Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 89840 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 449(@200wpm)___ 359(@250wpm)___ 299(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89840 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 449(@200wpm)___ 359(@250wpm)___ 299(@300wpm)
She’s disappeared, and a bad feeling sinks into his gut like a block of lead. He isn’t sure if he’s simply paranoid from this morning, or if this woman is someone to watch out for. Could she be the one who put the letter in his mailbox? Is she trying to blackmail him? Impossible. How could she know a thing?
He’s definitely paranoid. The body can’t be found. Only he and Boaz know where it is, and it’ll stay that way. He should be relieved the witchy woman is gone, but something about her disappearance causes him worry instead.
SEVEN
BRYNN
It was stupid on my part to even bother entertaining Dominic. I had the receipt with his number on it clutched in my hand and sat behind the wheel of my Beetle. The radio poured out a mixture of static and Alicia Keys while I chewed on my bottom lip.
I couldn’t believe I was contemplating it. Everything in me was screaming not to do it, especially when I saw that wedding band on his finger. He had a wife now. A new life. He’d moved on from me and that should’ve settled it. Things like this happened and I just had to accept it.
But I saw the look in his eyes, that spark he’d always reserved for me. Something between us still lingered, and though I shouldn’t have, I did. I called the number he provided, and he answered on the second ring.
“Hello?” his voice was still sticking to me—that sweet, tempting, gold honey.
“Hi. Dom?” I asked, gripping the phone tighter.
“Oh, Brynn. Is that you?”
I huffed a laugh. “It’s me. I think you accidentally left your number behind.”
He chuckled then said, “Nah. It was no accident.”
That familiar feeling struck me, the one I had when I would see Dominic in the school hallways first thing in the morning. Or when he’d show up at my house with a stolen pack of Hershey Kisses when my momma wasn’t around. Butterflies in the belly, a quickening heartbeat, a slight clench between my thighs. There were guys I’d been with during college, of course, but I had a bad habit of comparing them all to my high school love. In fact, I’d made a habit of checking to see what Dominic was up to after our breakup, but he had no social media presence. Of course, back then there was only Facebook and Twitter. He’d never liked social media. He was always more private, and I think that’s why our relationship had lasted so long then. What happened between us, stayed between us.
“Listen, I’d love to see you outside of work. Do you think you can meet me for a drink?” he asked.
“Yes.” I responded much faster than I should’ve. This man was married!
But divorces happen every day.
I swallowed that intrusive thought. I was getting ahead of myself now. “I mean, yes,” I said again, more calmly. “I’ll be happy to meet you.”
“Great. I’ll be hanging out at the Ritz Carlton. Why don’t you meet me in the Galveston Lounge.”
“Sure. But I just got off work. Can I meet you there in an hour?”
“Of course. Just text me when you arrive. I’ll be waiting.”
My heart swelled, but I played it cool. “Okay. See you then.”
I drove home right away, and Shavonne was sitting on the sofa, reading a book when I barged into the apartment.
“What the hell, Brynn?” she snapped, a hand clinging to her chest.
“Sorry, sorry!” I ran straight to the bathroom, starting up the shower and jumping in after stripping out of my clothes. I gave my ass a thorough wash, shaved, then got out to sift through my closet.
As I plucked out a red bodycon dress with a draped collar—one that I knew would bring Dominic to his knees—Shavonne knocked on my door then cracked it open.
“What’s the rush?” she asked, as I dropped the towel and applied lotion. She never minded my nakedness. It sort of became that way for us since we had to share a bathroom. She’d be showering and I’d be brushing my teeth or styling my hair. Perks of being roommates with one bathroom, I suppose.
“I have a date,” I told her, smiling over my shoulder.
“A date? With who?” she asked, folding her arms over her chest.
“This guy I met at Franco’s.” I wasn’t about to tell her it was Dominic. I may or may not have mentioned him to her a time or two . . . or twenty.
Shavonne asked, “What’s his name?”
“I can’t remember,” I lied as I slipped into the dress.
“Brynn, are you out of your mind?” she snapped. “Going out with a man whose name you don’t know? There are all kinds of predators out here.”
“He’s not a predator.” I found my strappy black heels in the back of the closet. “He has money.”
“Okay? Predators can also be rich,” she countered, sticking her neck out. “Should I drop you off?”