Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 71148 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 356(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71148 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 356(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
He nods, but it’s a concentrated movement, as if he’s focused on not letting me see him in agony when it’s so damn clear. “I’m fine, just a bit torn up.”
“And the other guys?” I question before I have time to think. But I don’t say Darius’s name, even though I want to know if he’s alive.
A slight grin on my husband’s lips tells me he knows. “Darius and Kahn are fine, they’re with Alex now.” Relief washes over me at his admission. Both men are good, and they deserve to find their own form of happiness.
I can’t hide how I feel, not with Lycan, because he can see right through me. And even now, as Lycan stares at me as if I were a precious gemstone, shining before him, but there’s something bothering him. It’s his eyes, those expressive jade orbs.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, my brows furrowing in confusion as I watch him watch me.
Honesty has always been something I wanted. In our lives and in our relationship. I won’t tolerate lies and hidden truths. Lycan leads me to the sofa where he settles in comfortably and pulls me in beside him.
He winces, and I can’t stop the sigh when I think about him hurting again. “I found something in the church,” he tells me, causing my heart to stutter. “I don’t know what it means, but we need to go back to Crimson Falls, and we need to do that very fucking soon.”
“What is it, Lycan? You’re scaring me.” And he is. I’ve seen him take charge before. I’ve even seen him in that controlling, commanding way he has, but this is something different. Lycan pushes to his feet, moving slowly as he does so. His arm wrapping around his middle as he holds onto his ribs. He picks up the item he set down a few moments ago before joining me again.
Once he’s managed to settle beside me, he hands me the manila folder. With trembling fingers, I flip it open and see my grandmother’s name under the title of sponsor. But it makes no sense. She’s given money to so many businesses over the years. This may not be anything to worry about.
“What is this?” I ask, my brows furrowing when I delve deeper into the documents, and my heart drops to my stomach. The job they went to earlier was the convent. When I learned about the details, I felt sick to my stomach. Lycan told me about the reason that place existed. It wasn’t a sanctuary. The girls were stolen. This is where he found my grandmother’s name.
“I’m sorry, little red,” he whispers as his arm wraps around me. He pulls me into the crook of his body, and it doesn’t escape me how well I fit there. “I’m not sure what this means yet,” he tells me.
But I realize what it means. It’s written in black and white.
There’s no mistaking my grandmother’s money funded the convent. And perhaps she was unaware of what was going on under the cloak of darkness. Maybe she was trying to help, but it makes no sense. Why would she send money to a place like that? All the way down in New Orleans. It’s nowhere near Crimson Falls.
However, my grandmother’s business in New York is somewhat of a secret. She’s never spoken much about it, only that she has meetings with her board members every few months. She travels a lot, so there’s no saying she didn’t know about this. Or knew about the operation that was being disguised as a place for women to find solace and healing.
“I need to speak to her.” I’m shaking. My hands tremble as I hand the folder back to Lycan because I can’t look at it any longer. The thought of being lied to, of my family being part of something so horrific has bile racing up my throat, and I rush for the bathroom, making it just in time to hurl my dinner into the porcelain bowl.
My body convulses as tears trickle from my eyes. My chest aches. Lycan is at my side within seconds, holding my hair, his big, strong hand circling my back as he comforts me, and I take solace in the fact that this man loves me so deeply.
When I’m done puking my guts up, he helps me to my feet, and I brush my teeth in the sink before Lycan leads me to the bed. We settle under the covers, him on his back and me cocooned under his strong arm.
“I’m sorry,” he says then, causing me to snap my gaze up toward him. “I’m sorry I can’t explain why I found her details in that place. I wish I knew more. I’m sorry you’re hurting.” There’s pain in those words, regret that seeps from his lips, and I press my mouth to his, needing to silence his apologies.