Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 86629 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 433(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86629 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 433(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
“Do you have any questions?”
I ask him what I can, but there isn’t much more to learn. He leaves and we’re alone again, but the feeling in the room is vastly different. Danielle laughs for the first time and even Rowan’s smiling. Their relief is like heaven.
I make a call while we’re waiting. “Connor Maguire. Haven’t heard from you in a while. I was starting to think you forgot all about me and my very generous retainer.”
“How are you, Tyler?”
“Well as can be expected. What can I do for you?”
“You know my associate Marcus Boyd.”
“How’s he holding up? I always tell him he’s got a job at the firm if he’s ever interested. He’ll make a great lawyer.”
“He’s in need of your services.” I give him a brief rundown of what happened.
“Marcus should be fine. They’ll question his ass all day and night and that car’s gone forever. Did he have anything illegal in the vehicle?”
“Not sure. I doubt it though.”
“Good. Alright. Cops don’t toss a guy in jail for saving a life. I’ll find out what I can and deal with it. No worries though, he’ll be okay.”
Whatever the charges will be, if there are any, Tyler and his army of morally dubious lackeys will use every legal trick to bring my friend back home.
We’re taken upstairs a couple hours later, longer than expected. Dad’s sitting up in bed, sunken and small, bandaged and stuck with needles and lines, but he’s awake and he’s smiling and he hugs his daughter and his wife for a long time.
“Told you I’d be fine,” he grunts at me.
“Never again, old man.”
He laughs and grimaces. “Don’t think I got any more adventures in me, son.”
I take his hand and squeeze it. I want to say, I love you, Dad, but that’s not in me. Instead, I touch his shoulder, and he nods back like he knows and that’s enough.
Angie and Rowan leave with me when the sun sets. Danielle insists on staying behind. I’m not sure if the nurses will let her stay over, but we’ll see. My sister gets in the car and I linger for a moment in the darkness of the parking lot, pulling Angie against me. I stoop down to kiss her.
“It’s weird,” she says, leaning her cheek against my chest. “There’s nobody trying to kill us anymore. I don’t know what to do with myself.”
“We’ll find something for you to do.”
She snorts, patting my chest. “Easy, boy.”
“I meant this.” I reach down to touch her belly.
“It’s happening, isn’t it? After everything that happened, I’m not sure it scares me anymore. If I can survive you and your family—“
I laugh and swat at her butt. “Easy there.”
“I mean, I can survive childbirth. And I can be a decent mother.”
“Damn right.”
The door to the car opens. “Are you two done playing grabass? I know it’s a nice moment and all, but I really want a shower.” Rowan glares and slams it closed again.
“Better go.” Angie sighs, hugging me harder. “Think my mom’s still up?”
“Do you care?”
“Not really.”
34
CONNOR
Five Months Later
I pause in the hallway and listen.
It’s quiet. That’s strange. I’m still not used to it. Ever since Dad, Danielle, and Rowan moved into their own place down the block, I keep catching myself wondering where they are.
Not like it’s far. I could be in their kitchen in two minutes tops if that’s what I wanted.
There’s a thump and a curse from around the corner and I smile to myself.
Hell, I got enough problems here.
“What are you doing, crazy woman?” I step into the doorway of the nursery to find my visibly pregnant wife in a tank top and sweats standing on a stool with a hammer and nails, bashing away like she’s trying to tear down the drywall. “Angelina! You stop that right now!”
“Hold on, almost… almost got it…” She hits her thumb and curses. The stool wobbles wildly and I rush forward, grabbing her by the hips and lifting her like she’s nothing, placing her down at my side.
“Let me see that.” I check her thumb and it’s only a shade red. “What the hell were you thinking, Angie?”
“I’m trying to hang the pictures for the baby.”
“I told you, I’m doing it.”
“But it’s not done, and the baby’s coming soon—“
I take her thumb and stick it in my mouth. I suck it, reach out, and cup her face with my hand. I pull it out and hold her eyes.
“You are the most infuriating, beautiful, perfect specimen I’ve ever seen.”
“Thank you?” She blinks rapidly. “God, being pregnant is making me so horny. What the hell’s with that?”
“Hormones.” I tug her closer, hand moving around into her hair. She lets out a sigh, a happy smile on her face. “If I see you on a stool, chair, ladder, or anything else again, I swear I’ll chain you to the bed.”