Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 70931 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 236(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70931 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 236(@300wpm)
“I’m so glad you two are in a better place,” she whispers. “My sons can be so harsh sometimes, and I can’t talk sense into them.” She shakes her head. “I know it comes from being loyal, but still.” Rolling her eyes, she lets me go and squeezes my hand. “You know.”
Boy, do I know.
“Ohhh, yes,” I agree, just as a second car pulls up.
I want to tell Avril that I deserved being taken prisoner. I’m still riddled with guilt for what I did, but I’m ashamed to admit it out loud. I don’t know what to say or do but I know that I have to face the next hard thing with courage.
The car that pulled up has a driver, but I suspect it’s Thayer and Savannah.
I’m not wrong.
Avril takes one look at me as Lyam climbs the step beside me.
“Are you alright?” she asks.
“Inside.” His voice holds a note of unquestionable authority, leaving no room for debate. “We’ll see them in a minute.”
I let him lead me inside. Avril hurries back to the door to greet the other two.
Lyam and I stand in the foyer, my belly roiling with nerves and fear.
His forehead touches mine. Our palms meet, our fingers lace together.
“It’s gonna be okay.”
My nose tingles and my vision goes blurry. I try to clear my throat to counteract the tightness, but I can’t. My heart is racing and my body feels strangely tense and on edge.
“Cosette.” I snap to attention at the sharp tone of his voice and pull away, staring into his eyes.
“You listen to me.”
My heart beats even faster, my body trained to obey him on command. I nod, swallowing, when his index finger lifts my chin.
“You had a choice between two terrible things. You made the better of the two choices. So you stop right this minute beating yourself up for what you did. There isn’t a person in this family who hasn’t been in that exact position. That’s life, baby. Sometimes you’re faced with a hard choice and a harder choice. Sometimes those choices you’re forced to make will put your heart in a vise and squeeze it. Sometimes, it’ll kick you down and you’ll have to claw your way back up to the top. But you listen to me. The key isn’t avoiding the fall. That’s inevitable. The key is getting back up.”
I hear the truth in his words. I feel them. And I know then that no one will ever understand me the way this harsh, broken man does. Because I’ve had to claw my way back up and he gets that.
And damn if it doesn’t make me love him.
“Thank you,” I whisper, as the front door opens and Thayer and Savannah walk in.
I gather up every bit of my strength and turn around to face them.
Thayer, stern and commanding and known to be ruthless, doesn’t look at me but straight to Lyam. The two of them have a silent battle only they understand, but it isn’t lost on any of us. Avril wrings her hands and mutters something about checking in with her kitchen staff. Savannah straightens.
“Okay, then, so while you two do whatever the hell it is you have to do, Cosette and I are going to have a private talk.” She looks to me, not smiling but still welcoming. “Come with me, Cosette, will you?”
“I’ll join you,” Thayer says, but Savannah puts her hand up on his chest.
“Honey, not this time. Please give us a little space, okay? We’ll be right out that door and you can see us, but I want to speak privately to her.”
Thayer growls and takes a step toward us, but Lyam grabs his arm.
“Stay.”
Thayer swings around to him but Savannah goes between them and kisses his cheek. She whispers something in his ear that makes his face soften, and he finally nods.
She’ll have to teach me that one.
I still feel sick. When we’re outside alone, my nerves get the better of me.
“Thayer said you wanted to talk to me. I know you were taken into custody, and I know that Lyam says you’re trustworthy, but I don’t know much else. Anything you want to tell me?”
I look her in the eyes and nod. “Two things. First, I’m sorry. So sorry. Second.” I draw in a breath. “I’m pregnant.”
And then it all comes out in a rush. While she stares at me with wide eyes, her mouth gently parted, I tell her everything. She listens, and when I’m done, she stands, walks over to me, and like Avril… hugs me.
“Me too,” she says softly. “I’m pregnant, too. Aw, it’s gonna be so cool that we don’t have to do this alone. Will you come back to Le Luxe? I know you might not want to right now but we’re staying there for a while.”