into the gorgeous rooftop garden. “It’s very you.”
“You think? I picked out the furniture, but a woman called Glenda takes care of all the cleaning and gardening. She does a really great job. I don’t have much of a green thumb.”
Jace cast me an affectionate smile. “You’re an indoor cat. Always have been.”