Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 100608 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100608 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
What. The. Fuck.
Callan and Shelly are standing outside, staring at the B&B. I climb out of the car, donuts and coffee in hand, stopping beside them.
“Who did this?” I demand, fury burning hot through me.
“An asshole,” Callan offers.
“Don’t say asshole,” Shelly chides. “But, for real, what an asshole.”
In red spray paint, someone wrote out a message.
Brigs Fairy Gay.
My mind reels with who the hell could have done this. I know I have some enemies already, but this feels extreme. New York had a shit ton of crime, but not once had someone done something so nasty regarding my sexuality.
Surely Dean or Ned wouldn’t stoop this low. They’re the types to do other shit to get to me—like denying help to Rhett’s company or my B&B. I don’t see either of them as vandals.
“Do you think the Rainbow Vigilante did this?” Shelly asks. “I read the article they posted in the paper.”
“From rainbows to hate speech?” Callan shakes his head at our sister. “Seems like a stretch.”
“I’ll get to the bottom of it,” I growl. “In the meantime, call Hans to see if he can get a crew out today to paint over this.”
“What are you going to do?”
“For one, I’m getting the camera installation moved up.” I hand Shelly the box of donuts. “And then I’m calling the sheriff.”
She smirks at me. “Good idea. Are we avoiding the obvious fact you’re wearing yesterday’s clothes and look utterly wrecked?”
Callan snorts out a laugh.
“We are,” I grumble.
“Is he cute?” she taunts. “Are you going to marry him?”
I flip her off. “None of your business, Shelly Belly.”
“Come on,” she teases. “Throw us a bone. What’s he look like?”
“I’m leaving now. Find someone else to torment.”
“But it’s so much more fun to torment you.” Her laughter is joined by Callan’s as I walk away.
“Fuck you both,” I call back. “Save me some donuts, brats.”
Knowing Jax and Zak were headed to breakfast when I left, I decide to take a quick shower before I call in the vandalism to him.
I wrack my brain, trying to think who hates me badly enough to write that bullshit on my B&B. Still, the only names I can come up with are Dean and Ned, but even those don’t feel right. If I’d considered this question on Wednesday, I would’ve said Jaxson, but clearly, I’ve learned what he feels for me is anything but hate.
Could it be Kian?
Sure, he’s friendly and seemingly harmless, but if he knew I was fucking around with his ex, he might become a problem.
Whoever it is will learn soon enough that you don’t fuck with the Kincaids.
I’ll sue their socks off and financially ruin them if they want to pull this shit on me.
I just have to figure out who it is first.
Jaxson
“Maxton texted me last night,” Zak says around a mouthful of food. “Said Dad’s a dick.”
“Oh, Max. Captain Obvious.” I chuckle. “Is that all you guys talked about?”
Zak shrugs, diverting his gaze. “Other stuff too.”
“Like?”
“You.”
Unease sours in my gut. “I’m not an interesting topic of discussion.”
“To us you are.”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to ask what they spoke about, but I’m afraid he’ll blurt out something I’m not ready to hear in front of all the patrons in the busy café.
“How are the twins?” I ask, changing the subject. “Still double trouble?”
“He said Alex army crawls now. Anna cries when he does it because she can’t do it too.” He laughs, shaking his head. “Just imagine when they both can crawl.”
“Hell on earth,” I mutter in agreement.
“They really fucked up.” His eyes darken as he pins me with a glare.
“The twins?”
“No.” His jaw clenches. “Mom and Dad.”
I start to defend them because it’s second nature, but he’s right. They drove Maxton away when they gave him an ultimatum with Kimmy. Hayden chose his brother over his parents, following after him. Then they pretty much shoved their youngest boy out the door. It’s like, when we all grew into teenagers, our parents were so hell-bent on controlling us and manipulating us into the adults they wanted us to be that they forgot we were their children.
“They weren’t always like this,” I remind him.
“No, but it’s hard to remember those times when they’ve been absolute assholes for the past decade.”
When our waitress, Betty, brings our ticket, Zak snatches it up before I can take it.
“Breakfast is on me,” I tell him, my eyes narrowing.
“No, rent is on you.” He smirks. “I may not make a ton of money at the bowling alley, but it’s enough that I can buy breakfast here and there and contribute to the groceries.”
“You need to focus on school.”
“It’s just a part-time job, Jax. Chill.”
Before I can argue, he’s out of the booth and sauntering over to the register. My mind drifts to last night. God, it felt so good to be inside of Dante. I wanted to do it again tonight, but I had a missed text from last night from Cato.