Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 79521 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79521 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
“Something else on your mind?” I whisper to Briar.
“You shouldn’t sleep with someone just for the sake of sex,” Briar hisses low enough so only I can hear him. “It should be with someone you care about.”
My teeth grind for a long moment before I can open my mouth to speak. “The man I care for doesn’t want anything to do with me, and he told me to find a good man to spend time with. Owen is adorable, good-looking, and he has a job that he can speak freely about. His secrets aren’t buried under a decade of lies and sins.”
Briar’s face falls before the mask I’ve grown to hate slides back in place.
“He sounds perfect for you,” he tells me with false assurance.
Without another word, I walk out.
When I’d first heard his voice, even in a moment of embarrassing clarity, I’d wanted to tease him, taunt him about my date, hoping it would force him into action. He didn’t turn and tell my brother that he’s the only one worthy of using those condoms on me. He closed himself off and wished me well.
My stomach is in knots by the time I reach my car, but after the drive into town and singing along with a bitter woman about moving on and getting over her past mistakes, my back is straight, and my head is held high.
Who actually meets the love of their life when they’re fourteen anyway?
Chapter 10
Briar
I’m no stranger to pacing. I get most of my best thinking done while walking the length of my room over and over. It’s the blood on my knuckles without a victim lying at my feet that’s the concern right now. The hole in the sheetrock I won’t be able to explain with honesty is also another matter I refuse to address presently.
Bugging the vet’s office with audio and video seemed like a great idea twenty minutes ago, but the functioning part of my brain reminded me that I’m supposed to be letting her go, not obsessing over what she’s doing with that dick-bag.
I huff.
“I never even had her to begin with,” I mutter as I spin and walk again. “What the fuck does she even know about this asshole?”
That thought has me moving. It gives me purpose as I swing open my bedroom door and rush down the hall.
“What’s up?” Boston asks when I pull the door to the office open so hard it clangs against the wall only to swing back and whack me in the arm.
Ignoring him, I focus on Virus. He’s bent over a laptop, uncaring that I just stormed in the office. Seems he’s settled in nice.
“Give us a minute,” I say to Boston without looking in his direction.
“I was just going for a fresh cup of coffee anyway.”
I clear my throat to get Virus’s attention once we’re alone and the door is closed.
Brazenly, he holds up a finger to get me to pause before returning his nimble fingers to the keyboard. Either this guy is stupid, or he has nuts the size of the damn sun. Still, I wait until he presses a final key, and his eyes look up to mine.
“Important things going on?” I nod in the direction of his computer.
“I’ve been trying to beat that level on Toon Blast for days.”
I could punch the smirk off his damn face right now. As if having one incredibly immature bastard around wasn’t enough, this asshole just jumped TJ in childish behavior.
“Did you get the info I asked about earlier?” I grit, determined not to break his nose until I get what I need.
His fingers work over the keys again.
“Owen Marcus Andrews, thirty one year old veterinarian. He’s squeaky clean.” His eyes narrow as he reads info on the screen. “He has no arrest record to speak of. Drives a black Tesla. His social media posts aren’t bad, nothing political, mostly just cute animals. He donates to many local and national charities. His practice is paid for from a trust he got when his grandmother died. No debt at all. From what I can tell, he doesn’t casually date. Had one girlfriend in high school, Stephanie Wiley. She’s a little homely if you ask me.”
“I didn’t,” I spit.
My outburst doesn’t faze him.
“They had an amicable split before they each went to different schools. What’s this?” His eyes narrow slightly. “He did get a ticket from the city for not maintaining his lawn last year.”
“Asshole.” It’s all I got for this perfect guy.
“Oh, wait. He was in the Gulf helping save wildlife after a tanker explosion caused an oil spill. The city dismissed the ticket when he returned.”
“What is he? A fucking priest?”
“Nope. From the looks of it, he had a change of heart after his first semester in seminary school.”
“Seriously?” I walk around the desk to look at Virus’s computer, but from the angle I’m at the screen isn’t visible with the privacy screen in place.