Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 75633 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75633 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
“Long enough, darling. Come here.” I shift Mia to one arm and pull Sadie into the other. I hold her tight, devouring her worry and confusion, wishing like hell I could keep my family like this forever.
“Talk to me. Why the family circus?”
“It's mom. She's...having a nervous breakdown or something. Again. I don't know.”
I tighten my hold. Mia runs her little hands through Sadie's hair, and for a second, we pull back and smile. I put my little girl down, returning my hands to my fiancée's waist.
“Let me drive you. No barging into the thick of it, I promise. I'll crank up the heat and wait in the truck with Mia. Take all the time you need to sort this out.”
“Marshal, no. It's my problem. Family business.” Her little hands go plush against my chest. She's pushing me away, but the desperate spark in her eyes say something different. “I can handle this alone.”
“Your family's my family soon. At least in theory, right?” I raise an eyebrow.
Her cheeks burn hot and her gaze drops. “True. Okay, but let me scope things out first when we get there. This could get ugly. If Jackson's there like he's supposed to be...”
I don't let her finish. I just run my hand up her neck and push her into a long, sultry kiss. Then my eyes pound strength into hers. “Then I'll be a good boy, Red. You have my word. I'll give the prick space, no contest.”
She manages a thin smile, walking past me into the kitchen to grab her coat. She's waiting by the door by the time I follow, Mia in tow. I stop to help her small arms into her new purple jacket. “What would I do without you?”
“Dunno, darling. But that's not something worth fretting over. I'm here forever.”
“Back, I said. Last warning! Don't you dare come another step closer, Jackson Winstead Kelley.” Mrs. Kelley is screaming at the top of her lungs. I'm parked in the driveway, giving Red one last look of sympathy before she heads inside. I try to hide my worry.
She slides out of the seat, closes the door, and stomps through the snow.
I look over, glad I remembered Mia's earmuffs. She's lost in her tablet, a new game I bought her just yesterday, something where she flings pissed off birds around with a sling.
It's been over a minute since Red disappeared into the house, and the screaming hasn't stopped. It's only become more muffled, less intelligible.
Fuck, I'm white-knuckling the steering wheel.
I roll down the window, cranking up the heat so the cold doesn't bother honeybee. It helps me eavesdrop on the shit show inside.
“I'm not going anywhere, dear...I said I won't...you can't control my life...bring him the hell back! He never hurt anyone.”
I catch her mother's words, loud and shrill and desperate. Mrs. Kelley sounds like she's fighting for her life. Judging by the familiar black truck parked in front of me, she's probably not far off.
Already know what kind of concern her fuck of a son has for life.
Just wish I could dump the promise I made earlier, to stay out of this. It's a new hell, sitting here while God only knows what's happening a few feet away. But it's quieter the next few minutes.
Too fucking quiet.
Pressing my back into the seat, I fight my better instincts to get out, march to the door, and kick it in.
Maybe they're in there fixing this shit. Maybe they're calming her down. Maybe this will all pass, and I won't have to worry about putting my boot on Jackson's spine.
Wishful thinking. I force my mind to go there, and stay, for the next five minutes.
That's all I get before hell breaks its chain and starts running right at me.
“You won't answer me?! He's here, isn't he? I know he is. If none of you will admit it, I'll just see for myself.” Stephanie Kelley's voice gets louder, becoming a roar.
The door whips open. Before anyone can pull her back inside, she's buried her slippers in the snow, her eyes red and angry as she marches toward my vehicle.
Shit. I look behind me, grabbing Mia's little hand, giving it a squeeze so she pays attention. “Play your game and sit tight, baby girl. Don't move. Listen to daddy. I've got important business.”
Stephanie is on me before I've even got my door open and shut again. I slam my back into it, closing it, seizing the frenzied woman as she crashes into me.
“There you are! Thank God, Marshal. Can you believe it? My idiot son wants us to stop working together.” Her eyes are wild, sad, and furious all at once. She whips around, twisting in my arms. I do my damnedest to hold her. “Go ahead. Tell them it's okay. Make my family understand.”
I look up and see shades of red I never imagined – and I don't just mean Sadie.