Total pages in book: 171
Estimated words: 162003 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 810(@200wpm)___ 648(@250wpm)___ 540(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 162003 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 810(@200wpm)___ 648(@250wpm)___ 540(@300wpm)
“Jesus, Norma,” I sputtered.
“He was right,” she said. “All I’ve been doing is hurting the people I love. For so many years because I couldn’t see past my own misery. Losing Frankie, and then thinking he was going to come take you two away from me whenever he saw fit, well it scared the living hell out of me. I guess I tried to disconnect from all of it in the best way I knew how.”
“So you really… you gave it all up,” I said.
“I’m trying my best, Brighton.” She stared down at her linked fingers with watery eyes. “But I’m not going to make any promises other than to say that I’m going to keep on trying. Ryland’s a good man for helping me this way, though he doesn’t want to admit it himself. He’s filled with so much pain though that I worry. I worry about you with him. But he’s come to see me a couple of times, and it seems like he’s trying too.”
“He has?” I asked. “He came to visit you?”
She nodded, wiping away the tears from her eyes. “He seems lonely. Misses you a lot.”
“Oh.” I glanced down at my shoes. “Well, I’m really glad you’re here, and that he’s helping you this way, but it doesn’t change anything between me and Ryland.”
“He told me that’s what you’d say.” She smiled. “But he wants to Brighton. He wants you to hear him out.”
“So that’s what this is all about?” I crossed my arms and started to close myself off again, thinking it had all been some sort of trick.
“No.” Norma shook her head. “I wasn’t supposed to say anything either way. But you know I’ve never been good at holding my tongue.”
I blinked up at her and held back a sob as she leaned forward and clasped my hand in hers. It was the closest she’d come to motherly affection in as long as I could remember.
“I’m the last person to give advice,” she said. “But if I can tell you one thing, Brighton, it’s that Ryland loves you with all of his heart. He loves you so much that he put aside his feelings about me to do what he thought would make you happy. And I think that speaks for itself.”
I knew Norma didn’t know all the details of what had transpired, but I wasn’t going to bring them up either.
“But what about him and Brayden?” I asked. “They’re both being completely crazy. I can’t take it anymore.”
“I don’t know.” She shrugged. “You’ll have to work that out with them. All I’m saying is I think that you should hear Ryland out. See what he has to say.”
“And he didn’t put you up to this?” I asked suspiciously.
“Nope.” She shook her head. “He said he wanted to do things his way. He’s a real control freak, that one.”
I laughed in spite of myself. “You have no idea.”
Chapter Eleven
Brighton
When I got back out to the car, Ryland was waiting for me inside. The divider was up, and I couldn’t see Ted, which was probably for the best. He’d obviously tricked me.
I had no idea how Ryland had even gotten there, but he looked pissed. It didn’t take me long to figure out why.
“Please tell me you aren’t seriously living in that place Ted picked you up.”
I ignored the harshness of his tone and gave him a weak smile.
“Ryland, what are you doing with Norma?”
I knew this was the last thing he wanted to talk about, but it needed to be said.
“I’m trying to help her.” He sighed. “Isn’t that obvious?”
“But why?” I asked. “The last time we spoke, you wanted her dead.”
He actually winced at my words, and it surprised me.
“That was before,” he stated. “Before the… before I almost killed you.”
He couldn’t look at me when he said it, and that same familiar urge to comfort him was there inside of me. I ignored it. Because he was right. He had almost killed me. And if I hadn’t been there that night, I didn’t know if he would have killed Brayden or not.
“I appreciate what you’re doing, Ryland,” I said. “I really do. But I’m sure you can understand how it’s difficult to believe you can just go from wanting someone dead to helping her overnight.”
“I don’t have any ulterior motives,” he assured me. “I only want what’s best for you, Brighton.”
“But what about your family?” I asked. “What about your revenge?”
He reached towards me, clasping my face in his palms. I didn’t stop him this time. I needed to hear what he had to say.
“I didn’t think there was anything I could ever want more than my revenge,” he murmured. “But then I had you.”
I bit my lip as frustration and pain warred inside of me. I wasn’t too proud to admit I was weak. When it came to Ryland, I probably always would be. But I couldn’t stand seeing him so lost. So broken. “You know this doesn’t change anything between us,” I whispered.