Total pages in book: 42
Estimated words: 40128 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 201(@200wpm)___ 161(@250wpm)___ 134(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 40128 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 201(@200wpm)___ 161(@250wpm)___ 134(@300wpm)
“Thanks, Pops.” We head into the crowd where my cousins surround me and hand me a drink.
“Congrats, Cousin. You’re the first of us to finish college, and now you’re about to take the lead in your father’s business,” my cousin Daisy says. “Too bad you screwed it up with Mel.”
“Don’t worry. I’m going to fix that tomorrow, and she’ll be your cousin soon,” I insist, taking a drink of my beer while staring off into the distance and thinking of the future with my wife. Melanie and I will have our happily ever after, and no one will get in the way—no one.
Chapter Eight
Melanie
I couldn’t get away from the party fast enough. Watching Will lose control like that had multiple effects on me all at once. A part of me was torn between anger, fear, and lust. He’d gone wild on Damon for asking me out, even though he was cheating on me. It made no sense, but then again, some men thought they were allowed to cheat while their women were forced to take it and be faithful. That isn’t me. I'm not going to be the fool.
“Melanie.”
“I don’t want to talk.”
I stare out the window the entire car ride to the house, refusing to look at my father. He calls my mother to inform her that he was taking me home and would be returning quickly. “I won’t be long.”
“Are you sure you don’t want us to come home?” she asks, and I feel like a jerk for ruining their time out.
I shake my head, and he answers, “No. Melanie needs time alone.”
We pull up to the house and I enter the code, unlocking the front door. I thought I was going to be alone, but my dad followed me into the house, walking past me.
“Dad, what kind of game are you playing at?” I ask as I stomp inside, slamming the front door.
“What kind of game?” he says, feigning ignorance. A professional tactic, I believe.
“You lied to me about your talk with Damon when you really told Damon to back off.”
“Princess, you have been in love with Will for a long time, and although I’m a father and not particularly happy about it being so soon, I won’t stop you two. I didn’t lie about what I said. I just said I warned him off. Damon knows that Will’s in love with you and wants you to be his wife, which means not a damn one of the Riders should think twice about approaching you.”
“So Will can fuck around, but I can’t date anyone?” I hiss, slamming my close-fisted hands down at my sides.
He waves a finger at me. “Young lady, your mouth. And what makes you think he’s fucking around?” His brow raises and a muscle in his jaw flexes, telling me my dad’s pissed. You wouldn’t be able to know it, but I can read my father.
“I saw him with Chrissy at the salon.” My voice cracks when I let the words fall from my lips, and I see my father fall into full protective daddy mode. He wraps his arms around me, holding me as I fall apart. He loosens his grip briefly, and I can tell he’s texting.
“Just letting your mother know I’ll need a little longer.”
“It’s okay. I’ll be fine.”
“No, you won’t. At least not until we get this situation straightened out, because I never want my little princess feeling any kind of pain.” He kisses my temple. “Chrissy? You think that he’d waste his time with her? Sweetheart.” I can’t fight the tears flowing down my face. “Would you feel better if I showed you something?”
“What?” He takes my hand and leads me to his office, pulling out a chair from in front of his desk and bringing it around beside his chair. “Take a seat for a minute.”
He takes a seat in his leather chair and then turns on his computer. I watch him log into several password-encrypted links before it finally opens up to a set of security cameras. “We’re in the town’s main cameras. Many of the shops have their own cameras, and we have access to all of them for safety reasons. The salon is no different. Now—when was this encounter?”
“Earlier today, around nine.” He nods. When he loads the screen, I see inside the salon and there is the image before me. Will is standing way off, too close to the door. Almost afraid to enter. She moves toward him like a hunter stalking her prey. I can’t make out what she says to him, but then he takes a seat closer to the camera, and my father turns up the sound. Every word uttered from her filthy mouth nearly makes me vomit, but Will’s reaction changes everything. He’s angry and possessive of me.
“What have I done?” I gasp.