Total pages in book: 185
Estimated words: 180510 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 903(@200wpm)___ 722(@250wpm)___ 602(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 180510 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 903(@200wpm)___ 722(@250wpm)___ 602(@300wpm)
Alicia frowns. “What happened when you graduated? Were you friends or more than friends?”
“We were …” I stare at the bar over her shoulder, wondering if abstaining from alcohol all these years was a good idea with Colten Mosley living rent free in my brain. “We were over. He ended us. Blew up my heart. Ran over it with his car. Poured gasoline onto it. Then flicked a lit match at the wreckage.”
Nose wrinkled, Alicia mouths the word “ouch.”
“Yeah.”
“Have you seen him since then? High school reunions? Facebook friends?”
Really, I should tell Alicia it’s Colten, but I don’t want her to think I’m still pining for him … because I’m not.
“Yes, we’ve run into each other.”
“Was it awkward? Is he married with a family? Really successful? A total loser?”
I chuckle while the waiter brings us our food. “A mix of all of the above.”
After the waiter leaves, Alicia pops a cherry tomato into her mouth. “You’re so successful and brilliant at your job; I’m sure he’s envious of you. I’m sure he regrets everything he did.”
“Sadly … no.” I dig into my meal.
After dinner, I offer to give Alicia a ride, so she doesn’t have to take the train.
“It’s out of your way.”
“Nonsense.” I reach into my purse as we round the corner of the building to the parking lot.
Alicia makes a weird noise behind me, and I turn.
Her eyes bulge from her head as a man in a hoodie holds his hand over her mouth and a knife to her throat.
“Wallets,” he says. “Nice and slow, sweetheart. Or your friend won’t see the sunrise.”
Alicia drops her purse on the ground.
He kicks it a few feet to the right and nods to me to toss mine there as well.
With my hand still in my purse, fingers wrapped around my key fob, I shift my hand to my gun and quickly toss the purse. His gaze follows my purse instead of focusing on my hand … on the gun.
The bullet hits his knee the second he releases Alicia to grab our purses.
“AHH!” Alicia screams when he releases her.
He grunts and falls to the ground like a wounded animal. “You shot me, you fucking bitch!”
Keeping the gun aimed at him, I sidestep and retrieve our purses.
“Oh my god!” Alicia shakes, hands cupping her neck where the knife had been.
With my free hand, I call 9-1-1.
An hour later, we’re at the police station, giving our statements. Alicia’s husband picks her up, and I stay a little longer since it was my gun. To make my night better, my old neighbor shows up.
“Watts … did you shoot a man tonight?”
Resisting an eye roll, I angle in my chair to see Detective Mosley at the door to the office, looking smug as usual.
“She’s all yours.” The officer questioning me grins at Colten.
I stand and exit the office, brushing past Colten. “I’m not his,” I murmur.
“How’s Alicia?” He tails me.
“Shook,” I say, reaching the elevator.
“How are you?”
I shrug as the doors open. “Fine. Why?”
He follows me as I step into the elevator. “Because you shot a man tonight. Doesn’t that give you a moment’s pause?”
“I didn’t kill him.”
Colten lifts a single brow. “No … but still. You discharged your weapon. I didn’t know you carried.”
“Sorry. Had I mentioned that earlier in our reunion, would you have given me more space?”
Colten stands next to me, giving me very little space while staring at the doors. “He’s going to be fine. The guy you shot. If you were concerned.”
“Pfft … of course he’s going to be fine. I didn’t shoot to kill.”
“Have you shot anyone before?”
The elevator doors open, and I make a mad dash for the exit. “Not to my knowledge.”
He chuckles. “That’s not exactly reassuring.”
When I get to my car, I turn because I sense him less than two steps behind me. Colten engulfs nearly all the space between us. It’s hard to breathe in his close proximity—another thing that hasn’t changed in seventeen years.
His smile fades a fraction. “You were brave. And a little stupid. You didn’t know he was alone. There could have been someone else. They could have had a gun. If he wanted your wallets, you should have given him your wallets and not risked things escalating.”
“Thanks, Dad.” I turn to open my car door.
“Josie …” He rests his hand on my hip.
I freeze. The perpetrator didn’t frighten me, but Colten Mosley’s touch scares me to death.
“Are you okay?”
“He didn’t touch me. I’m fine.”
“Your voice is shaking. That doesn’t tell me you’re fine.”
I clear my throat and force confidence into my voice. “How exactly did you find out? I don’t think homicide is called for an attempted robbery and a shot fired that doesn’t result in … homicide.” Turning to force his hand away from my hip, I hug my handbag to my chest. A shield from him.