Total pages in book: 150
Estimated words: 136791 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 684(@200wpm)___ 547(@250wpm)___ 456(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 136791 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 684(@200wpm)___ 547(@250wpm)___ 456(@300wpm)
I slip January's hand into mine and lead her outside. She shivers and cuddles up at my side as we walk to Ma Lucia's house.
"They probably think we're sneaking off to have sex," she whispers and then giggles.
"I have something to show you," I tell her.
"If it's you naked, I'm totally on board." She waggles her brows like a villain.
I chuckle and shake my head at her before leading her up the steps to my door. A black Honda SUV creeps down the street as I fish for the key in my pocket. I glance at the SUV but don't recognize it. Whoever it is, they aren't from around here. Not driving brand-new wheels like that. They're driving so slow I briefly wonder if they're lost.
"It's freezing out here," January complains, drawing my attention back to her. It is so cold out that her breath actually steams in front of her. She shivers, her teeth chattering.
"Come on," I mumble and unlock the door before pulling her inside. I don't spare another thought to the SUV out front, instead focusing on getting her inside before she freezes to death.
She stops right inside the door and peeks around. The house hasn't changed since I first moved here. The furniture is all heavy wood and leather, with glass-topped tables. Little knick-knacks, beloved trinkets Ma Lucia picked up over the years, sit here and there. This is still her house. I haven't changed anything about it.
"You're one of those annoyingly clean people, aren't you?" January teases me, running her hand along a bookcase and then holding it up to show there's not even a hint of dust on it.
"No," I say, even though I kind of am. Ma Lucia always kept the place spotless. No way am I going to mess it up. I miss her like crazy, but I don't want her coming back from the grave just to kick my ass for fucking up her house.
"You totally are," January says and then wraps her arms around me. "You always keep this place freakishly clean, but that's okay. I think it's sweet that you take such good care of her house. Or your house now, I guess." She scrunches up her nose like she's thinking hard about something. "You know, I think you're the only twenty-two-year-old I know who owns a house."
"I own more than that," I mumble.
She frowns at me like she doesn't understand. Of course, she doesn't, though. She has no clue I'm about to drop a bomb on her that will drastically change her life.
"I…" Now that the moment's here, I'm suddenly afraid to tell her. I don't want this to change us, and I'm terrified it will, even if we don't mean for it to happen. But I've kept this secret for long enough. It almost destroyed me and Titan. I don't want it to jeopardize what I have with January. I want to be able to give her anything she needs. Titan, too. I never again want him to feel like he has to make a deal with the devil to ensure January has what she needs in life. And I want her and Jana to know I'll be able to take care of both of them the way they deserve.
"Cade?" January says, looking at me like I'm freaking her out.
I offer her a reassuring smile. "Stay right here. I've gotta get something, and then I'll explain."
"Okay," she agrees with a shrug.
I brush my lips across hers and then hurry down the hall to Ma Lucia's room. Even after all this time, it still smells like her. The room is exactly the way she left it—well, except for the stuff she wanted donated to various homeless shelters. All of her clothes and costume jewelry are gone, but the rest of the room is still hers. Even though she left me the house in her will, changing it doesn't feel right.
I make my way over to her desk, where all the paperwork for my trust fund is located. I was worried January would stumble across it if I left it in my room. Sifting through the stack of documents, I finally find what I'm searching for and head back toward the living room, praying like hell she doesn't kick my ass for keeping this from her for so long.
Halfway down the hall, a loud pop, like a car backfiring, sounds outside. And then four more pops go off, one right after another. Someone screams outside and I realize it's not a car backfiring.
It's gunshots.
Someone's shooting up the block.
"January!" I roar and barrel down the hall toward her. She's still standing where I left her, looking at the door like she doesn't understand what's happening. I grab her around the waist and throw her to the floor before covering her with my body.