Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 56591 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 283(@200wpm)___ 226(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56591 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 283(@200wpm)___ 226(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
“It’s okay,” I murmur. “If I’ve learned one thing as I’ve gotten older, it’s that life is never that simple.”
Dom takes my hand, bringing it to his mouth and kissing my knuckles softly. “I’ve never told anyone about Liam,” he says. “Not even Ethan. He’s completely separate from my life, a reminder of what my father did to my mother. The way my father told it, he cheated on her for years. I hate Jennifer, even, but she’s my brother’s mother. What am I supposed to do?”
“It’s complicated,” I say, squeezing his hand. Offering some comfort, I hope. “Sometimes people have good reasons for doing bad things.”
He tilts his head at me. “What good reason is there to cheat?”
“Well, not that,” I admit.
“What, then?” he asks.
This is my big moment. We’ve bonded. We’re closer than we have any right to be, considering the timeframe.
“Nothing,” I say, cowardly. I’m a fucking joke.
There’s a long pause, then I say, “Do you see him often?”
“I do right by them,” he says, as if convincing himself. “Liam has wanted for nothing because of me. Despite that, it doesn’t feel like enough. I don’t think I need to visit him every damn day to help, do I?”
“No,” I agree.
“Sometimes, it feels like that,” he says. “Jennifer, she’s a good mom, but as a person?” He shakes his head. “She can be demanding. Asking for more money, even if she’s married now. Perhaps she thinks she’s got me fooled. Or maybe she knows that blood is thicker than water. I know they don’t need the extra money. It’s for trips, renovations, and stuff for her other than my brother. But still, I pay.”
I rest my head against his arm, hugging him, offering what relief I can. “I’m sure you’re doing an excellent job,” I murmur.
He wraps his arm around me and kisses the top of my head. “Thank you. I’m doing my best. And I’m sorry for worrying you. I know you must’ve been wondering when you saw the FaceTime call…”
“I thought it might be a second family,” I admit.
“Not me, Izzy. My father, sure. But never me. I wouldn’t betray you like that.”
I cling tightly to him, his words bouncing painfully around my head.
No, sir, you would never betray me like that. But what about the other way around?
It’s halfway through the workday, and things are going well. Dom and I are doing a good job of pretending we don’t want to tear each other’s clothes off every chance we get. When I deliver some documents to his office during a meeting, I feel his eyes on me, burning, hungry, but only for a moment.
Back at my desk, my cell phone rings. It’s the hospital. What now?
I take the call in the hallway. “Hello? Is my grandmother okay?”
“I’m sorry, Miss Marlowe, but there’s been an issue with your most recent payment.”
My world begins to spin.
“Excuse me?” I practically screech. I walk deeper into the hallway, away from the main office. “Pike Construction should—”
“We received a call from Aaron Pike, miss, and he explained that he will be discontinuing your grandmother’s care. If the situation isn’t rectified, we’ll unfortunately have to move her to a state facility.”
I grit my teeth, feeling like I could scream.
“This is a misunderstanding,” I assure her and myself.
“I spoke to Mr. Pike myself.”
“It’s a misunderstanding,” I hiss. “Don’t do anything until I’ve spoken to him.”
“Very well. We’ll be eagerly awaiting your call.”
Is that sarcasm I hear in her voice? The damn medical system. They were my best friends when they were getting thousands of dollars a day from my grandma, but now that the money has dried up…
I call Aaron, pacing the corridor, biting the nails off my free hand.
“Ah, my sweet niece,” he says.
“Is this a joke?”
“You were seen with your lover boy at the hospital,” Aaron barks. “A pretty, precious scene between lovebugs. All while you’re supposed to be bringing me his fucking scalp. And you’re asking me if I’m the one playing a joke.”
I lean against the wall, my stomach in knots. Grandma sacrificed the peace of her latter years to raise me, and this prick won’t even let her die in peace.
“It’s do or die time,” Aaron snaps. “You give me something—today—or I swear, blood or no blood, she’ll be out on her ass come sunrise tomorrow. That’s all there is to it. I’ve been too lenient as it is.”
I groan. What am I supposed to do?
Tears slide down my cheeks, stinging. I should rush to Dom’s office and confess everything. He won’t let Grandma suffer, will he? But why do I even think that? We’re close, the sexual chemistry is unreal, but I lied to him and, well, we’re strangers. It hurts to even think that, but in the grand scheme of things, it’s a fact.
“Stop sobbing, you stupid, weak-willed slut,” Aaron grunts. “You always were pathetic. That’s why I wanted no hand in raising you. But perhaps I was wrong. I could’ve toughened you up.”