Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 65041 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 325(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 65041 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 325(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
He didn’t reply for what seemed like forever until finally, he shared, “It’s a combination of things. Some of it’s military, and others it’s—”
“PTSD?”
“Something like that.”
“Have you ever talked to someone about it?”
“What do you think?”
“Yeah…” I hesitated for second. “Well… you can always talk to me.”
Again, nothing but silence like he was debating if he was going to share more until he added, “I’m not much for talking.” He began rubbing my back.
“Believe it or not, I’m the same way. Haven has to pry it out of me most of the time.”
“Haven has that effect on people. She’s like our mom.”
I smiled, drawing lazy circles around his chest. “The very first memory I have of your mom was Halloween. I didn’t have a costume. My parents always forgot stuff like that. I remember our driver dropped me off at your house because your mom was going to take us trick-or-treating. Haven ran out to greet me, and she was wearing a full-on princess gown costume with the biggest crown. As soon as your mom saw me with no costume on, she just knew. An hour later, she came into Haven’s bedroom with my very own princess gown costume. It was even my favorite color.”
“Teal.”
I jerked back, peering up at him. “How do you know that?”
“Haven’s room was next to mine, remember?”
“Right… I don’t know how your mom bought it on such short notice, but—”
“She made it.”
I arched an eyebrow, waiting on pins and needles for him to elaborate.
“I had to run out and get her more fabric.”
“You’re lying.”
“Of all the things to lie to you about, you think I’d start there?”
My afflicting emotions stirred all around us.
Consuming me.
Him.
Us?
“I had no idea you did that for me. That meant a lot to me, Jace. Thank you.”
As I lay there with his arms wrapped around me, I got lost in what he had just openly confessed, and it was at that moment I realized I was truly screwed because I was beginning to fall in love with my best friend’s brother.
Who was also hired to kill me.
Twenty-Two
Jace
Then: One month later
“Where are we going?” Hope asked, sitting beside me on the plane.
Yesterday morning, I flew into her state to see her for the third time since Tony died. My second visit was short; I was only there for a couple of days. During dinner last night, I casually mentioned we were taking a much-needed vacation. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d taken one.
She pretty much jumped in my lap the minute I told her I was taking her away. She kissed all over my face, expressing so much sincere joy. Last month, she moved into the new apartment I was paying for her. There were too many memories of Tony and the life they’d never have where she was living before.
The place was a three-bedroom, three-bath that overlooked the city of Miami. I was making more than enough money to help her and her unborn son financially. I promised Tony I’d take care of them, and I intended to follow through.
In the past six months, we’d probably written hundreds of letters to each other. Sometimes it felt like I knew her better than I knew myself.
“You asking me every five minutes isn’t going to change my answer.”
“I thought we were on vacation, Jace.” She nodded to my laptop. “Why are you still working?”
“I have to take care of some things before we land.”
“Which is where?”
I glanced at her. “Nice try.”
I smiled, feeling as if I was a different man when I was with her. My past was behind me, and all I had to do was focus on the future. We bonded over the pain of losing Tony. It was what brought us together to begin with.
It seemed like my demons were asleep when I was around her. They subsided, letting me breathe for a minute. Something about our relationship was missing in my life, and I couldn’t have been more grateful to have her.
Hope was so fucking pretty, growing this beautiful boy inside her body. She was adorable, pregnant stomach and all, with her overalls on. Pregnancy agreed with her.
Despite having these intense feelings for each other, we hadn’t had sex. We just couldn’t cross that bridge. I was content to have her sleeping in my arms. It was enough for me.
She let me finish my work for the rest of the flight while I rubbed her stomach. Once we landed, I grabbed her hand and led her off the plane and down the stairs to pick up our luggage. A chauffeured SUV waited for us at the airport to drive us to the private house I rented for the week.
“Ahhh! We’re in St. Martin!” she exclaimed the second she realized where we were on the ride to the property.
We turned down a secluded path with palm trees on either side and drove for about ten minutes. Beautiful tropical trees mixed with lush greenery took up the sides of the road. You couldn’t see anything behind the landscaped walls as we sped closer to our destination.