Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 81009 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81009 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
I wasn’t sure if I was going to miss New England winters or not. Leaving the cool, air-conditioned building to the sunny, humid, mid-seventies outdoors in late January was different. When I’d boarded the plane yesterday morning, there had been a fresh three inches of snow overnight, and more was forecasted for this weekend. Here, it was expected to reach almost eighty degrees today.
I needed to find a store and buy some warm weather clothing for the rest of the day. My long sleeves and pants were going to be hot.
Walking down the three steps that led up to the entrance, I let out a sigh. Was I going to do this? I wasn’t officially hired yet, but I knew Marlana wanted me. Tomorrow, I was to return to meet Kendrix. He had to be the final call on things. This would be a massive change—and not just because of the weather.
Squinting against the bright sunshine, I decided that sunglasses were also on my list of things I needed to purchase this afternoon. That would be my first stop.
How many more minutes until my Uber got here? I was already hot.
“Boston winter finally get to you?” a familiar, deep voice asked.
I almost dropped my phone, where I’d been pulling up my Uber app. Sucking in a breath, I didn’t move.
How was he here? I’d just convinced myself that Miami was a big city and I’d never see Rome. I doubted he was here for the art.
Whatever the case, I had a second chance to salvage our meeting yesterday. I could appear more put together and aloof this time. Straightening my shoulders, I tossed back the hair over my shoulder, then turned around to face him. I’d never been more thankful for sunglasses than I was right now. Not having to look at Rome’s eyes helped. His bulging biceps—on display from the black short-sleeved shirt he was wearing under his leather vest—however, weren’t covered up. His arms had definitely tripled in size with age.
“Something like that,” I replied with a tight smile.
The corner of his mouth tugged up just barely. “Come on now, Salem. You can’t still be mad at me about something that happened when we were fucking kids.”
No, Rome, I’m still mad about you ripping out my heart and stomping on it. I’ve healed. But that doesn’t mean I have to like you.
“I’m not.” I didn’t elaborate.
He was quiet for a moment, and then he chuckled. It caused a tingling sensation to course through me. I wanted to curse at my stupid body. It needed to wake up and realize this man was not one to get excited over.
“You look exactly like I imagined. All prim and proper. Mom would have loved to see you all citied up.”
The mention of Vanna caused a pang in my chest. “You forgot old,” I replied bitterly. I couldn’t help it.
Another chuckle, and he tilted his head to the side, as if he were studying me. I couldn’t be sure what part of me he was studying with the glasses on though. It made me want to fidget.
“Did I hurt your feelings?” His tone was amused, not apologetic.
Rome had become a complete dick.
“No, Rome. You lost the power to hurt me a long time ago.”
His jaw tightened, although he wasn’t changing his expression. “See now, I’m struggling to believe you’re not still mad at me. You might have grown into a woman, but those eyes of yours are still real damn expressive, Angel Face,” he said, pulling out a pack of cigarettes and tapping one out.
Hearing him call me that name brought back a world of emotions I needed to keep locked up. Put away.
“Smoking will kill you,” I snapped, angry that he was doing something that could give him the disease his mother had died from.
She’d have been so disappointed in him.
“I figure something else will get me before it does,” he replied, then put it between his teeth before lighting it.
“That’s a solid, mature outlook,” I replied sarcastically.
He shrugged and took some of the smoke in, then replied, “Death comes for us all.”
My throat felt instantly thick. Death did come, but some of us didn’t help it out. Some got their lives taken too soon. Too young.
I took in a shaky breath.
“No rings today?” he asked, and I assumed his eyes were on my left hand.
I’d felt naked without them there this morning, but I’d forgotten after a while.
“Was the interview with a man?” His words sounded as cold as they were cruel. “You afraid that face of yours wouldn’t be enough to land the job, so you slipped off the rings to sweeten the pot?”
How was it this man could push me to the verge of tears in so little amount of time and very few words? Once, he’d have done anything to keep me from crying. Once, he’d have injured anyone who upset me. That was all history though. Our long-gone past.