Total pages in book: 120
Estimated words: 109976 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 550(@200wpm)___ 440(@250wpm)___ 367(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109976 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 550(@200wpm)___ 440(@250wpm)___ 367(@300wpm)
I thought about pouring her a glass of wine but then nixed the idea. I want her to have a clear head for what’s about to come. Even if I’d been tempted to give her one more night, finding my card in her hand had cinched the deal.
From the looks of it she’d handled it a lot in the months since I’d given it to her. That could mean only one thing. That she’d been thinking about me as much as I had her. I didn’t need to read between the lines to know what that meant.
I called Marcus who answered like he’d been waiting for my call. “What’s the deal?”
“Did you know he took his life right in front of her?”
“What do you mean?” I felt the cold fingers of dread run down my spine.
“I mean she was sitting down across from him at the kitchen table when it happened.”
I looked towards the stairs and up where I’d left her and tried to imagine it but all that shit did was make me angry. “Go on.”
“Since he didn’t leave a note and her face and clothes were covered in his blood when they showed up, they just wanted to know what led up to him pulling trigger.”
I stared up the stairs where she was hidden from sight and my gut tied itself in knots again. Is she going to need some kind of therapy? What the fuck was that asshole thinking?
“Did they get everything they need? She doesn’t have to go back there does she?”
“It’s done, it’s obvious it was a suicide so she’s in the clear there, but seeing as he’s a senator’s son they had to go the extra mile.” Like his fucking life was worth more than hers.
“Okay thanks, I’ll let you know if I need you again on this.” I hung up more worried than I had been until I reminded myself that with me by her side nothing was going to go wrong. I won’t let it. But now I had a new worry, why the fuck did he choose to do that shit right in front of her?
Even to the very end he didn’t protect her. What does that say about their life together? What hell had that spoilt little ass turd put her through, and will she ever tell me?
I decided not to waste another minute on his dumb ass and poured myself a shot of bourbon. Pacing back and forth in front of the bank of windows in my study I let my mind go where it wanted to instead.
We’ll deal with any lingering trauma she might have in the coming days if it comes to that, and I’ll be sure to keep my eye on her just in case. But right this second I can honestly say he was the last thing on my mind the selfish fuck.
Giselle
I released my pent up breath and reclined against the tub as I felt my muscles relax and the pressure in my chest begin to ease. I wanted to close my eyes and shut out the rest of the world if only for a little while.
I knew very well that the days ahead were going to be some of the hardest I face in my life, but just to be here away from it all no matter how short a time, was total bliss. A bliss that I never thought to experience.
The thought of escaping into sleep was enticing but I willed myself to stay awake. There was a sense of excitement just beneath the surface that was hard to ignore. Is it bad that my mind wasn’t filled with my newly departed husband but with the man who’d so caringly brought me to his home?
I’d tried really hard especially at the police station to drum up some kind of sympathy for the man who’d scarred my life, and I just couldn’t. At least my genuine fear had come across well enough so that there shouldn’t be any talk in the papers, no reason for suspicion.
I opened my eyes again and tried to focus on any one thing but my mind was a riot of thoughts and memories that flitted by like a fast moving movie reel. It felt almost inhumane to be this devoid of emotion at a time like this. Well that’s not exactly accurate.
The only thing I felt was pleasure at finally being here with him. I remembered the feel of his arms wrapped around me offering the first real comfort I’d felt in a very long time and my face blushed. No matter what, the guilt was hard to shake. I still think that I should at least feel something for the loss of a human life.
But as hard as I tried to focus on Vance’s death and the coming days ahead, my mind refused to go there. It was finally free from the prison it’d been held in for the past four years and now my very being seemed to be overtaken by Gavin and what being here with him meant. There wasn’t room for any other thoughts.