Total pages in book: 266
Estimated words: 250787 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1254(@200wpm)___ 1003(@250wpm)___ 836(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 250787 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1254(@200wpm)___ 1003(@250wpm)___ 836(@300wpm)
“You okay?” A hand gently rubs my back, and I nod.
“Yeah.” My mouth is dry, and my tongue is heavy. My eyes feel crusty, and my hair is a tangled mess. I went to Blackout last night and got hammered. My mind has been fucking mush since I ran out of the basement at Carnage a week ago. I hate how often I looked around, hoping to see Haidyn there.
Getting out of bed, I manage to make my way to the bathroom and look at myself in the mirror. I’m still wearing my makeup from last night, but it’s smeared across my cheeks.
Turning on the sink, I splash my face and decide that only a shower can fix this hungover disaster. I turn on the water and step inside. Falling to my ass, I sit under the sprayer and let the hot water rain down on me.
The door opens, and Wesley smiles at me. “Here, you need to drink something.” He places a bottle of water in the corner so the shower doesn’t hit it.
I thank him, and he closes the door, so the steam fills the large space. After I spilled my drink on him the first night we met at Blackout, he got my number and asked me to dinner the next day. We’ve been seeing each other ever since. I wish I really liked him, but it’s just part of the job. And I pray to whatever God might exist that the Lords don’t forget what I’m doing.
It’s happened before or so I’ve heard. The Lords are a large secret society, and no one knows who is really in charge. It’s not like there’s a 1-800 number that you can call to reach an operator.
Sure, I have an Apple watch, cell, and laptop, but I’m not reaching out to them. I’ll continue to wait to see what directions they give me.
“Your mother just called. We’ve got lunch with her today,” Wesley calls out.
“We?” I ask.
He opens the door once more and smiles at me. “Yeah, I figured I’d go with you. You don’t mind, do you? If so…I don’t have to go.”
“No. It sounds great.” Just what I want. My mother to see me hungover.
His smile grows. “I told her noon would be best. That gives you plenty of time to shower and get ready.”
“Sounds great,” I tell him, and he shuts the door.
I lean my head against the cool wall. He’s a good guy, but I like my space. It’s hard enough to be someone else when with Haidyn. But having to continue that on a day-to-day basis twenty-four seven is so draining.
My mother knows what I’m doing, and that Wesley is my fake boyfriend. It’s not uncommon for the parents of the Lords to know what their sons are required to do for initiations or assignments. I’m really close with my mother and tell her everything. And it’s nice to have someone in your corner, wanting you to succeed.
At twelve o’clock sharp, I pull up to my mother’s house. My father bought it for her back when she was his chosen. He proposed to her that same day in the backyard. After my father died, my mother was regifted, and my stepfather moved in. He didn’t have any kids, and my mother wanted to remain in the house where I grew up. William was nice enough to accommodate her wishes.
Turning off my SUV, we get out and make our way inside. I’ve taken two painkillers and downed a bottle of water and a handful of crackers. I also put more makeup on than usual to cover up the dark circles under my eyes. She’ll still notice, though.
Entering the house, I call out for her. “Mom?”
“Hello, darling.” She walks into the foyer, her Louboutins clicking on the white marble floor.
Wesley knows that my family is wealthy. He just doesn’t know the truth of how they acquired it. He thinks my mom married into money, and I’ve never corrected him. It doesn’t matter, and he can judge her all he wants. It’ll still be better than telling him about the Lords.
His father has money, and his mother was a gold-digging whore—his words—who left his father when Wesley was three. She got the summer villa along with twelve million. The only thing she didn’t want…was Wesley. His father raised him and has gone through several marriages since. But he learned his lesson when it came to prenups.
“Hey, Mom.” I hug her as she approaches me.
Pulling back, she frowns, looking over my face. “Darling, you have to start getting more sleep,” she scolds me with a smile.
I step to the side, and Wesley gives her a kiss on her cheek, telling her how pretty she looks today. She’s always done up and looking her best.
“Where’s William?” I ask. He always greets me when I come home.