Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 73311 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 367(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73311 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 367(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
“Like what?” I asked. “Threaten to sue you for everything you’re worth?”
He shook his head in the negative. “More like threaten to kill herself…”
I winced.
“That’ll do it,” I sighed. “I had a guy I used to be in the Marines with. He got out after twelve years in, couldn’t adjust to civilian life and killed himself. Feels kind of shitty to me that he didn’t say anything at all. Then there’s your ex-wife threatening to do it and never doing it.”
“Right,” he muttered. “I fell for that a lot. I was fuckin’ miserable. I had no friends. My family hated my wife. She hated spending time with them because she knew they hated her, so I never saw them either. It was a vicious cycle…and honestly, when she finally did what she did, I was relieved. I’d finally have a good excuse to leave her without my conscious getting in the way.”
“What did she do?” I crossed my arms and looked at him.
“She wrecked me…hit my pride and joy, to add insult to injury.”
“What was your pride and joy?” I asked.
“A 1957 white Ford pickup truck. 454 under the hood. Rebuilt from the ground up,” he growled. “Worked on it to get me the hell away from her.”
“What happened?” I asked gently.
“Was driving somewhere,” he mumbled. “Can’t even remember where, but she came at me, ran a fuckin’ red light. Hit me so goddamned hard that I slammed into the light pole. The truck had an electrical issue to begin with, and the moment gas started to leak, the whole goddamned thing went up in flames on the inside. Barely got out of there with my life.”
“You’re lucky.”
He laughed humorlessly. “I guess you could say that.”
“Why wouldn’t you say that?” I frowned.
His eyes lifted to mine, and without hesitation he replied, “Look at me, Imogen. I’m a fuckin’ monster.”
I blinked.
“You think you’re a monster?” I snorted. “You’re fucked in the head.”
Okay, people. I realize that wasn’t the right thing to say, but I wasn’t one for beating around the bush. I said what I had to say, and I did what needed getting done.
I didn’t sugar coat things. That was the way to have misunderstandings, and with Aaron, I didn’t want any misunderstandings between us.
Not when we came with our own baggage.
I didn’t know where this all would lead, but I knew that I was going to try my hardest to make it work.
I have had a thing for this man for a very long time, and now that the opportunity was here, I was going to seize it with both hands and hold on for however long he let me.
Chapter 13
The fear that courses through you when you hear your mother use your full name.
-Aaron’s secret thoughts
Aaron
“My brother called last night sometime and left me a voicemail telling me that his wife was in the hospital. Since my parents are on a cruise, I’m going to head up there and see what I can do to help,” I hesitated. “For a couple of days at least. I don’t start at the station until Monday, so that means I have Friday, Saturday, and Sunday to help where I can.”
Imogen’s face showed concern, and I liked that.
She didn’t know my family. Didn’t know my brother, but she was worried for them.
Not pissed off like Lynn would’ve been. It didn’t matter that my brother’s wife was sick. She would’ve automatically assumed that I was lying and demand either I don’t go, or that I take her with me. None of which I would’ve done.
My brother needed me. Not Lynn’s crazy shit.
Though, Lynn was only a bad memory now.
Thank god.
“I’m sorry to hear that, Aaron. Is there anything I can do?”
On the spur of the moment, I let my mouth do the speaking for me.
“Do you want to come to Kilgore with me for the weekend?” I asked. “Truth is flying me.”
She blinked, her hair splayed all around her on the bed.
“Okay.”
My grin turned into a full-fledged smile.
“Meet me in forty-five minutes?”
She nodded, then turned to put her key into the door knob.
I walked up behind her, and when she would’ve turned to say goodbye, I pinned her to the door with the hard length of my body, causing her to freeze.
Her breath hitched in her throat, and she turned only her head to stare at me.
Her eyes weren’t right.
I’d just thought to press my lips against hers one more time before we parted for forty minutes. I hadn’t realized anything was wrong.
“Are you okay?” I asked, concern lacing my tone.
She licked her lips.
“I feel like maybe I should say no to going…give you the time alone with your family. Then I’m all over here thinking, I don’t want you to go without me.” She licked her lips. “I don’t want to be like her.”