Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 85228 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 426(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85228 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 426(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
"But that's just what you do, isn't it, Roman? You feed a woman's addiction until she can't live without you. It doesn't matter what they give you. It's never enough. You didn't even bother to find your boys tonight. You ran to her instead, knowing she would still be alive if you were a better man. We would all still be alive if you were a better man!"
Flames engulf my wife, but it doesn't stop the sinister sound of her voice from echoing all around me.
I wake with a start, my skin covered in sweat. I've had some form of this dream enough to know that there's no sense in checking my skin for wounds despite feeling the burn of fire all over my body.
I don't waste a second in bed wishing the nightmare didn't happen. It gives it too much life, and I've spent years dwelling on my past.
I climb out of bed, ignoring the aches in my bones from no doubt tossing and turning all night as I head to the shower.
I don't bother to wait for it to warm, feeling as if the blast of frigid water is just one other way for me to punish myself for my shortcomings in life.
After I dry off and dress, my clothes feel scratchy on my skin as if the fire that licked at me in my nightmare had actually left injuries behind. It puts me on edge, my attitude in the fucking gutter when I leave my room for the day.
Maybe a long ride on my bike will set things right in my life, but I know as I glance at her closed bedroom door that my life hasn't been right for a very long time. I can't blame her. I'm responsible for my own actions, but it seems like my entire existence is making the wrong choices over and over again. That it doesn't matter what I choose, fate will find a way to fuck me over for it.
"Conference room," Jericho snaps as I pass by him, heading toward the kitchen.
I could argue, tell the man he isn't my fucking boss and grab a cup of coffee like I intended to do, but causing more problems than I already have in this house doesn't seem like the best idea.
When I step into the conference room, it appears that everyone was waiting for me to join them, and it makes me feel like a complete asshole for holding everyone up even though I had no idea I was needed down there.
"Morning," I say as I grab my chair, pulling it out from the table before sitting down.
The others grumble a greeting. Well, all except Nyx, who seems like he might've had a worse night than I had.
"We know that the man outside of Dr. Rudd's house the other night wasn't Scott Wilson," Casper says as soon as Jericho pulls the door closed.
The man doesn't seem to have ill feelings about not being one of the ones to take Adair down, and it sort of makes me wish my life were different. I had vowed to love Eden for eternity. Despite that passionate flame we shared dwindling rapidly after we got married, the woman gave me two beautiful little boys, and I knew I was going to always be grateful to her for that.
"If not Scott, then who?" I ask.
"We don't know. With nothing to go on, we're still trying to figure it out," Casper says.
He doesn't bring up the club and all that would possibly be linked to her, so I don't say it either, knowing he'll leave no stone unturned to figure out what needs to be done to ensure that she's safe.
"She wants to go back home," Hemlock says, his eyes locked on me. I know he suspects that I'm the reason she has made this request.
He'd be right, of course.
This is exactly what Jericho was worried about, but I couldn't lie to the woman yesterday morning. Yeah, I was pissed to see her sitting at the table so close to Zeus, but it was just the fucking slap in the face I needed. She wasn't mine to claim. I had no right to an opinion about what she does with her time. She was a free agent, and I needed to put some distance between the two of us before she made me feel weak by asking for it herself.
"We have placed an order for a security system to be installed in her home," Hemlock continues.
"She should stay here," I mutter, not wanting her in danger just so she can avoid me.
I'd feel like the biggest asshole who walked the earth if something happened to her because I can't give her what she deserves.
"We don't keep women here against their will," Hemlock snaps.
Ace huffs a laugh, drawing a glare from our president.