Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 86841 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86841 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
I’d said it. Something I hadn’t wanted to think about. Because I had let her go to protect her. Not the people here. I’d used it as an excuse to cover for the truth. I’d even lied to myself.
“She was never alone,” Bane said. “There was always someone watching her. One of us was stationed out of sight. Keeping an eye on her. We protect ours.”
Had she known that? Why hadn’t she told me?
Because she didn’t know it was her you were worried about, Jude.
Bane stood up, and I rose with him. Not liking the idea of that man towering over me. We were about the same height. I preferred we stayed eye level.
“When Saylor is on this property, it is one of the safest places in this town. If you sent her away because you thought you were bringing danger here, then that reason is void,” he told me. “If you sent her away because you’re a priest and she’s causing you to break all those Catholic rules, then admit it.”
He took a small square card from his pocket and slapped it down on the desk, keeping his finger on it as he lifted his eyes to look back at me. “Today is her twenty-second birthday. My wife is throwing her a surprise party at this address. So, if you want Saylor, come and get her. But be aware: if you make her cry, nothing she says will keep Gathe and Than from coming to make sure you don’t ever get the chance to do it again. There is no God, pulpit, or cross you can find to protect you from one of us.” His finger shoved the card at me. He straightened and sauntered out of my office without a backward glance.
My eyes dropped to the card he’d left behind. I hadn’t known when her birthday was. I didn’t know her favorite song, what she liked in her coffee or if she was drinking some sweet, creamy thing in those Starbucks cups. I didn’t know what her favorite color was, but I was going to guess pink. Her nails, nightgown, even a purse she had were shades of pink. I realized I wanted to know. All of it. Did she watch scary movies, and if so, did she cover her eyes when it got to the good parts? What was her most embarrassing moment as a kid? What had she looked like as a little girl? Had she worn braces?
I picked up the card.
It wasn’t just lust. Did I want to get her naked and in my bed? Absolutely. But that wasn’t all. I missed her. My days were long, empty, with no warmth, no laughter, just a duty. A routine with no joy.
Saylor’s entrance into my life had filled the emptiness, brought the sunshine. I couldn’t have her the way I wanted. But removing her from my life wasn’t working. Could I stay behind the line that my vows had drawn and still have her in my life?
Twenty-Three
Saylor
“Thank you for my birthday present,” I told Gathe as we drove back to the house he shared with his brother after our afternoon out shopping.
It had been a distraction and saved me from my mom taking me somewhere in a ruse to try and get me to talk. She was worried about me. I got that. But I didn’t want to talk about it.
“You’re welcome. That’s why I let you pick it out. I’d have never thought to purchase you a pair of tennis shoes with pearls and shit on them that look like they’ve been worn and beaten up, yet cost almost a grand. I would have gone with jewelry or something stupid like that.” The sarcasm dripping from his words got a small smile out of me.
“They’re cute.”
He cocked an eyebrow as he glanced over at me. “I’m almost positive I could have found something similar at a thrift store for ten bucks.”
“They’re Golden Gooses. You would not have found anything like them for ten dollars.”
“I know what they are. It just baffles me what women will spend money on. Slap together some shoes, put a little bling on them, then beat the hell out of them. Put a seven-hundred-dollar price tag on them in a shiny store. BAM! Females everywhere flock to get a pair.”
I rolled my eyes. “Are you about done, Papaw?”
He laughed and winked at me. “I’m kidding. I wanted you to get something that would make you smile for me again. Still waiting on the dimples, but I’ve got hope.”
At the word dimples, my decent mood plummeted. Turning to stare out the window, I watched as the trees passed and let the thoughts of Jude come crashing in like a wave I’d been struggling to hold back. Tomorrow would be a week since he’d sent me away. I missed him. Heck, I even missed Mena.