Total pages in book: 136
Estimated words: 139259 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 696(@200wpm)___ 557(@250wpm)___ 464(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 139259 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 696(@200wpm)___ 557(@250wpm)___ 464(@300wpm)
Has been ever since I became a Redville Saint.
The fun guy.
The player.
The titles are exhausting, and I hate it. But it’s easier than letting anyone in.
The good news is I can at least grab a drink and escape for a moment. The bad news is the conversations that will most likely be flung at me, which I don’t want to partake in.
I navigate through the crowd. Relief floods over me as no one approaches me.
Until I collide with something. Scrap that. Someone.
“Watch where you’re going,” a feminine voice snaps. I don’t even need to look down to see who I ran into.
I do, though.
Molly steps back and glares up at me.
Okay, I might have overstepped when I gave her that card. But I hate the idea of someone struggling alone.
“Seriously, Wilde. Do you ever pay attention?”
“Me? Are you kidding?” I cross my arms at my chest and lower my head to gesture to her phone in her hand, the screen still lit up from the texts.
“Maybe if you weren’t staring at your phone, you’d see what’s in front of you,” I fire back.
“You’re blaming this on me?”
“Changing the truth is what you do, Hex.” There is no question this is residual anger from the other day.
“Wow. You’re a jerk.”
I nod. “That I am. But at least I’m not a liar.”
“Aren’t you?”
I raise an eyebrow. “Not that I can remember. Tell me, Hex, what did I lie about?”
“Stop calling me that. It’s a ridiculous name.”
“It’s been years. Don’t you realize the name stays? Plus, is it really that far-fetched? Everything goes wrong when you’re around.”
“Can you just go?”
“Me? You can go.”
“Find your flavor of the night already, and do us all a favor.” Her voice drips with distaste.
My back goes ramrod straight. “You think you know me, but you don’t.”
“’Cause you aren’t a player.”
I throw my hands up. “You know what? You aren’t worth it. Throw your walls up. Lie. I don’t have time for this shit.”
“Walls? What the hell do you know about my walls?” she shoots back, her voice rising over the noise.
My jaw tightens for a moment, the tension hanging thick in the air between us. “I know more than you pretend I do.”
Her expression stiffens, a flicker of something crossing over her face. “Fine. I’ll go.”
For a heartbeat, everything seems to fade away, and I can once again see her all those years ago. A part of me wants to pull her close and ask her what haunts her.
But I decide to let it go and let her walk away.
24
Molly
It’s game day.
Today is game five.
And we need to win.
I have a bunch of stuff to do before the boys get on the ice, but first, I need a cup of coffee.
Grabbing my phone out of my bag, I fire off a text to Dane and Josie.
Molly: Anyone want to meet me for coffee? Apparently, there’s a new coffee shop attached to the hotel.
Josie: No can do, but Dane said he’d meet you.
Dane: Give me ten minutes.
Molly: See you soon.
Grabbing my jean jacket off the chair in my hotel room, I head toward the hall.
I have a few minutes, as I’m early, a habit I have grown accustomed to since working for my brother, so I decide to take the stairs.
Stairs are a safer bet when you don’t love enclosed spaces.
Swinging the door open, I step inside the stairwell and start my descent.
The sound of my shoes clinking the concrete echoes around me. Since my room is only on the fifth floor, it doesn’t take me too long to make it to the ground level. Climbing back up won’t be as fun, but at least I’ll be caffeinated. It will be my workout for the day.
I throw the door open and head into the small hallway before entering the lobby and making my way out the front door.
The coffee shop is attached to the hotel, but the entrance is outside.
It’s brisk today despite it being early May. The weather hasn’t decided to be cooperative.
It’s only a few steps before I stand in front of the door. A tiny bell jingles as I pull it open.
As soon as I’m inside, my eyes scan the space. A small line has formed in front of the register, but none of the people here are my brother.
Oh, well, I guess I’ll just order. He’ll be here eventually.
I walk over to the register. The couple in front of me steps out of the way as soon as they order, and I take their place.
I order our coffees and stand off to the side, my patience wearing thin.
Clutching two steaming cups, I shift my weight from one foot to the other, trying to push down my annoyance.
It’s not like Dane to be late, so something must have happened.
I let out a sigh and continue to peer around the room, when my eyes land on him.