Total pages in book: 147
Estimated words: 148949 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 745(@200wpm)___ 596(@250wpm)___ 496(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 148949 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 745(@200wpm)___ 596(@250wpm)___ 496(@300wpm)
The steamy condensation began to evaporate on the mirror, slowly revealing parts of Emily’s face—left eye, some of her nose, a bit of her cheek, part of her mouth, a small inch of her chin.
A woman with another woman inside of her.
I didn’t know much about love—the shadowy depths and secret surprises. But what I did know, was that loving my mouse meant that I would be wildly exploring a treacherous labyrinth.
With some steps, I would be lost, and many paths would have twists and turns.
From the moment I laid eyes on my mouse, I knew she was more than what she seemed. It was the reason why I fell in love with her in the first place.
I would never regret that decision.
But, Lunita. . .What will I do with her?
Emily stopped drying herself, but kept her view on her hands. “Do you need a towel?”
I said nothing.
She looked at me through the mirror. “Are you. . .”
I slowly leaned my head to the side.
“Are you still angry, Kaz?”
“Anger would be the wrong description for what is spinning inside of me.”
She widened her eyes.
“I would say that it is rage.”
She turned around and faced me.
“Many would say that rage and anger are the same word.” I gazed down at her. “However, I would argue that rage is an intense and uncontrolled anger. More extreme and potentially dangerous if not managed.”
“And how can we manage that, Kaz?”
“Giving me pussy helped.”
She frowned. “And what else?”
I sneered. “Delaying?”
She looked away.
“Delaying is not lying, mysh but it is still something we do not do. And. . .I still feel betrayed by you due to your delaying.”
She shivered and didn’t put her view back on me. “I’m sorry.”
“That is not enough.”
“Kaz, I had no idea what to fucking do. I was still trying to understand what had been happening with my own body for several weeks. It was a mystery that I did not want to solve or deal with.”
Guilt sparked inside of me, but I wouldn’t let myself go there.
Emily shook her head. “There is no set instruction book on how to deal with the fact that my personality had me cheat on you.”
“You did not cheat.”
She swallowed. “I feel like it.”
“It was Lunita.”
“I could have handled everything better, Kaz.”
“You should have told me immediately. There is never any reason to delay information.”
Still looking away, her eyes watered. “Do you understand why I delayed telling you?”
“I do.”
“Does that help?”
“It does not.”
She raised her view to me. “I’m sorry.”
I spoke through clenched teeth, “That is not enough either.”
“What do you want?”
“To tear this world apart.”
She inched back. “I can’t help you with that.”
“Where is the gardener’s family?”
She scowled. “They are innocent.”
“It does not matter to me.”
“They will remain safe.” She wrapped the towel tightly around her body. “That’s that.”
“Are you sure about that, mysh?”
“Very sure.” The scowl shifted to a neutral expression. “Did you. . .”
I watched her.
“Did you kill my guards?”
I raised my eyebrows. “Maxwell did not tell you?”
“No.”
“They are gone, mysh.”
She closed her eyes.
Any other time I would have consoled her. Not this time. I would not bend or compromise when it came to her or Lunita. If she didn’t know this before then she must finally figure it out now.
And soon Lunita. . .I will explain this to you.
Emily slowly opened her eyes. “I have to fix this. Lunita must be. . .controlled or erased. . .I don’t know.”
“No, mysh.”
“What?”
“We have to fix this. I will call this Delphine tomorrow and—”
“No, Kaz. I will call.” She began to walk off.
I grabbed her arm and brought her back to me. “This will never happen again—”
“It can’t.”
“Regardless of what comes our way, it is us against everyone else. We are never to be on opposing sides of the chess board again. Do you understand me?”
“Yes.”
I tightened my grip. A deadly edge laced my next words. “A day like this never fucking happens again.”
She trembled in my hold. “It won’t.”
Did she understand? Did she realize how close I had come to killing all of Harlem Crew and even Blue just because my mouse had me in the dark?
“Kaz. . .of course I didn’t want this. I wanted to tell you. . .everything, but. . .I was scared. You’re my best friend.” Her bottom lip quivered. “I love you with every fiber of my being, every breath in my lungs, every beat of my heart. There is no one else in this world I could ever love more, Kaz. No one.”
The rage within me stilled.
“But. . .” She moved her arm out of my grip. “You’re fucking crazy, psychotic, and dangerously petty.”
“Petty?”
“You want to kill the gardener’s family.”
“An example must be made.”
“It’s over, Kaz. You killed my guards and the gardener. That’s it. It hurts about my guards, but. . .”
“You understand.”
“I don’t want to understand, but I do.” She looked at the floor. “Now, I have to get in touch with this woman in New Orleans and somehow figure out how we are going to do this.”