Total pages in book: 42
Estimated words: 39538 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 198(@200wpm)___ 158(@250wpm)___ 132(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 39538 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 198(@200wpm)___ 158(@250wpm)___ 132(@300wpm)
“We found out not long after Curt’s death,” Winter revealed.
“About the pictures?”
Megan felt like a little girl when Winter took her hands into hers, unaware droplets of tears were falling to her cheeks.
“Yes.”
Shamed to her soul, Magen started to sob. “You saw—”
Megan felt herself pulled into Winter’s arms. Sobbing, she leaned into Winter like she had wished she could have her mother, crying tears she had needed to shed years ago from a pain that had scorched her soul from having her trust betrayed. Winter gave her what she had been denied when she needed it the most—a mother’s loving touch.
When she was able to stop crying, Winter took her handkerchief away to wipe her cheeks. “I don’t want you worrying about those pictures anymore,” Mrs. James said in her no-nonsense voice. “Viper’s brother will make sure none of them will ever appear on the Internet, nor any other of Curt’s other victims.”
Megan searched Winter’s eyes. She wouldn’t give her Chelsea’s name, but at the same time, she also wanted to make sure she wouldn’t have to live with her own fear any longer. “What if any of them are afraid their pictures will be found? Someone had my pictures I didn’t know about. Curt gave them to—”
“We know what Curt did.” Winter nodded her head to the side.
Megan turned her head to find Chelsea with a man whom Megan assumed was her boyfriend.
“Cole went to the hotel and had a talk with Chelsea. Harford had called and told him what he overheard when you and Chelsea were talking in your room. Chelsea gave all of your pictures and the phone Curt kept them on to Cole. He destroyed everything. Cole was also able to reassure Chelsea that hers had already been taken care of. Everyone has a clean slate.”
“I was going to leave,” Megan admitted.
Winter looked over her shoulder. “You might have told yourself that, but you wouldn’t have.”
“I don’t know about that.” Megan shook her head. Winter had more faith her than she had in herself.
Winter tilted her head. “Then why did you ask Lucky to perform the service for Maliah? You knew he would tell us. Just like you knew the Colemans would tell Cole. You wouldn’t have if you hadn’t wanted us to stop you. Sadly, I don’t think you will be with us for long. Cole’s planning to steal you away from us again,” she laughingly warned.
Megan turned to look over her shoulder at Cole. “He is?”
Cole turned her to him. “I am, but we can come back every Christmas,” he promised, pulling her into his arms.
So happy she wanted to scream with joy, she had to constrain herself. She had just buried her daughter, and it was a solemn occasion. She shouldn’t be this happy …
Unable to help herself, Megan looked skyward.
“What are you looking at?” Cole asked, nuzzling her neck.
“Have you ever been in a hot air balloon?”
He raised his head to look upward, searching the sky. “No. Have you?”
Megan gave him a tender smile. “Oh yes … it’s miraculous.”
Twenty-Four
Epilogue
After leaving the Christmas service at the church, Cole drove her to the Last Riders’ clubhouse for Christmas dinner. She had accepted the invitation from Viper the day before, and regardless of his kindness, she was still wary of him.
“Why are you so nervous?” Cole asked, placing a supportive arm around her waist as he returned from helping Rider carry food inside.
“I’m not nervous.”
Cole raised a quizzical brow and took the plastic cup she was holding away from her. “Then why have you been glued to the same spot for the last ten minutes?”
“Is your sister here yet?” Megan asked, unintentionally revealing the cause of her worry.
“No. Casey and Lily are still dealing with an emergency at Shade’s house.”
Concerned, Megan forgot her nervousness. “What emergency?”
“Max raided the refrigerator last night and ate most of the dessert meant for dinner today.”
“Oh no.” Megan giggled. “I bet the women are furious with him.”
Cole grinned. “Max is denying it. He’s pinning the blame on the kids.”
“Then how do they know Max is the one responsible?”
Cole gave her a wide grin.
“You didn’t.”
“I did. He ate the pie Casey made for me.”
When the line was formed for making plates, Cole turned to her.
“I’m going to go check on Casey and Lily. They may need an extra pair of hands.”
“Okay.”
Megan watched Cole walk out a door in the kitchen. Scanning the long line, Megan curiously went out the door as well. There were several tables outside with a barbeque pit which had been covered for the winter. Enjoying the cool air after the heated kitchen, Megan decided to wait at one of the tables until Cole returned.
Swiping off the snow with a gloved hand, she was able to watch through the windows and back door as the Last Riders happily made their plates. I almost missed this, she thought achingly. Emotions were overwhelming her. This Christmas was vastly different than how she had expected it to be when she crossed that bridge a few short weeks ago.