Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 73043 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73043 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
I’d never been a violent person when it wasn’t warranted.
But, when it was warranted, I held no prisoners.
This Tegan kid was all of twenty-eight at most, and his eyes were so jealous of me that I wanted to punch him.
He didn’t have anything on me.
This thing that I felt for Janie far outweighed anything that he’d ever feel, yet he was ruining everything.
I wanted to regain my memory because I was sure if I had, some of these things that I was feeling would be answered.
Did we have something together? Did she feel the same thing that I felt? Why didn’t she answer any of my questions?
And the main reason I wasn’t doing anything was because I was immersed in a dangerous game that I didn’t want her anywhere near.
Yet, I had asked for her help because I was stupid. I wanted to be closer to her, and if I had to let her into my investigation of a man who I despised to accomplish that, I would.
Was it a good idea? No.
Was I going to do it anyway? Yes.
“Will you marry me, Janie?” Tegan asked finally.
Janie turned her eyes to me, looking, waiting for something that I didn’t understand.
Was she wanting me to tell her not to do it? Because I’d tell her.
But I felt like she was searching for more. Trying to get me to do something, but I had no clue what it was.
***
Janie
Tell me you remember me. Tell me that this was all just a sick joke and that you’re the only one for me. Tell Tegan to take a hike.
Something.
Anything.
Rafe!
I studied him, hoped that he would say something, anything, a single word…that would be all it took.
Yet he didn’t say anything.
He just stared, impassively, as he watched me watch him.
I felt Tegan move, and I turned to him.
“You’re killing me,” he replied, a smile on his lips.
I swallowed, glanced once more at Rafe, and then turned back to Tegan.
“Yes.”
Chapter 12
Cobweb cooter.
-Things you don’t want to hear about on your wedding day
Janie
Two months later
The day before the wedding
My father was staring at me from across the dinner table.
“What?”
“You’re sure about this?” he asked.
I looked away.
I wasn’t sure about anything.
Not one single thing.
Well, that was a lie.
I was sure of one thing.
I kept holding out hope that Rafe would stop me, but he hadn’t.
I’d seen him multiple times since the day that Tegan had proposed and still nothing.
He didn’t remember me, I couldn’t tell him who we were to each other, and every time he stared at me like he didn’t know me, my heart would break just a little more.
I knew I was making a mistake with Tegan, but honestly, I kept hoping that Rafe would suddenly remember everything we had and stop me.
Yet he didn’t.
And tomorrow I was supposed to be marrying a man that I didn’t love.
It was stupid, childish, and the worst decision of my life.
Yet I kept wishing that Rafe would come around. That he’d remember. But it never freaking happened.
And it sucked.
I was so stupid.
But I wouldn’t give up hope. I wouldn’t.
My last-ditch effort had been sending him a freakin’ invitation to the wedding…and then he’d RSVP’d. For two.
Him and his plus one—his fiancé.
Which led to now.
Tomorrow was the wedding.
In twelve short hours, I would be marrying a man that I didn’t love.
I would be forever attached to someone because I kept thinking that if Rafe knew that I was marrying another man, surely his male instincts would kick in and he’d remember that he wanted me.
Remember that I was the only woman for him.
“Janie.”
I looked up to find my father staring at me like he knew the dilemma that was currently working its way through my mind.
“Yeah?” I croaked.
“If you have even an inkling of a doubt, you should stop this,” he stated.
I looked down at the table.
My problem was that if I couldn’t have Rafe, I didn’t see why I would ever want anybody else.
Anybody would always be second best to him.
Always.
So, what did it matter who I married when that person wasn’t ever going to be Rafe?
“What are you ordering?” I changed the subject.
I’d never felt like I was making a terrible decision—at least truly—until that very second when I saw my father’s face fall and fill with disappointment.
***
James
“Who gives this woman?” the preacher called, looking directly at me.
I looked over at my wife, Shiloh, and stared.
She shook her head, telling me without words not to put voice to the concerns that were rolling through me.
This all had happened too fast.
She wasn’t supposed to grow up this fast. She wasn’t supposed to get married. She wasn’t supposed to marry someone that I didn’t approve of. She wasn’t supposed to leave me!
Which would be what she was doing.
Janie didn’t know that her husband and I despised each other. She didn’t know that by marrying him, she was betraying me.