Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 72231 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 361(@200wpm)___ 289(@250wpm)___ 241(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72231 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 361(@200wpm)___ 289(@250wpm)___ 241(@300wpm)
“They’re deadly,” he immediately replies.
“Cressida warned me to be careful what I say to you and your friends.”
“She’s had a thing against Soren for a long time.”
“But is she correct?”
He nods gravely.
I stop at the building’s entrance, and he stays on the sidewalk. “I’m not really sure how I feel about being with someone who keeps secrets from me.” I unlock the door and then turn back to look at him one last time. His hands curl into fists as if he’s resisting the urge to reach for me. Arlo is the first guy to make me feel alive in so long, and my feelings for him have been growing. “And I don’t want you to tell me anything that could bring harm to either of us. So, I think we have come to an impasse.”
I smile sadly at him. “Despite everything, I’ve enjoyed your company. I thank you for opening up to me when you did. Good night, Arlo.” I step inside and shut the door, locking it behind me before I lean against it, close my eyes, and sigh.
The following day, I go to work, glad when Arlo doesn’t try to contact me. But I can’t lie and say I’m not also a little disappointed he didn’t try harder. He’s shared some things with me that I thought pulled us even closer, but it appears I was wrong about that as well.
I’ve been searching the Internet for information about the hunt with no luck. And the only person who can tell me anything is the man I’m trying to avoid. Even if I wasn’t, I’m fairly sure he wouldn’t be willing to tell me anything about it anyway.
I spend the rest of the week busy with work until I get a call from the care facility that my mother has an infection, and she’s not eating. I go out to visit her, and I can immediately see how much she’s deteriorated since I was last here. It pains me to see her this way; I love her so much that any pain she suffers from hurts me to my core.
I pull out a bar of white chocolate, and she doesn’t even bother to reach for it. A pang of hurt goes through me at the thought of her not even wanting something she absolutely loves to eat.
Will I lose her?
How can I handle that?
The doctor explains that she has an infection in her lungs, and they’re trying to treat it with antibiotics, but it doesn’t help when she doesn’t eat anything. I thought bringing the chocolate would help, but I guess I was wrong.
I spot a fresh bouquet of flowers on her windowsill, and I still have no idea who is sending them to her. Before I head out the door, I make sure to leave two blocks of chocolate on her bedside table because if I can at least get her to eat that, it’s better than nothing.
Later that day, Sebastian comes around after I tell him what’s been happening and how Delaney is ignoring my text messages.
“I haven’t heard from her either,” he says as soon as he walks in the door.
“I’m getting worried. We should go over there.”
“Didn’t you say she was away?”
“Yes, but she may have already returned,” I reason, sitting back on the couch and pouring us each a glass of wine. “I’m worried. I mean, when does it get to the point that I put in a missing person report?”
“You really think she won’t come back?” he asks, taking his glass.
“I don’t know.”
“Well, I don’t want to sound weird, and I know you mentioned you were not going to see that fine-ass man again, but could you ask him for a favor?”
I give him a confused look, not sure where he’s going with this. “What do you mean?”
“You told me how you called the police the night he broke in.” I nod my head. “You also mentioned he knows someone in the police department.”
“A detective.” And that’s when it hits me where this is going. “That would require talking to him again, seeing him. And every time I see that man, I want to give in.”
Sebastian starts laughing. “Well, if the sex is half as good as you say it is…”
“It is. The best I’ve ever had.” I don’t tell him it wasn’t just sex. Somewhere along the way, we became more.
“But you don’t want anything more with him?”
“He told me some personal things, and I wanted to give him more of a chance. Then I found out he’s keeping secrets.”
“Everyone keeps secrets, Cora.” He rolls his eyes.
“I know that, but I want to know a particular secret,” I say with a smirk. “He also offered for us to become more, to have a real relationship,” I admit. “I told him no.”
“Why would you do that when that’s what you’re after?” Sebastian lets out a frustrated huff. “That man is fine, and he clearly wants you. Yes, he may hold back a few secrets, but can you not live with that?”