Total pages in book: 187
Estimated words: 184867 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 924(@200wpm)___ 739(@250wpm)___ 616(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 184867 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 924(@200wpm)___ 739(@250wpm)___ 616(@300wpm)
Maybe she didn’t want to tell me because it hurt too bad. Shit.
“I think I’m gonna go talk to my mom. Will you be okay?” I ask Caleb.
He smiles at me. “I’m fine, go talk to her. I’ll see you later.”
I walk back to my mom who’s stirring her coffee a bit too long. I sit down beside her and grab her hand. “Hey. Caleb’s dad told me what happened between you and Jonathan.”
Her eyes widen. “Oh. Shit. I’m … I’m sorry, I wanted to tell you, but I didn’t know how. I feel so bad, this isn’t how I had it planned.”
“I know, Mom,” I say, squeezing her hand. “I’m not mad at you or anything. I just wanted you to know I’m here for you.”
She tips her head, smiles at me, and caresses my cheek. “You’re always so sweet. What did I ever do to deserve you?”
We hug tightly, her embrace making me feel loved. Death reminds me of what I still have left in this world, and how hard I’ll fight to keep it. And I’m sure the Tartarus boys … my boys … would do the same.
Caleb
When all the guests have finally left, I breathe a sigh of relief. My mother’s picture behind me makes me feel conscious of each thrumming of my heart.
But when Ares’s phone rings, I glare up at him. He’d never pick up a phone at a funeral, unless it was important. His face turns darker and darker with each passing second, and he walks outside.
I follow him.
He’s been my rock through all this, and even though I’m supposed to be mourning, I still want to know what’s happening to him. He won’t ever admit that he has any weaknesses, but I know better.
He’s outside, loitering around the building, and I step out to approach.
“I’m at a funeral,” Ares grits. “What do you want me to do? What, now?” He kicks some rocks. “Do you have any ide—Fine.”
He ends the call, but I can hear his phone crack in his hands.
Another screen damaged from pure rage.
“Who was that?” I ask.
His muscles suddenly soften, and when he turns around, all the anger seems to have dissipated. “No one important. Don’t worry about it.” He walks to me and places his hand on my shoulder. “Are you feeling okay?” I nod and he leans in to kiss me, reminding me of all the good in the world. He leans his forehead against mine and stares me down. “If you feel angry, any bad feelings at all, you call me. Immediately.”
“Yes, Sir,” I reply.
A smile forms on his lips. “Good boy. I have to go now.”
“Where?” I ask.
“Doesn’t matter,” he replies. “Just focus on your family for now, okay?”
I swallow down the feeling of impending doom as he walks away.
“And don’t get any weird ideas, Blaine will be watching you,” he says, winking at me, before marching out the front gate.
None of it feels right.
He took that call, despite knowing how important this thing was for me, which means it was something really fucking bad.
Fuck.
I kick the same rock he was kicking and head back inside where Blaine’s already waiting for me.
“Don’t go hiding on me now,” Blaine says.
I narrow my eyes. “Stop fucking babysitting me.”
“Nope,” Blaine replies. “You know why.”
“Jesus Christ.” I roll my eyes and sit down on a chair. “Does no one here trust me?”
Crystal chuckles as she sits down too. “I do.”
“Yeah, well, you’re not exactly the one to stop me from jumping off that cliff, so—”
“Were you going to?” she asks.
“No. Hypothetically.”
“Exactly. So hypothetically, I’m just making sure you’re still alive,” Blaine says before he rubs my hair and turns it all into garbage.
“Goddammit, get your hands off me,” I growl at him.
Crystal laughs at us, and her smile makes my heart throb, if even just for a moment of bliss in all of the misery from these past few days.
Ares
I blow out my final smoke and chuck the cig on the ground before I exit the gates.
Several cars are already out front, waiting for me. What a welcome party.
A door opens, and out steps not one but two guards with automatic guns, not pointed at me but clearly a threat.
“That won’t be necessary,” I say.
“Get in the car,” one of them growls.
I don’t need to ask where we’re going.
I already know.
I take a deep breath and walk toward them, getting in without a complaint. If I fought them off now, it wouldn’t end well for me anyway since I didn’t bring my guns or my knives to a fucking funeral.
Maybe I should have.
They truly waited for the most opportune moment to bring me in so I’d come quietly.
But when the doors close, there is only noise in my head.
Crystal
“Where’s Caleb?” I ask my mom, hoping she’s seen him.
I was just talking with someone and then all the boys suddenly vanished from my sight.