Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 130512 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 653(@200wpm)___ 522(@250wpm)___ 435(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 130512 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 653(@200wpm)___ 522(@250wpm)___ 435(@300wpm)
Channing: I don’t think I need to remind you that Allen is close to Nate’s brother-in-law, whose bloodline is connected to my sister’s husband. Are you following the dots here? That’s a lot of family connections there. You need to loop me in on what’s going on.
Channing: I found your security guards. They were knocked out and tied up, left behind the west wall of Kade Enterprises. All were fine when we dropped them off at the hospital.
Channing: Fucking call me back, Mason.
There was a slight knock on the door, and I looked up as it opened. So many things depended on the man coming to see me in person.
I motioned to him. “Come in.”
He moved slowly, one arm held across his stomach. He was pale, but his shoulders were set with determination. I studied him, and the previous times I’d seen him came to mind. He’d written letters to me since he began seventh grade. Only later did I attach those letters to a name, to a face, to someone who knew other people in my life. The letters became messages on my social media. There’d been nothing crazy or worrisome in them, just contact from a fan who declared his appreciation for my endeavors. He wasn’t a stalker until he started dropping by the house.
He followed Samantha and me around town a few times. He’d been at the grocery store, the coffee shop, at a table all alone at Manny’s. Always there. Always watching.
He’d approached my father.
He’d approached Analise.
When he approached Maddy, I had enough. We got an order of protection against him so he’d stay away from my immediate family. Other people in our lives knew him, but they didn’t know about those visits. That was kept to ourselves.
He always had an odd look in his eyes when I saw him in person, as if he wasn’t really seeing me in front of him—more like a poster that had come to life. That look was gone today. He could see me.
“You probably should’ve stayed in the hospital another day,” I noted.
He laughed, which ended in a wince as he lowered himself into the chair across from my desk. “Right. Well, Logan’s avocado-related accidental self-stabbing story wasn’t holding up. The longer I stayed, the more questions I got. A few of the nurses weren’t buying how it happened when we were drunk, on a golf course, and why the fuck would we be trying to cut open an avocado? I had to check out. Out of sight, out of mind. That sort of thing.”
“Logan said the story was so preposterous that it would have to be true.”
He laughed, and immediately paled. “Oh. I regret that.” He coughed, readjusted himself again. “So, uh, you and your brother tortured me. I want to know why. Was it just for information?”
I frowned. “Do you not remember?”
He grimaced, his face going pale. “No, I do. Though I wish I didn’t. I know you.”
I gritted my teeth. He didn’t fucking know me.
Zeke dropped his gaze. “I know you don’t want me to know you. You probably think that I don’t know you. I get that in the past I’ve crossed a line, but…” His eyes lifted to mine. “None of those times were malicious.”
“You followed me and Sam around town.”
“I happened to be in a few of the same places at the same time.”
“Multiple times,” I bit out.
“Yeah. I mean, what do you want me to say? You’re my idol.” His eyes fell. “Were my idol.”
“My father? What’s your excuse with approaching him?”
“I wanted to introduce myself. Before his death, we were in similar social groups here. The elite business world of Fallen Crest isn’t that big.”
“Analise?”
“Ah…” He frowned, his head folding down. “You won’t believe me, but I only approached her once and it was because she looked upset. She was walking on the sidewalk. I just wanted to make sure she’d be okay.”
He had a goddamn excuse for every time.
Last one. Worst one. “My daughter?”
He coughed, tugging at his shirt. “Would you believe me if I said—”
“No,” I barked. “One time. I would believe you if it happened one fucking time. Not multiple times. Not with the letters. Not with the private messages. No one in your little social group knows the extent of it. They’re all telling me you’re safe. You’re cool. We can trust you.” I shot forward in my seat. “No, I goddamn can’t. You approached my kid—”
“She—there were some guys. It looked like they were messing with her—”
“—in fucking San Diego! You approached her in another city. You weren’t there by coincidence. You looked for her. You found her. You approached her. I want nothing to do with you. Nothing. But after last night, we have a problem because it seems like my brother cares about you. Go fucking figure on that one.”