Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 64320 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 322(@200wpm)___ 257(@250wpm)___ 214(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64320 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 322(@200wpm)___ 257(@250wpm)___ 214(@300wpm)
“Well, thank you for that,” she answers sarcastically with tears in her eyes as she shakes her head.
“I swear.” I feel tears prick my eyes as I fall to my knees in front of her. I’m not in control anymore. I’m not in control of a damn thing and purely at her mercy. “I’m here right now because I can’t stay away any longer.” My heart crumples at the words that I choke on.
Kat takes a small step back, brushing against the counter as she does, and I wish I still had a grip on her.
I murmur my apology. “I didn’t know it would take this long. I’m sorry. I fucked up. Repeatedly and I’m trying, but I’m failing.”
“Didn’t know what would take this long?” she asks, crossing her arms and refusing to look into my eyes, but she’s full of emotion and on edge waiting for me to open up to her. I know her, and I know that’s exactly what this is. That’s what made her fall in love with me. I swallow the thick lump in my throat and pray I’m not making a mistake.
“I’m …” I can hardly breathe as the words threatening, investigating, framing get caught in my throat.
“Tell me, Evan.” Kat licks her lower lip and stares down at me with tired eyes. “I’ve had enough and I’m over the secrets and the lies. I’m over this,” she says and gestures between us although as she does, her expression morphs into pain. “What was so important that it had to be done to protect me?”
“It’s going to sound crazy,” I warn her, staring up at her from where I am as the dawn slips in through the windows, playing with the shadows on her gorgeous face.
“It already does.”
“James is the one who’s responsible for Tony’s death.” I confess still on my knees, although I let go of her. I hate myself for telling her and bringing her into this, and I almost don’t say another word.
“He was trying to kill me, not Tony.” My throat is dry and scratchy as the words slowly leave me and I rise to stand, feeling the weight of it all rain down on me. “And he knows I know.”
Denial forces Kat to shake her head, a crease settling between her brow. It’s a small motion of disbelief, but she doesn’t speak as she drops her arms, listening.
“It’s because of his divorce. He wants Samantha scared and he wanted to prove he’d do anything. So he tried to kill me, thinking I’d do a line of it. It backfired.”
Her mouth opens and closes, but she still says nothing. A lightness carries me forward, knowing she’s listening. At the very least, she’s listening.
Please believe me. “I’ve been tracking his schedule and routines, breaking into his house and office looking for evidence or something that can prove it.”
A huff of disbelief so faint I almost think I imagine it leaves Kat’s lips as she turns from me, facing the sink and putting her fingers to her lips.
“Talk to me, please,” I beg her and a trace of anger flashes in her eyes.
“You could have gone to the cops,” she finally says. “Like a normal human being.”
“I couldn’t go to the cops with nothing on him. James has proof I was with Tony. It’s his word against mine, and he has photos. I listened to him that night. I went along with the alibi and lied to the cops. I fucked up and he tried to blackmail me, but I called his bluff.”
“Jesus Christ,” Kat says then exhales.
“You see why I didn’t tell you? It’s too much and you’re pregnant. If he’s after me and he knows I love you, he’d go after you too.” My biggest fear slips from me and I can’t control how my eyes glaze over as the terrors I’ve dealt with every night for weeks linger between us. I’ve pictured her here on the floor, just by my feet, dead almost every night.
Yet I’m here. I’ve told her. And there’s a chance I just brought that reality to life.
“You could have messaged me; you didn’t have to hurt me.”
Swallowing thickly, I gather my composure, refusing to let the fear win although everything else has failed. “He’s tracking my texts, babe, he’s following my every step. Just to get here, I had to make sure to lose the guy he paid to follow me around.”
“This is insane, Evan. You know that, don’t you?”
“I know, and I’m sorry. I have someone working on it and we’re trying.”
“Who?” she asks and when I don’t answer she adds, “No more secrets, and no more lies. I want all of it.”
“Mason,” I confide in her, and it takes a moment to register.
“Does Jules know?” she asks, worry riddled in her downturned expression.
“I doubt it.”