Total pages in book: 100
Estimated words: 94513 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94513 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
This was what I hadn’t wanted to do. Eat in front of strangers who were judging me. And it felt like these two were doing just that.
If I was going to live here for a while, then I had to adjust and get over this. I put my milk on the coffee table, then sat on the sofa. Than took a place a few inches away from me, as if he was there for support. I appreciated it.
I turned my attention to the television to see they were watching horse racing. I’d never watched that before. I took a bite of my sandwich and hoped everyone’s attention was back on the race.
Forge let out a deep chuckle, and I glanced at him. He was grinning as he watched the race. “Why am I not surprised the kid’s horse just won that race?”
I turned my attention back to the screen.
“Because he’s a Hughes,” Ransom replied. “If the boss is gonna buy his son a horse, it is gonna be a fucking winner.”
“Why the hell did Stellan race one of his horses in this one if a Hughes horse was in it?” Forge asked.
“It’s not one they’re keeping. Sebastian said they intended to sell it, and this was just a way to showcase its potential,” Than told him.
I continued to eat while they talked about the race and Demigod, the horse that had won. Apparently, this race had happened earlier today, and Than already knew who had won, but the others hadn’t seen it yet. They seemed to know a lot about horse racing. I knew that Crosby had worked at stables that had racehorses, but I hadn’t been aware they all did. Horse racing seemed important to them.
“Stolen should have been there for this next one,” Than said beside me, sounding almost angry.
“Don’t start that,” Ransom told his brother. “Fender and Bane are grieving.”
I listened as I ate small bites of my salad. I didn’t know who Fender was, but I knew this conversation was now about Crosby’s death.
“He would have wanted his horse to race,” Than replied. “I would have gone. They didn’t have to.”
“Let it go, man,” Forge told him.
Were they saying Crosby had a horse?
I looked at Than, who was glaring at the television.
“Moses Mile has a horse in this one,” Ransom added.
“And Stolen would have fucking smoked them all. Even the Houstons’ new winner,” Than grumbled. Then, his eyes shifted to me, and his hard expression softened some. “Crosby’s horse was supposed to be in this race.”
Wow. Okay, so Crosby had owned a horse. Weren’t those expensive? Had Bane bought him one?
“I knew he worked at a stable, but I didn’t know he had a horse,” I admitted.
Than swung his gaze toward the others, as if unsure of what to say to me.
Ransom cleared his throat, drawing my attention to him. His eyebrows lowered and drew together slightly. “How much did you know about Crosby?” he asked.
If he had asked me this yesterday, I’d have thought I knew everything. We had spent hours talking about our lives. I’d asked him questions about his. But now … now that I knew he’d lived in a house like this and had a fiancée … I realized I hadn’t known much and what I had known wasn’t the truth.
I lifted my shoulders a little, then looked down at my plate. “I’m not sure anymore.”
There was silence for several moments.
“Do you know his last name?” Ransom asked.
I nodded but realized if I found out he’d lied about that, I wasn’t sure I could keep it together. The guy I’d thought I knew was fading away with every new fact I found out about him.
“Cash,” I said slowly, hoping that was it.
He gave me a small smile. “So, you do know who his family is then.”
I glanced at all three of them to find their eyes on me, waiting for me to say something, but I wasn’t sure what he meant by that statement.
“Uh, no. I never met them, if that’s what you mean.”
Ransom shook his head. “That’s not what I meant. I know you never met them. But you know who they are, right? The last name Cash is well known in the area. Especially here in Madison.”
I licked my lips nervously. This felt like I was being given a pop quiz and failing. “I, uh, I don’t live in Madison. I live in Jackson.”
Ransom leaned back as he continued to study me. “Even in Jackson, I’d think you’d know who the Cashes are.”
I looked around the room and managed a small smile I didn’t feel. “I, uh … no.”
Forge let out a low whistle. “Damn.”
“Crosby didn’t just work at a stable,” Than told me.
“You might want to leave this for Bane,” Ransom interrupted him.
Than shot a challenging look at his brother. “Why? Because he’s so fucking friendly? He’s barely spoken to her.”