Total pages in book: 206
Estimated words: 192184 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 961(@200wpm)___ 769(@250wpm)___ 641(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 192184 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 961(@200wpm)___ 769(@250wpm)___ 641(@300wpm)
Apparently, Tom had woken up and Lisa was by his side. Luc was being put on bed rest. As I was helping Sarah put the boys into their car seats in her van, I saw Tommy’s car pull in and Dario’s car behind him.
When Dario got out of the car, he pointed at me accusingly. “You! Follow me. We need to have a conversation.”
My brows shot up in surprise. I glanced at Tommy. He narrowed his eyes at me. He motioned toward his brother with a hard expression on his face, so I said bye to Sarah and followed.
Dario marched downstairs and directly to the games room and the Ms. Pacman machine. He was giving me an incredulous look and pointing at the high score list and my #2 spot.
I started to laugh, feeling immense relief. Mr. Angry Intense brother was back, but this time, it was funny. I stepped up beside him. I was only a few hundred points shy of his high score. I’d beat out everyone else, taking the previous spot #2, which had said Marco. Spot #3 had said Polo. And now those were spots 3 and 4.
Tommy was behind me. “Dex ratted you out.”
Dex was coming down the stairs.
“See if I feed you dinner again!” I harrumphed.
Dario waved his index finger accusingly at me while Dex laughed and pouted simultaneously.
“I’m hot on your heels, boy!” I teased Dario and took off up the stairs behind Tommy as he called out to me.
“Tia, c’mere here baby.”
I saw Dex challenge Dario to foosball as I followed Tommy upstairs. He pulled me close once we got to the kitchen.
“How are you?” he whispered in my ear.
“I’m okay. How ‘bout you?”
“I’m good. I just want to tell you a few things, then I’ll order us some dinner. Chinese okay?”
“I ate already but I saved you some food.”
“Dare wants Chinese. We have to work late and sort some shit out. You gonna be okay?”
“Yeah.”
“What’d you make me for dinner?”
“I made one of Sarah’s lasagnas. You can eat it for lunch tomorrow, maybe?”
“Sounds good, babe, even if your lasagna’s better. You gonna cook me dinner every night?” He was nibbling on my earlobe and sending shivers up and down my spine.
“Yeah, most nights. If you want. We can do one takeout night a week, maybe a pizza night, one eat out at a nice restaurant together, and the rest I can cook.”
“Oh,” he chuckled. “Laying down the law, huh?”
“Yeah,” I giggled.
“You’re the boss,” he said as he kissed my throat. “Except I’ll cook Sunday mornings.”
I laughed. “Deal. And the boss? Me? Yeah, right.”
He laughed and winked at me. “You can be the boss of the food. What’d you do with the boys?”
“I’ll take the power where I can get it.” I winked. “I played Legos with them, did some coloring, we read a bunch of books, and I gave them a bath. What do you need to tell me?”
I hoisted myself up to sit on the countertop.
He looked at me warmly. “Thanks for that. I’m sure Tess appreciated it. I appreciate it.”
“I’m happy to help. I can’t imagine what she’s going through.”
He stared at me for a second, then said, “I, uh, had your father moved. For the moment, he’s safe. I can’t make long- term promises, but I got him moved for now.”
My eyes widened. “You did?”
“Yeah. Called in some favors.”
I threw my arms tight around his neck and whispered, “He doesn’t deserve it. But thanks, Tommy.”
“Mm hm,” he said, his voice laced with skepticism.
I knew my dad really didn’t deserve it, but Tommy was doing it for me. That counted.
“Anything else?” I asked.
“I’ve decided to put the farm up for sale so maybe tomorrow or the next day you and I will go up there and pick up whatever else we left there the other day.”
My expression dropped.
“It’s not my safe house anymore. I need to find us something else.”
“I love that place,” I said and pouted.
He frowned. “You want me to keep it?”
I nodded, “Can you?”
“I can,” he said and kissed my nose. “If that’s what you want.”
“It is. It’s where you told me you were in love with me.”
He smiled.
“It’s where you played our wedding song for me.”
He smiled bigger and stroked my cheek with his thumb, his other fingers woven into my hair.
“It’s where sun rays shot out of your head when you made love to me when I was wrapped in clover,” I whispered.
He looked at me like I’d lost the plot. “Sun rays? Out my head?”
“Yeah.” I squeezed him tight against me.
“Okay, I’ll keep it. But we need another safe house.”
“Okay,” I said. “Can we spend the night there tomorrow night?”
“Let me see what’s on the agenda. Maybe. I’m gonna go order that Chinese. There are menus in the office.”
“How’s your father?” I asked.
“Getting there,” he mumbled and then I followed him down the hall to his office and he muttered to me that James hadn’t double crossed his family after all, but that he was just another pawn in one of his pop’s games. My heart sank. Things weren’t getting any better for Tommy and I knew this meant it’d be even more complicated going forward.