Series: Sean Moriarty
Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 113805 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 569(@200wpm)___ 455(@250wpm)___ 379(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113805 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 569(@200wpm)___ 455(@250wpm)___ 379(@300wpm)
Resigned to my fate, I maneuver my stroller until I’m walking beside Beth with Meredith following behind us.
The neighborhood is rather quiet for this time of day. Reminding me of the townhouse I lived in. I would assume it’s because everyone is at work or school, but I’m pretty sure most of the houses are empty.
The only sounds I can hear besides the occasional bird is a little boy laughing somewhere and a dog barking like it’s excited.
I’m not familiar with suburban neighborhoods like this, but there seems to be quite a bit of space between each house. The yards are huge, but the houses are huge, too. To me, they might as well be mansions. And while it’s obvious they were all built by the same builder, they have different designs. No two houses are the same.
“Do you like your house?” Beth asks, making small talk.
I bob my head. What’s not to like? Besides the fact that I’m not used to it. Used to how big it is. Or how new and nice.
With all the stuff inside it, somehow it still feels empty… Like it’s somehow missing something.
“Do you have any plans yet on how you want to decorate it?” Meredith asks from behind me.
I glance over my shoulder and shake my head. “No. I haven’t really thought about it…”
Beth glances back at Meredith and they stare at each other like they’re sharing in some secret joke.
Meredith laughs. “Well, I suppose it is a little early to be thinking about stuff like that. You’re still in the honeymoon phase… and we both know how that is.”
Thinning her lips, Beth shakes her head and looks back to me. “What Meredith means is that when you do want to decorate it, we’d be more than happy to help.”
“Yes, of course, that’s what I meant,” Meredith snickers. “I would never dream of pointing out that all the men in our little fucked up family have this strange habit of kidnapping women, holding them hostage, and getting them pregnant.”
“Meredith!” Beth gasps.
Meredith shrugs her shoulders and lifts her chin. “Well, it’s true.”
“Still…” Beth draws out in reproach.
Meredith sniffs. “What? Are we just supposed to ignore it? Suppose to act like it’s normal? We’re not normal, Beth.”
Beth’s jaw tightens. “I’m normal.”
“Okay.” Meredith relents. “I guess Johnathan didn’t kidnap you.”
“Right…” Beth agrees.
“But he did buy you at an auction, did he not? And then he refused to send you home to your father?” Meredith laughs. “That’s not normal, Beth.”
“You, of all people, telling me what’s normal…” Beth grumbles. “You and Simon are the strangest couple in the family. I swear you two secretly hate each other and are just trying to pull a joke on us.”
“My husband joke? Ha! As if he knew how. Oh no, Simon and I do hate each other… We just don’t hate each other as much as we want to fuck each other.”
Beth gasps. “Watch your language. The babies…”
Meredith lets out a long sigh. “They’re sleeping, and even if they weren’t, they can’t talk yet.”
“I still don’t want Rebekah’s first word to be fuck.” Beth frowns.
Meredith shakes her head in disbelief. “Then maybe you shouldn’t say it?”
Both of Beth’s brows lift above her sunglasses before she laughs. “Oh… that’s a good point.”
Meredith laughs with her.
I feel the corners of my own lips pulling up, but I can’t get past what Meredith said. “So all the men… in the… family, besides Beth’s husband, kidnapped their wives?”
Meredith purses her lips in thought. “Well... I suppose Gabriel didn’t really kidnap Meghan, either. He simply shot up her wedding, scared off her groom, then forced her to marry him.”
“Seriously?” I gawk at her.
Meredith laughs at my reaction. “I have no reason to lie.”
“So your husband kidnapped you?” I ask, still unsure if she’s messing with me or not.
Without any hesitation, Meredith answers, “Yes. He not only kidnapped me, he chained me to a damn bed.”
I can’t keep the disbelief out of my voice. “And you’re still with him?!”
Meredith shrugs. “What can I say? A whole bunch of other stuff happened and… it was just meant to be.”
I gawk at Meredith again.
Did I just step into the Twilight Zone? Seriously, this can’t be real…
“What I think Meredith really means by revealing all of this is that we know what you’re going through,” Beth says, looking at me.
“Yes, of course, that’s exactly what I meant.” Meredith snickers.
Beth shoots her a look. “And if you ever need anyone to talk to, we’re here.”
Speechless, I don’t know what to say.
“We may not know the whole story of how you and Jude met,” Meredith adds, “but we have a pretty good idea.”
Beth nods in agreement.
“Oh?” I croak then clear my throat. “What do you know?”
“Besides the fact he enlisted Beth, and by association me, her best friend, into helping him decorate the house for your arrival? Very little,” Meredith admits.