Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 77793 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77793 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
“Did you tell her about your husband?” I ask Granny. “About how you started with the hacking? About how he died, and it was asshole mafia dudes who did the deed, and after that, you were hell-bent on vengeance, so we’re definitely not the mafia but more the not-mafia mafia, which we’ve also been called plenty of times before? Did you also tell her how you adopted each one of us?”
Granny nods. “I did, and she’s intrigued. She’s reconsidered my offer, but she wants more time.”
“Wow, okay, just keep talking about me in the third person. It’s not rude at all or anything.”
Gah, her voice. Her voice is as pretty and confident and composed and lovely as the rest of her, and it does things to my insides, though it doesn’t spark any memories. When I think about that night, there’s just a huge black hole there. I guess maybe that’s why it’s hard to believe it actually happened. The rest of me wants to believe in something, though, something Echo-related, and I have to slam my hands over my lap as a not-so-subtle threat to my cock to behave.
“She’s agreed to come to the wedding, and since there isn’t a wedding party, and it’s a small thing with just family and very close friends, I want you to be her date. Not a real date, but a it isn’t awkward that you don’t know anyone here because I’ll be your buffer kind of date.”
“I give up,” Echo grumbles, but even her grumble is nice. “Just keep talking about me. I won’t interrupt.” It has a nice throaty, purring quality to it that makes my dick leap to attention.
I angle under the table harder and try not to make a sound that would give me away, though I don’t know what that would be. Maybe a throaty male roar in response to that lovely purr? Yeah, it would probably go something like that.
“What about those papers?” This time, I do allow my eyes to wander to the middle of the table.
“I’d still like you to sign them,” Echo says, softening instantly.
Before anyone can say anything else and Granny can get going, I grasp the sheets of paper and reach for the pen that’s set on top. I look for the blank lines and scrawl my fake signature from that ID at the time onto them, hoping those are the lines I’m supposed to sign on. When I’m done, I set the pen down and pass it all across the table, though Echo doesn’t move to grab them. I’m staring at her hands, which are on top of the table. She has very pretty hands. Very feminine, soft, dainty-looking hands.
Hands that make me wish I wasn’t the only single person in the family.
Even Granny isn’t single now. How the hell did she manage to dodge that bullet? Oh, right, it was revealed that I have a wife. But that discussion isn’t over. It’s so far from over.
“Can we come in now?” Lennox calls from the living room.
“I suppose you can,” Granny says in response. She leans back in her chair, very satisfied with herself.
Then, the herd that is my family stampedes in to crowd around the table. All eyes are on Echo, who I guess is now my ex-wife since I signed those papers, or rather, soon-to-be ex-wife. It’s still incredibly crazy to think of that word. If I were surrounded by a bunch of noisy strangers made up of big burly dudes and the women who own their hearts and soften every bit of them, I know I’d be overwhelmed, but Echo sits perfectly straight in her chair, appearing entirely composed.
I finally sneak a look at her face. I focus on her eyes, which are fairly sparking with intelligence. She has the ultimate poker face down, but her version of a mask is to look totally sweet and innocent. No one would guess she has hacking skills that could rival my own.
My cock kicks madly in my jeans just thinking about it. Fuck. Seriously. What the fuck?
“You’re coming to our wedding?” Ayana asks as she balances Maya on her hip. “That’s so exciting! We’re so happy you’re going to be there.” Her eyes sparkle as she lifts Maya up and lets her arms wrap around her neck. She kisses her daughter’s cheek, which makes Maya squeal with laughter. She’s a happy baby, the most adorable, happy baby. “Well, we have some news now that we’re all here.” She pauses dramatically, and we all brace for it. “We’re going to have another baby!”
The room is dead silent for a heartbeat, and then it explodes in cheers and laughter and hugs and also tears that Granny has to brush away.
I might also have something in my eye, or I might not. It’s dusty in here, isn’t it? Dang rental houses. One never knows what particles might be drifting through the air.