Total pages in book: 171
Estimated words: 164705 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 824(@200wpm)___ 659(@250wpm)___ 549(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 164705 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 824(@200wpm)___ 659(@250wpm)___ 549(@300wpm)
“She’s remembering things,” Dallas protested. “You’re interrupting our progress.”
“She has migraines, and I don’t remember Doctor Cohen mentioning anything about flying her around the globe and showing her places to help her recover. She needs rest.”
“I’m trying to help.”
I bared my teeth, downright feral. “Everything you touch turns radioactive.”
“I want to remember.” Briar stepped away from me, shooting me a glare. “Yes, my head hurts, but this is vital if I want to remember. It feels like ages since I woke up from my coma, yet I’ve had no progress. You don’t understand what it’s like to not have your memories. My memories are me.”
“You’re still you, Cuddlebug. Funny, and smart, and gorgeous.”
“And clueless, and disoriented, and frustrated. Why don’t you want my memories to return as much as I do? It’s our love story I’ve forgotten.”
“I do.”
I don’t.
The second she regained her memories, she’d be gone. And I wouldn’t be able to chase her. Not without breaking my promise to Seb.
And why, exactly, would you chase her, asshat? She’s not yours. In fact, she hates your fucking guts.
“I don’t believe you.” She spun toward the door before I could reply, tracing the painted wood like it would grant her the keys to the past. “Grant was a long-term boyfriend of mine. Two, maybe three years.”
The revelation slashed away at my chest like someone had run a sword through it and tossed bleach all over the open wound. I had no right to be upset, considering what I’d put this woman through. And still.
In fifteen years, I’d never moved on from her.
Never had a relationship spanning more than two hours, let alone two to three years.
“I’m just trying to help,” I explained, watching Briar’s frown deepen as she took me in. “Doctor Cohen said to avoid anything that might upset you.”
“Wait, how did you get here so fast?” Her eyes bounced between me and the corridor before darting between her kidnappers as if they held all the answers.
I pocketed my phone, now that I no longer needed Dallas to answer my goddamn calls. “My private plane.”
“Oliver, this is absurd. Why didn’t you call?”
“I did. I called all of you as soon as I found out you were here. None of you picked up.”
“Oh.” Briar fished out her new phone from her pocket, blinking back at the one hundred missed calls. “Mine was still on airplane mode.”
Farrow shrugged, picking at dirt beneath her nail. “Mine is always on Silent mode.”
“You don’t have my number,” Hettie chimed in. “I’m just your friend’s lowly cook.”
“I got your calls. I just ignored them.” Dallas kissed Luca’s head, turning back to Briar. “So, what else do you remember?”
“There’s a common room here with a pool table.” She jerked a thumb behind her. “I want to check it out. I think I remember something important that happened there.”
“Aw.” Dallas wiggled her brows. “You and Grant doing the nasty on the table?”
“No, it has something to do with Hazel.”
“Why don’t you take Briar to see it, Hettie?” Farrow latched onto both their elbows, urging them away. “That way Dallas, Oliver, and I can kill each other peacefully while you take advantage of the time we have here before our flight back.”
I watched Hettie usher Briar down the corridor, refusing to tear my eyes away until her very last atom left my line of sight. Something queasy churned in the pit of my gut. I had to stop this bullshit. Briar and I had ended the second I fucked over my family. I needed to help her recover, then we’d never see each other again. I owed her as much. The violent knot tightening inside me could only be guilt and worry for her health. That’s it.
As soon as Briar and Hettie left earshot, Dallas swiveled to me, her mouth wide-open, and for the first time, not so she could fit an entire unsliced cake into it.
“Holy shit, Ollie.” She slapped a hand over her chest. “You’re in love with her.”
“That’s ridiculous.” I glowered at her. “I’m not in lo … it’s complicated. We’ve known each other since we were in diapers. I’m worried about her, okay?”
Dallas stroked her chin, deep in thought. “I never thought you were capable of caring for anything that wasn’t the next parking lot for your peen.”
“The technology does exist,” I muttered.
“Not for you.” Farrow scrolled through her phone, not bothering to glance up at me. “You were programmed as an old-fashioned asshole. I didn’t think you had the features.”
Dallas beamed. “Must be a new software update, right?”
Farrow motioned with her hand to cut the joke, like the Jonah Hill meme. “That last analogy was overkill.”
Dallas sighed. “Inside jokes are like freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. You never know when to stop.”
Without Briar here to witness this, I turned to them, hands on my waist. “Time to cut the bullshit. You overstepped. Big time.”