Total pages in book: 254
Estimated words: 240032 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1200(@200wpm)___ 960(@250wpm)___ 800(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 240032 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1200(@200wpm)___ 960(@250wpm)___ 800(@300wpm)
“I did what I had to. You said it. They’re all our kids. And I did try calling you and Phoebe, for the record.”
That muscle in his cheek went even tighter, and his eyes went really narrow, eyebrows dropping low to frame them. “I was taking care of some matters. I tried calling you back five minutes later, but it went to voicemail,” he told me. Those tense shoulders he’d come over with finally lowered a little bit. “I’m sorry.”
“You didn’t do anything,” I told him, gently. “Thanks for worrying. For coming to find us.” I gave him a little smile, tugging at a tease to help the situation. “I’ll make sure to tell Matti you’ve done a good job keeping an eye on me.”
That didn’t have the effect I’d intended it to. Another growl rose from his chest through his throat.
He stepped even closer, his chest bumping mine. “I’m not taking care of you for Matti, Nina.”
I felt my eyebrows rise.
“You scared the hell out of me,” he sounded so accusing.
I hadn’t expected him to actually admit that out loud. “I scared the hell out of myself,” I agreed.
“I could smell how worried you were from half a mile away. How terrified the kids were.” Henri’s throat bobbed. “It would’ve taken me longer to get there, but Spencer was waiting, and he told me where to find you.” His volume dipped. “I’ve never run so fast in my life.”
The way my body reacted to him talking to me like this….
“He told me to hurry up and look for them,” I admitted. “He could’ve helped them, but something is something, I guess.”
There was a light huff that was only partially from him being amused. I’d been right earlier about him being scared for us. Poor Fluff.
“Are the kids in big trouble?”
“I don’t want to talk about them right now. They’re not in as big of trouble as they should be for risking their lives and yours. If it was up to me, they’d be grounded until they’re eighteen,” he said, staring down at me. “It took me too long to get in contact with Phoebe. She didn’t have service where she was looking for the boys, and none of Pascal’s family was around, so I had to wait for them to get home. It….” He shook his head, his forehead furrowing. “It all took too damn long to handle.”
So that’s what happened. I nodded. “A-g-n-e-s said they were looking for a waterfall. Is there one around here?”
He nodded.
“No one’s ever mentioned it. I thought she was making it up.”
“No one’s told you about it because we wait until the trial period is over to,” he explained, watching me carefully.
“Oh,” I sighed. “Okay?”
Henri lowered his voice. “It’s a secret waterfall. Even the children only see it on special occasions.”
“Why’s it secret?”
“You have to see it to understand.” Those eyes of his were intense, but his next words weren’t. “Want to visit it?”
He didn’t have to tell me twice. “I want to see what I risked my life for.”
That brought the scowl back.
“Too soon?” I winced, feeling another little spark of humor rise up in me.
“What do you think?”
I lifted both my shoulders, watching him.
He dropped his head just a little more. “Next time you have to do something dangerous, you’ll tell me first?”
It was my turn to swallow, the urge to say that I’d be calling whoever I mated with in the future instead of him was there and present in my thoughts and in my vocabulary. I guess I felt like being mean. Felt like reminding him of what he was being so wishy-washy with. How he could kiss me and be nice to me, and then just….
Remind me that he’d never promised anything. On purpose.
These hurt feelings were my fault and only mine, and dang it, that still stung.
“You’re not agreeing with me,” he brought up, being the observant man I knew and cared for.
The urge to look anywhere but at him was so strong, I couldn’t ignore it. “I don’t want to make any promises I might have to break,” I warned him, tugging on my bracelet like I didn’t have every inch of it memorized.
He let out a long breath. “There’s no reason for you to break any promises to me.”
I took a step back and lifted my head, my calves bumping into the step I’d been sitting on earlier. “No, and I don’t want to start.” This had turned back into a depressing conversation, and another reminder of just how things were. Which meant, there was no point in putting myself through it.
I’d made my decision. So had he.
“Well, I guess I’m going to go back inside.”
He stepped in front of me so fast that I jerked my head to stare up at him. Henri’s head was bent, his solemn face harder than normal. “You scared the hell out of me today—”