Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 52319 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 262(@200wpm)___ 209(@250wpm)___ 174(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 52319 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 262(@200wpm)___ 209(@250wpm)___ 174(@300wpm)
The Brantley who steps out of the truck at my dad's isn't the same man I met in his office. He isn't even the same man he was two days ago. This one came face to face with rock bottom…and somewhere in the muck, he found peace. He hauled himself out of the pit stronger than he went in, more at peace than he's ever been.
I know he'll face obstacles a thousand times in the future. It's inevitable after everything he's been through. It's part of addiction. But I don't think he'll ever land at the bottom again. And that gives me so much damn hope.
I think my parents were waiting for me because we're not even halfway to the door before my dad throw it open and storms out. He takes one look at me and Brantley striding toward him, hand in hand, and a shudder goes through him.
I expect him to be angry.
Instead, he barrels off the porch like a desperate man, yanking me into his arms. "Don't you ever do that again," he growls, his voice shaking. "You scared the shit out of me, Isla."
"I'm sorry," I whisper, guilt pricking at me. "I left you a note so you wouldn't worry."
He tips my head back, his gaze firm. "You think a note is going to keep me from worrying about you? You're my daughter. You left in the middle of the night." He exhales a ragged breath. "Jesus Christ, kid. I was afraid you'd been kidnapped."
"Shit," Brantley mutters from beside me.
My dad whips his head in his direction, narrowing his eyes on him. "And you should have fucking called me when she showed up at your place," he growls. "You damn sure should have called me before I had half the state looking for her this morning."
"Mac," my mom says from behind him, her voice gentle. "You can't blame him for her choices. You know she's just as stubborn as you are."
"He's right, Mrs. Sterling," Brantley says, his voice full of apology. "I should have called. And it should have happened days ago." He meets my father's gaze, unflinching. "I apologize, Mac. You deserved to know she was safe, and I fucked up. But I promise you, she will always be safe with me. She's been safe with me from the beginning."
"You don't know that, son," my dad says, sighing wearily. "Her sister was just attacked in Texas."
I gasp, my eyes flying open wide. "What? They found her?"
My dad's jaw pulses where he clenches it. "They set Cormac's house on fire."
I choke on a whimper, too terrified to ask but desperate to know. "Is…is…?"
Brantley slips his arm around my waist, silently offering me strength.
"She's safe," my father sighs. "One of the two who attacked her is dead. Cormac's cousin was injured. But she's safe."
"How did they find her?"
My dad's jaw pulses again, white-hot anger blazing in his eyes. "They planted a fucking bug in the house. They've known where she is the whole time."
"Jesus Christ," Brantley mutters.
"A few of Cormac's brothers are on the way to help clean up the mess." Dad runs a weary hand down his face. "They should be here in a few hours. In the meantime, nothing gets said in the house that you don't want them to hear."
"So they're listening?" Brantley asks, glancing at my dad. There's something in his eyes…fury, I think.
My dad jerks his chin in a nod.
Brantley releases me and strides toward the house, his shoulders set.
"Where the fuck is he going?" my dad asks.
"He was going to pay them what Bellamy owed them," I whisper. "All they had to do was leave Bella alone."
Surprise flares in my dad's eyes before he takes off after Brantley. My mom and I watch until they disappear inside the house, and then I sigh.
"You okay, baby girl?" she asks, reaching out to squeeze my hand.
I jerk my chin in a nod and then bite my bottom lip. "I'm sorry I worried you guys. I didn't mean to do it. I just…my place is with him. I couldn't go to sleep last night and leave him thinking that we couldn't fix this."
"I know, sweetheart. I figured that was the case."
"You didn't tell Dad?" I ask, surprised.
"You mean tell your father that you ran off in the middle of the night because you've been secretly falling in love with Brantley Hill since the day you met him?" she asks me, one brow arched. "I told him. I didn't have much of a choice after he called in the cavalry behind my back this morning."
I grimace, my shoulders slumping. "I don't want him to hate Brantley. I'm the one who decided to keep it from him."
"You've got a lot to learn about your daddy, sweetheart," she says, patting my hand. "He worries about you because he loves you. But he knows you, too. You and your sister are just like him. You're stubborn to a fault, and you want to do everything on your own. He's frustrated Brantley didn't call him because what happened with Bella scared the crap out of him. But he doesn't hate him."