Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 23126 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 116(@200wpm)___ 93(@250wpm)___ 77(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23126 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 116(@200wpm)___ 93(@250wpm)___ 77(@300wpm)
“Thank you,” I tell her, and she nods.
“You okay?”
“I am now.” I let out a sigh so deep it feels like I’ve been holding my breath for hours. Maybe because I have.
“So what’s next?” my mom asks, and she and Este begin to discuss the charges being brought against me.
Rosie listens as they talk about what we’re going to do going forward, but I try not to give it any of my attention. All that matters is she’s safe. I don’t care about anything else, including how this might affect me playing football.
“You’re staying with me,” I tell Rosie as I tuck her hair behind her ear.
“What?” She turns her attention away from the two women to look up at me. “Staying with who?”
“With me. It’s not safe for you to go home right now. Not when they don’t know where your mom is.”
The guy that works for Este and posted my bail was named Clive. Once I was out, he filled me in on what happened after they pulled me off of Nathan Porter. When Jack saw the fight, he called the cops, and as soon as they showed up, they put me in cuffs and threw me in a squad car. Jack pressed charges on behalf of Nathan, who was still unconscious at the time.
Clive told me about Rosie’s mom and Nathan not only having an affair but trying to commit fraud on some legal documents. Turns out Rosie’s grandmother Lilith left everything to Rosie, and as soon as she turned eighteen, it all transferred to her name. Rosie’s mom was working with Nathan to make that little detail go away, and Este’s firm found evidence of it. As soon as the courthouse opens tomorrow, Este is filing all kinds of injunctions to stop Nathan Porter from ever practicing law again, along with criminal charges against him and Rosie’s mom.
From now on, that shit is out of my hands, but I won’t leave her alone in that house on the off chance her mother shows up to try and take it by force.
“What about your mom?” Rosie looks over at her and then back at me.
“It was her idea.” I shrug.
“Are you sure?” She bites her bottom lip, and I brush my thumb over it to smooth away the worry.
“I’m pretty sure if you don’t agree, we’re going to come stay at your place. But I’m willing to do anything to keep you safe.” Bending down, I place a kiss on her lips, and although I intend for it to be gentle and sweet, I don’t realize how much aggression I still have right below the surface. I’ve got this desperate need to claim her mouth and make everything bad that happened to her disappear.
The sound of a throat clearing startles me back to reality, and Rosie blushes a deep shade of red.
“I’m going to take off, but I’ll call you in the morning,” Este says before looking at Rosie. “You’ve got my number. Call or text me anytime, okay?”
“Okay,” Rosie agrees, and I see a genuine smile reach her eyes. The kind she had for me when I came into the room.
“I’m going to see about getting you out of here,” my mom says and pushes the button for the nurse. “Tate told you about coming home with us?”
“He did, but that’s okay, I don’t—”
“Need to finish that sentence,” I say over whatever excuse she was going to give.
“You’re coming home with us. End of discussion,” my mom says and takes a seat on the other side of the bed and reaches out to brush Rosie’s hair off her shoulder. “I’m so grateful my boy was there.”
“Me too,” Rosie agrees. “Thank you, Mrs. Albright.”
“We’re family now, Rosie. You can call me Abby, or maybe one day something more.”
Rosie seems surprised by the statement, but I’m not. She wasn’t there when Clive told my mom what happened to her. It was like someone went after her own child, and I loved that level of protection she had for my Rosie. I know part of it is because she was close with Rosie’s grandmother, but I think there’s some special bond between the two of them.
“How did I get so lucky?” Rosie asks, and I realize she’s got tears in her eyes.
“Hey,” I tell her as I wipe them away. “You don’t have to wonder ever again. This is forever, Rosie. This is true love.”
Chapter Fifteen
ROSEMARY
This is true love.
That’s all I can think about since Tate said it. There are a million other things I should be worrying over, but right now, I cling to that. He has no idea how much I needed to hear it, especially now that he’s all I have left. I was so happy when they finally let me leave the hospital and it was with Tate and Abby.