Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 104729 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 524(@200wpm)___ 419(@250wpm)___ 349(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104729 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 524(@200wpm)___ 419(@250wpm)___ 349(@300wpm)
“Is it his?”
“Yes.” My voice is low, low enough I’m not even sure she hears me, but then she speaks.
“Fuck.”
Her words are exactly how I feel. I hug my knees to my chest, and my body starts to shake. “I know. What do I do?”
“Do you love him?”
“I think I do. Before all this, before we were rescued …” I swallow hard. “I was falling in love with him.”
“I can’t believe this.” She speaks in a broken whisper, mirroring the emotions inside me.
“You and I both.” My gaze lowers to my belly, to the flat skin. On instinct, my hand reaches down and touches it. Touches the life Alaric and I made. “I have to tell him.”
She inhales deeply before exhaling. “You do.”
“What if he’s not happy? What if this thing between us doesn’t work? He’s the villain in this story, after all. Can you survive loving the villain?”
“We make our own stories. We write our own endings. Only you can decide.”
Her words echo through me. She’s right. I’m not sure how this will turn out, but only we can decide.
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For always being there for me. Even when I was a crappy friend.”
She laughs at that. “I love you, Nix. Now go rest. It sounds like you need it.”
“Gee, thanks.”
“Just speaking the truth.”
“Love you.”
I hang up the phone a moment later.
I have a lot to think about.
47
Alaric
It’s been one week since the party. One week since I had Phoenix in my arms. I’m driving myself crazy. I sound like a pussy, but I can’t get her out of my mind. It’s obvious my pacing back and forth is driving my men nuts as well. To make matters worse, Matteo called me the other day. Apparently, he can’t get in touch with his man hired to pull off the hit.
Now I’m desperate to make sure she’s safe.
Cristian keeps shaking his head.
The thing is, despite my attempts to see her again, she hasn’t left the goddamn hotel. That was until today.
Yes, I’m stalking her.
No, I don’t give a fuck.
It might make me crazy, but here I am, pacing a room in the hotel where she’s staying.
From what my man staking out the front desk has said, she left, went to the hospital, and isn’t back yet.
I’m ready to fucking kill someone.
Someone needs to tell me what the fuck is going on.
Cristian, however, is laughing at me. He said it’s probably a routine checkup, and I can’t just storm her car when she arrives.
Not that Michael is a threat any longer, but I’ll never get Phoenix to talk to me if he’s around.
The problem is, who knows how much longer she will be?
“You will wear a hole in the carpet,” Cristian says, holding back his chuckle.
My hand forms a fist as I turn to face him. “Fuck off, Cristian. If you know what’s good for you.”
I turn and go back about my business of walking back and forth in the suite I’m staying at.
In the background, I can hear my men talking, but I pay them no mind.
Why is she at a hospital?
I’ve never felt this helpless in my entire life.
No, that’s not true. I felt this helpless when Phoenix and I were on the raft, and the storm hit.
I thought we were going to die. Back then, I was an idiot. Deep down, I knew how I felt about her but didn’t say it.
It took me a long time to admit that I can’t live without her. Way too long. The truth is, she deserves better.
Another truth: I don’t give a fuck.
She’s mine.
It takes four hours for my phone to ring, and once I know she’s back, I wait until her father is gone.
In my possession is a key to her room, and I plan to make her see me, regardless of what she wants.
It’s midnight when I first make my approach. I’ve paid off the security guard to tell me when Michael has turned in for the night and to let me pass.
The walk from my room to hers isn’t far—just one floor up.
Yes, I’m insane enough that I booked the whole floor beneath theirs.
When I’m standing in front of her door, I knock once. If she doesn’t answer, I’m still going in.
I can hear the sound of feet walking and then a soft voice. “Yes?” She sounds confused but not asleep.
“Dove.”
That’s all I say for an announcement.
“Go away, Alaric. I’m not ready to speak to you yet. I need to think.”
“I didn’t want to have to do this,” I warn as I place the key to the pad and then let myself in.
“You’re nuts,” she says, mouth open and hands on her hips.
“Yes.”
“You can’t just—”
“Can’t just come in? Sure, I can.” Standing a few feet away from her in the foyer, I smile. “See?”
“You’re such an ass.”
She looks beautiful when she’s angry, her blue eyes more vibrant. They are the exact color of the lagoon on a clear, sunny day.