AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Nooooooo! I have not.”
Curving a manicured finger, Eva says, “Come this way.”
The girls hustle off to the closet in her room. I lie on the sofa staring at the ceiling. My mind, as it always does, goes to Finn.
What will happen after I get married? Will I still be able to see him? Will I be able to volunteer at his school? Or will he go on with only the memories of me because the danger is now closer than ever?
I know this wedding is something that has to happen, but I’ll never endanger my son in any way. I’ll die before anyone else ever finds out about him.
CHAPTERNINETEEN
It’s been a long day and I’m ready to wind down. Unfortunately, as I stride through the door into the suite, I catch a snip of Ariel’s hushed words. “No! I’m not sleeping in there with you. He might want to...”
Carra nibbles her bottom lips as her brows draw together. Her expression full of uncertainty the uncertainty I’ve caused in her. Quietly, she says, “No. It’s best if we have some space.”
That’s not what I want to hear, and apparently Ariel feels the same. She cocks her hip, pins Carra with a raised eyebrow. “Honey, that man waited seven years for a chance to sleep with you. He might throw me out the window onto the pool deck if he finds me in your bed.” Thank you, Ariel.
I clear my throat.
They both snap to attention, whipping their heads around. Ariel gives me a pointed look, then throws her arms around Carra and smacks her with a noisy kiss. “Night, babe. I’m taking the couch.”
“You don’t have to do that,” I counter. That was the wrong thing to say.
Ariel tries to melt me with a crackling glare before she says, “I’ll be fine. I’ll sleep like an angel now that I know my pal is safe. But don’t wake me early. I haven’t had a day off in eons.”
“You’re good. Our appointment isn’t until noon,” I remind her.
Carra’s looking at me like she’s seriously considering making a run for the exit door. Can’t really blame her after the way I man-handled her yesterday. She might have had a moment last night to tolerate me sleeping in the same bed as her, but I guess she is now having second thoughts about spending the night next to me.
I’m grated all to hell inside over that.
It’s right at the top of things that have me raw as a skinned fish.
“I’m going to bed,” Carra says in a defeated voice before she spins on her heel and disappears into the bedroom. The door closes. But my keen ear notices she doesn’t lock it.
“There are two other bedrooms.” I motion to the other doors. Both of which are now closed.
“Max went in there.” Ariel points to the room on the left. “Eva went in there.” She points to the room on the right. “But I’m pretty sure if Max had his way, I’d be pointing to one door telling you that Max and Eva were in there so you might want to wear earplugs tonight.” She winks at me playfully.
I stare at her for a beat, before I let my grin show. “Did he tell you this?”
She lowers her voice. “She could probably be persuaded to go on a date with Max, if that’s what he wanted. But apparently, she thinks he’s got relationship issues.”
I grumble, “Don’t we all?”
Pursed lips, brow arched, she quips, “Some more than others. Now, I think you need to go in that bedroom because that girl’s been through hell. She’s been heartsick for years and I’m pretty sure you’re the only antidote to that illness.”
Max’s words a few days ago haunt me now.“Not with your fists. But there are lots of ways to hurt someone.”
I know deep in my heart I’m no cure. Poison more like it. “I’m not good for her.”
“She’s not good for you, apparently. You look like you’re going to bust an artery.”
Sighing, I scrub my hand over the scruffy texture of my beard. “I just hope I can live long enough to—” I stop and shake my head, snapping my loose tongue back into control.
Ariel watches me. “Long enough to kill Coghlan?”
Tightening my jaw, I hold my words. The less the girls know, the better.
