Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 81845 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 409(@200wpm)___ 327(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81845 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 409(@200wpm)___ 327(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
Rubbing my chest over my heart, I’m at a loss for words.
“My MoonPie is tough, always has been,” she says quietly, looking over my shoulder. “I don’t know what happened between you two. She didn’t tell us anything, but I know she must love you,” she whispers studying me.
“Maisy,” a man calls, stepping out on the porch, stopping when he spots me. Just from looking at him, I know he’s Maggie’s dad. They have the same eyes, and the same expression when they’re pissed, which he obviously is.
“Who are you?” he demands, letting the door slam close behind him.
“Sven, sir.” I take the last two steps up the porch and stick out my hand. His eyes drop to it then lift to look at his wife.
“Go inside, Maisy.”
“Monroe.”
“Go inside, check on Morgan, and make sure she’s okay,” he tells her, and she looks at me then at her husband before nodding and heading toward the door, stopping when she has it open an inch.
“I hope to see a lot more of you, Sven,” she says quietly before disappearing inside.
Monroe’s eyes go from the closed door to me and he nods toward the desert as he takes the steps down the porch. Maggie told me her parents were hippies, but I’m not getting the peace, love, and happiness vibe from her father. In fact, he looks ready to commit murder.
I follow him into the sand and dirt off the side of the house, where he stops and places his fists on his hips. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to bring Maggie home,” I tell him honestly. There is no sense in lying about what’s gonna happen, and whether he likes it or not, his daughter is going home with me.
“You know about what’s happening with her sister?” he asks, and guilt assaults me when I answer.
“Yes, sir.”
“You’re the man my baby girl’s been living with?” he asks, locking his eyes on me.
“Yes.” I nod, shoving my hands in the pockets of my slacks.
“Figured,” he mutters, looking me over, and for once in my life, I feel unsure and on edge. I’ve never sought approval from anyone, never given a fuck what anyone thought of me, but standing outside of Maggie’s parents’ house with her father’s eyes on me, I hope he sees something worthy of his girl. “She’s upstairs. Tomorrow, her sister’s going into rehab, so I ask that you both stay here until she’s there.”
“I’ll do that,” I agree, and his eyes move over me again.
“Are you a model like my girl?” he asks, and I smile for the first time in hours.
“No, sir, I own a club and have a few other businesses around Vegas.”
“Good,” he murmurs then walks off, leaving me standing while he heads toward the house. “You coming, or you gonna stand out here all night?” Without a word, I follow him into the house. “She’s upstairs, second door on the left.” He dips his head toward the stairs.
“Thanks,” I tell him, seeing his wife come to his side, wrapping her arm around his waist.
Heading up the stairs, I stop outside the door then push my way through. The room is dark, but I can still make out Maggie’s outline on the bed. Taking off my suit jacket, I place it on the chair then kick off my shoes and socks, strip off my shirt and pants, and then go to the bed. I pull back the blanket and settle myself in, pulling her against me and feeling her wet cheek hit my chest.
“Wha—” she whispers sleepily.
Rolling her to her back, I cover her mouth with mine and her arms wrap tightly around me for a moment before moving to push me off. Pulling her arms above her head, I hold them there and whisper, “I’m so fucking sorry, baby,” against her lips. “I was a fucking dick, and you didn’t deserve that.”
Turning her face from me, she sobs, and that sound cuts me. Placing my mouth near her ear, I tell her softly, “I love you, Maggie, so fucking much. The idea of something happening to you kills me. I’m a selfish fucking bastard when it comes to you, baby.”
“Shut up,” she whispers through her tears.
“So fucking sorry,” I repeat, dropping my forehead to the side of her head.
“You—”
“I know,” I agree without knowing what she’s going to say. Crying harder, her fingers wrap around mine and I kiss her forehead, cheek, and neck then let her hands go and roll to my back, pulling her up my body. Her face presses into my neck and tears wet my skin as she cries.
“You let me down when I needed you,” she breathes when her body has stopped shaking and the tears have died down.
Fuck.
“I know,” I agree, and her arm moves from where it was tucked between us to slide over my waist. Feeling her settle into me, my body relaxes. We lay there for a long time in silence before I finally ask, “Why’d you lie?” Her body tightens, and she goes to pull her arm back, but I grab her wrist and hold it in place against my abs. “I won’t be pissed. I just need to know so it doesn’t happen again,” I tell her gently, using my free hand to run my fingers through her hair.