Total pages in book: 46
Estimated words: 44963 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44963 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Dad moves his finger around the rim of his coffee mug. “Until then, more hiding, right? Nothing changes.”
That’s how it’s been for Dad, I realize… this dash across the country. A series of safe houses, broken only by the revelation that he and Luke knew each other as kids. For me, it’s been an adventure, a freaking odyssey. So much has changed since I walked into the bedroom to find a hit man standing over my dad.
“Actually, something has changed,” I say.
Luke flinches.
Last night, when we were holding each other, we agreed to tell Dad. There was no other choice if we wanted the life we’ve planned, the life we both miraculously want.
“Care to enlighten me?” Dad says with a tinge of irony.
I swallow, looking down at the table, bravery deserting me.
“Because I’ve got to be honest,” Dad goes on. “I’m starting to feel like I’m trapped in a time loop.”
“It could’ve been much worse,” I say, unable to keep the snappiness out of my voice. “What if Luke hadn’t defended us against those men yesterday? You should be happy things are boring for us.”
For him, I mean, since nothing that’s happened to me could be described as boring. My entire world has changed shape. My entire future.
Dad leans back, as if my words are weapons I’ve flung at him.
“Is something wrong?” he asks.
I shoot an anxious look at Luke. He approaches the table slowly, holding onto the back of the chair. My mind is in full obsession mode. When he holds the chair, I can’t stop myself from thinking of those same hands on me instead, holding me tightly. It makes me think about how we finished last night, embracing with so much intimacy and closeness. As we held each other, I wondered if this was what love feels like.
Somehow, I can push aside his profession, push aside the darkness, even push aside the trauma that evil guidance counselor inflicted on me. With Luke, I can just be.
“We have to tell you something,” Luke says, pulling the chair out and sitting. “It won’t be easy, but you need to know.”
“You both have to tell me something?” Dad mutters, looking at Luke, then at me.
Cowardice strikes me. I avert my gaze, finding it difficult to meet his eyes with the truth twisting its way through me.
“Yeah,” I say, staring down at the table. “Please… don’t be mad.”
I wish I could snatch those words back the second I say them. How can he not be mad?
“There’s no easy way to say this.” Luke sighs heavily. “Violet and I are in a relationship.”
The bomb drops, silence following it.
“A relationship,” Dad repeats. “I don’t understand.”
“It started when she ran into the forest,” Luke goes on. “No… that’s not right. It started before that. It started the second I saw her. There were two holy hell moments when I broke into your house. The first was when I saw it was you they’d marked for death… and the second was when I saw Violet.”
My heart sparkles as he speaks. I felt it too, insanely, when he was standing over Dad’s bed.
“Explain,” Dad says shortly.
“The second I saw Violet, I knew she was special. I thought I had my life figured out. I was on the track my father put me on, and that was enough, I told myself. I knew it could never be enough after seeing Violet. I knew there was passion in me. I knew I could have a different life.”
“What sort of life?” Dad asks.
“One with family, kids, marriage, a future. The sort of life I never thought I could have. The sort of life that brings happiness, light instead of dark.”
“Let me get this straight.” Dad leans forward. “That night, you knew all this. You looked at her and just… knew?”
“So did I,” I say quickly, not wanting Dad to think it’s one-sided. “I know it’s crazy, Dad, but as soon as I saw him, I started having these feelings…”
I trail off since there’s no way I can talk about that moment and keep the intensity out of my voice. Keep out the undeniable lust, affection, need, all of it.
Taking a breath, I go on. “Remember what you said about the first time you saw Mom? Suddenly, you just knew. There was no doubt or hesitation. You knew she was the woman for you. She was the only person you wanted to be with.”
“I did,” Dad says. “It was love at first sight. Is that what you’re saying you felt, both of you?”
“Yes,” Luke and I say at the same time, with equal passion in our voices.
“I didn’t plan on this, Ph… Andrew.” Phil, he was going to say. “It just happened. I can’t explain it except to say it became a fact the second I saw her. It was as true as walking outside and looking up at the sky. It wasn’t, I like her. It was, I need her. She’s mine. I’m going to protect her and our family forever.”