Total pages in book: 119
Estimated words: 112762 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 564(@200wpm)___ 451(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112762 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 564(@200wpm)___ 451(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
“I thought I did. I … I’m just not sure I can bear what she has to say.”
I remembered the look on his mother’s face that day on the street. The way she stared at me and Callie with him. Pain and longing. “I don’t think the woman I saw that day has anything hurtful to say to you. I think you should call her back. Walker … I’d give anything for my dad to reach out to me.”
His features hardened, and I realized why when he pressed his forehead to mine and growled, “Your dad is a damn fool.”
I tightened my arms around him. “Will you call your mom? I can be with you when you do. Or not. Just know I’m here.”
He nodded, drawing me against his chest. Above my head, I heard him murmur, “I’ll call her.”
“What … what happened to your sister’s boyfriend?”
Pure hatred flamed to life in his eyes. “He’s behind bars. He confessed to killing Iona, and other women came forward and pressed charges against him—harassment, battery … rape.”
“Oh my God.”
“The judge sentenced him to life in prison. Whole life order. That means he’s never getting out.”
“Good.” I felt a kinship with Iona, a woman I’d never met, not only because of Walker but because I knew what it was like to be in a relationship with someone like that. I’d survived it. She hadn’t. And that broke my goddamn heart. For her.
For Walker.
At that moment, I couldn’t get close enough to him. I wanted to meld myself to Walker Ironside like we were two halves of one whole. This was love, I realized. This was what it was like to be truly, madly, deeply in love with someone.
It was going to take some getting used to.
But I knew I could.
Because I trusted Walker like I trusted very few people in my life.
And he trusted me.
That made me feel pretty damn epic.
“I want you again.” I hitched my leg on his hip.
“Like I said,” he murmured, gently pushing me onto my back to oblige, “demanding.”
“You know it.” I opened my thighs, inviting him in. “Good thing you’ve got stamina, Walker Ironside.”
His grin flashed, wicked and exciting. “Good thing you do too. You’re going to need it.”
Forty-One
WALKER
“Thank you for hiding this here,” Sloane said, following at my back as I carried the large box containing Callie’s pink electric scooter into my bungalow. I wanted to participate in the Christmas gift buying this year, so Sloane had reluctantly agreed to let me go halves with her on the item that was number one on Callie’s wish list.
“No problem.” I put it in my spare bedroom and turned to find Sloane leaning on the door frame, her expression thoughtful.
I knew why when she said, “Are you ready for today?”
Truthfully, I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been nervous about something. Panicked, afraid, aye. But nervous? It wasn’t in my vocabulary. Until today. “I don’t suppose I’ll ever be ready for it. But I’m going.”
A few days after Sloane and I got back together, I gathered the courage to call my mum. She was brittle on the phone and insisted we meet to talk. At her suggestion that she come to me, I allowed it. It was not in my DNA to allow a woman to go out of her way for me, but I think I needed this from her. And Sloane had taught me that maybe it was okay to take what I needed.
My mum had arrived in Ardnoch last night and was staying at the Gloaming. I was meeting her there soon.
Sloane pushed off the doorway and I met her halfway, wrapping my arms around her waist as she laid her hands on my chest. “If you want to be alone after, I get it. But you know I’m here, right?”
“I know. I’ll come to you after,” I promised.
“I’ll take a ride with you into the village, if that’s all right. I told Monroe I’d meet her at Flora’s for a coffee.”
“Sure.” I pressed a kiss to her lips and smoothed my hand down to pat her arse. “Just give me a few minutes to shower and change.” I’d been on a run when Sloane called, asking if we could drop the scooter off at mine.
She grinned, not releasing me. “Can I watch that?”
Amused, I gave her a slight shake of my head. “Not unless you want me to fuck you.”
“Of course I do.” Sloane pouted playfully. “But we don’t have time. Darn it.” She pushed me away. “I’ll go wait in the living room.”
I parked at the Gloaming and rounded the hood before Sloane could get out to open her door. She got out of the SUV, her entire focus on me as it had been since the moment we left my place. I knew she was worried about me, and I disliked being the cause of her anxiety. But I understood, and I could soothe it once I’d met with my mum.