Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 100604 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100604 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
What…?
“Well, I mean—” Mahler had found his ability to speak. Unfortunately. He coughed once, a deep burst of air that cleaned out his pipes. “I don’t think anyone was aware that Cole Mauricio was back in town.”
Mauricio—I felt another kick to my stomach. The Mauricio. Cole Mauricio. He was the building’s owner. He had to be, and he’d been quiet about it the whole time. I stared at him, accusing. His eyes flicked to mine, and I caught a brief flash of amusement mixed with an apology before it disappeared and his face shifted back to an unreadable mask.
I narrowed my eyes. I didn’t share the sentiment. I felt the opposite, and I still had to clamp down on the emotions twisting around me, like an angry tornado.
Reed studied Hank and Carol. “I think your companions did.”
Mahler glanced to them, then at Jake and me. “Oh. Well...” He shrugged. “Maybe they saw Cole earlier.”
“We just arrived.”
All eyes turned to Cole. His eyes darted to mine once before returning to Mahler. They narrowed, then swept over Carol and Hank, too. “Maybe they were aware for another reason.”
I frowned. What was he talking about?
Both Carol and Hank turned bright red, and my ex mother-in-law reached for her husband’s arm. “It’s been a wonderful event, but I’ve grown tired all the sudden.”
Mahler snorted.
She paused, shooting him a dark look. “It’s been lovely, Alfred. And it was a pleasure to have met you, Mr. Reed. Mr. Mauricio.” She stopped, realizing who else she needed to address. She looked up, barely meeting my eyes. “And nice seeing you as well, Addison.”
Liam’s mother was just as fake as she’d always been. I couldn’t muster up anything polite to say in return. So I said nothing. I just wanted them to go away.
They turned to go just as Cole said, “Bea Bertal.”
They stopped. But they didn’t look back, not at first. Two seconds passed before Carol turned back to Cole. She swallowed visibly. Her hand clutched Hank’s arm. “You knew my mother?”
“Cole.” Mahler started forward, but Reed blocked him.
I glanced to Jake, and found him captivated. Unaware of my gaze, he inched forward, as if to hear better.
“I’ve been hearing rumors about your father,” Cole said evenly. “Tell me, Carol.” He leaned closer to her. “Are they only rumors?”
Her bottom lip started to tremble. “I don’t know. Bea is dead, you know. My husband and I, along with our children, don’t speak to my father anymore.”
“Was that a recent change?”
“No.” She seemed to wilt under his gaze. “We haven’t spoken to my father for years, since my eldest was born, in fact.” As she mentioned Liam, she looked at me before turning back to Cole. “As I mentioned before, I’ve grown quite tired. We’ll wish you all a good evening.”
Hank hurried off, with Carol right behind him. Their exit seemed eerily similar to an escape.
I looked at Cole. Who was he to Liam’s parents? Who was he at all? The need to find out now burned in me. If I didn’t find out…I couldn’t finish. I didn’t know what I’d do. I didn’t want to think about it because then all rational thought might actually shut down. I couldn’t go there.
Jake’s hand came back to my elbow. “I think the Sailers had the right idea. I think we’ll be going as well—”
Jake was going to say more, but Mahler burst out, “You can’t come around here and threaten my clients. I won’t have it!”
Reed and Cole moved as one to close ranks around Mahler. It was startling to watch; they were so fast. Reed reached for Mahler, but Cole beat him to it. He turned his back to us, and Reed adjusted his back toward the rest of the room. They’d closed everyone out.
I surged forward, shoving into Jake. I wanted to see what was going on. I got a glimpse of Cole reaching forward. I couldn’t see the rest, but Mahler suddenly stopped talking. His eyes bulged, and his cheeks rounded. Either he couldn’t get oxygen, or he was keeping himself from crying out. And Cole spoke softly to him.
Mahler scrunched up his face and jerked his head up and down repeatedly. “Okay. Okay!”
Reed touched Cole’s arm. “That’s enough.”
Cole stepped back. Nothing else was said. Mahler clutched his arm, swung around, and barreled through a group of people. Cole peered at me a moment before he and Carter Reed continued ahead. The crowd parted for them, and a moment later, they were beyond sight.
A shiver went down my spine. They were known, and while I saw lust in the women’s gazes, I couldn’t look away from what I saw in the men’s eyes. Fear.
“Jake?”
“Hmm?”
“Who was that?”
“I’m pretty sure he’s our landlord. That’s Cole Mauricio.”
“I know, but who is Cole Mauricio?”
“He’s the head of the Mauricio family.”
My mouth dried up. “What does that mean?”