Total pages in book: 140
Estimated words: 137144 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 686(@200wpm)___ 549(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 137144 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 686(@200wpm)___ 549(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
“And my youngest brother’s called Patrick, but we call him Paddy. He’s, well, he’s a scoundrel. Smart, but hasn’t quite got his life together. When he was younger, he got into a lot of trouble because he was too smart. School bored him. Once, he hacked into the school system and gave everyone A’s. My grandfather had to pay handsomely to keep the cops out of that.”
“Your grandfather?” she asked.
“Yeah. Now, there’s a grumpy old fart, Conor Gallagher. We had to live with him when our parents died in a car accident. I think Ronan was about sixteen. Which meant that I was twelve. And Paddy was just eight. Wasn’t easy. For any of us. I would have understood if the old man had turned us away, but he’s big on family. Took us all in and raised us the best he could. He and my father were actually estranged. Dad didn’t want anything to do with the family business. He wouldn’t be happy that Ronan was now the head of it and that Paddy and I are involved.”
She wasn’t quite sure what to say to that. “Are you happy to be involved?”
He shrugged. “It is what it is. And it makes the old man happy. We owe him.”
“I’m sure he would’ve looked after you no matter what. Family shouldn’t owe family.”
His lips quirked up in a smile. “I’m not so sure about that.”
“Can I have my phone and handbag?” She finished eating.
“No,” he said cheerfully.
“No? Why not?”
“Because I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to have your phone.”
Her temper stirred. “Why not? Are you worried I might call someone and tell them that you’re holding me prisoner?”
Harvey smiled like he thought she was the funniest thing ever.
“Would you do that? After I took care of you these last few days? Bathed you, cleaned you up when you’d been ill, cooked for you. I even gave you a bell to call for me. Although you did disobey me and walk down the stairs on your own. That was rather naughty.”
“No, I wouldn’t call the police,” she said.
He tilted his head to the side, studying her. “I wouldn’t blame you if you did, Lily. I don’t think you fully understand how much I care about you. And what I would do to keep you.”
A shaft of fear ran up her spine. She believed he meant every word of that.
And no, she didn’t know the depths that he’d go to in order to keep her, because she didn’t understand how he could be so obsessed with her. It wasn’t normal, this obsession, was it?
It couldn’t be healthy. But if he was mentally ill, then he’d hidden it well.
And Lord knew it wasn’t like she was that healthy herself.
“That isn’t the main reason I don’t want you having your phone,” he told her. “I don’t think you would call the police on me. I think you want answers about what happened to you too much and you know that I’ll be the one to find them.”
Did that mean she was using him? She bit her lower lip.
Reaching over, he freed her lip from between her teeth.
“None of that,” he told her. “No fretting, no worrying. If you’re thinking that you’re using me for answers, then don’t. Because I would be getting answers either way.”
“You would?” she asked.
“Oh yes,” Harvey replied. “Whoever drugged you deserves to pay. I want to know the truth.”
So did she. “So why can’t I have my phone then?”
“Because of your mother. She’s been sending messages to you. When she was arrested, she was sent to a psych unit for a while to get evaluated, but she must have convinced them that she was in her right mind. Now, she’s out on bail. She’s been demanding that you return home, and I didn’t want you to see those messages.”
“Were you worried that I’d try to do what she wants?”
“Would you?” he asked.
“When you first took me? Yes, probably. Not that I would’ve gotten far, right?”
“You wouldn’t have,” he agreed. “But that doesn’t mean I want you upset by the messages she’s been sending. She is no longer in your life. You no longer have to worry about her, because she won’t have any influence over you and you never have to see her again.”
“She’s my mother, though.”
“Just because she’s your mother, doesn’t mean she deserves to be. It doesn’t give her the right to abuse you and expect you to just forgive her. Your mother is supposed to take care of you. She’s supposed to look after and protect you. That bitch didn’t do that, did she?”
No, sadly, she never had. Not as far as Lily could remember, anyway. She’d never been the kind of person who would give her a cuddle when she hurt herself or come running when she had a nightmare. She only turned up to school functions because it was expected of her, not because she actually cared. The only time she’d ever really noticed Lily or Clem was when they were doing something that she didn’t approve of.