Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 86972 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 435(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86972 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 435(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
“FUCK!” Rio shouted and his cupcake fell out of his hand onto the ground as he went to grab the driver’s side door as Saul did the same with the passenger’s side. I continued to stand there with my hand over my mouth. If Fleur fell off the car, it could roll over her, or she could bash her head on the asphalt, or she could break her neck…
And it was at that thought the first siren roared to life and turned down my street.
Fleur lay over the front window of her convertible then flipped head first inside the car, causing it to roll backward, even as the guys were holding onto it. The cop came to a stop and jumped out of his patrol car. I couldn’t hear everything, but I did manage to get that Fleur was drunk and high.
With the officer’s help, Saul was able to climb inside and put the car in park. Then Fleur was cuffed and taken to the cop’s vehicle while she laughed about it. Saul talked to the officer and I saw him shake his head no. Two more cops arrived and the neighbors all seemed to be coming out onto their porches or front yards.
Long after Fleur was put into the back of the police car, Saul stood there talking to all three cops. Rio remained by his side and a few nosey neighbors made their way out to ask questions. When the first cop drove away, Rio and Saul began walking back toward Gran’s house. Saul looked furious and Rio looked annoyed.
It was Rio who reached me first and then Saul turned toward Rio’s Jeep and climbed in the passenger side. I said nothing, waiting for Rio to speak. A few neighbors were still outside looking our way. I felt like we were on display.
“I’ve gotta go,” he said. “Saul needs a ride to the station to get Fleur bailed out.”
“Oh,” I replied, thinking maybe she needed to stay behind bars a little bit until she sobered up.
“Tomorrow?” he asked me.
I nodded. “Yeah, that’s fine.”
Rio glanced back at Saul who was sitting in the passenger seat with his head back and his eyes closed. “What is wrong with her?” I asked Rio, looking back at him.
“She’s a fucking spoiled bitch who uses Daddy’s money to get herself high when things don’t go her way. Blames it on some shit that happened to her when she was younger. Saul won’t talk about it. Anyway, he saves her ass when she does this shit. It’s a damn cycle that’s been going on for years. He’s never loved her, they’re more old friends than anything.”
He was saving Fleur, just like he saved his mother.
Why would he want to be with a girl that had the same issues his mother did? Hadn’t he learned from his mom that this may never end? His mom needed him right now and he was having to deal with Fleur.
“Don’t judge him. He sends her away. She comes back after he’s had time to get over it. Then this all over again. Remember he saved my ass twice when I did something stupid. I gotta give him a ride. You read the letters tonight. Tomorrow, we will go on our search.”
I nodded and watched as he walked to his Jeep. When they pulled out of the drive, I headed back up the stairs and inside. I had letters to read and hopefully it would distract me from everything else.
Fourteen
I put the last letter down around midnight and stared at the pile on the coffee table. Rio was right about the Lyra who wrote the letters being my mom. I would know that handwriting anywhere. It was my mother’s alright. Albeit a bit neater back then.
Whoever Rebel was that was the man who aided in my creation. I didn’t doubt that. The way Rio’s mom had written him, I was pretty sure Rebel was the only guy in her life too. There was a ninety-nine percent chance in my estimation that Rio was in fact my half brother. He had been sure of it when he took me out on the beach and told me, and now I could see why.
Proving this was going to be another issue. Although we could easily take a DNA test. Did those tell you who your father was? Or would it just tell us we were siblings? I had never had to think about this before and DNA tests weren’t something I knew much about.
Gran’s grandfather clock began to chime twelve and I knew I had to get in bed. Four in the morning would be here too soon. Yawning, I stood up and started toward the kitchen when a knock at the door caused me to yelp in surprise. Spinning around to see who had knocked, I froze when I saw Saul standing on the other side of the door. I stared at him a moment and he held my gaze.