Total pages in book: 128
Estimated words: 119852 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 599(@200wpm)___ 479(@250wpm)___ 400(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 119852 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 599(@200wpm)___ 479(@250wpm)___ 400(@300wpm)
She turns back to Chance but squeezes our thighs as she says, “Riggs and Maddox are important to me. To the point that I can’t imagine my life without them. I certainly won’t live without them to satisfy someone else’s expectations of me. I’m done doing that.”
Kyle leans toward me and quietly asks, “How much were you lifting?”
“405.”
He whistles low and long, nodding in approval. When he holds out a fist, I bump it immediately. He’s okay. Hell, we might actually end up as friends through all this. I’m still not sure that’ll ever be the case with Chance. Kayla may forgive him, but I’m not the forgiving type and to me, he will always be the one who tried to fuck this up for us, not for any good reason but because of his own selfish rigidity.
Charles, who has been leaning back in his chair shrewdly watching things play out, now sits forward. “Son,” he says, getting Chance’s attention. “You can no more control the tide than a woman, especially your sister.” He gives her a pride-filled look. “Whether Kayla dates Riggs and Maddox or not isn’t your decision. The only choice you have to make is, will you support her? As you decide on your answer, I hope you recognize that ‘family first’ is more than a clichéd phrase we throw around.” He takes Miranda’s hand again, the two of them a force to be reckoned with. “I hope we’ve instilled in each of you what that actually means.”
Chance takes a slow, steady breath and then exhales heavily. “You don’t let people in very often or easily, so this is …” He looks at the three of us like he doesn’t understand us at all. “I don’t want you to be hurt,” he finally admits, and I think it’s the most honestly revealing thing he’s said this entire time. It changes the tone between them entirely, from adversarial to caring.
“The only person hurting me right now is you.” Kayla’s voice is quiet but certain as her cold, powerful Ice Queen persona drops away. For the first time in this conversation, or hell, maybe ever with her family, she’s putting her heart on her sleeve, returning Chance’s realness with her own and hoping he won’t take advantage of the moment of vulnerability.
Fidgeting with her ring, her eyes fill with fear and hope, and her breath catches in her chest. This is the moment she is at her strongest—the woman beneath the defense mechanisms and façade, the tender heart beneath the hard protective shell. This is the woman I love—the real Kayla.
I press a kiss to her temple, needing to touch her, wanting to support her, and thankfully, she leans into the affection. I don’t know her family’s rules about that, but we’re breaking all the other ones, so what’s one more? What’re they gonna do? Be pissed? That’s already happened, so fuck it.
Chance watches the display between us, gritting his teeth like he’s trying to stop the words from coming. Or maybe he has more choice things to add to his already unsuccessful argument. “I saw what people were calling you.” His eyes harden, his jaw setting with restrained fury. He glares at Maddox and me as if that’s our fault, and I guess in a way, it is. We’re the ones with the history that’s sullying the relationship we’re now building.
He’s angry and acting out in defense of his sister.
The realization hits me like a bomb, reframing everything he’s said and done. I have a sister too, and I don’t know what I’d do if I thought she was making a choice that would ultimately destroy everything she’s worked for—her reputation, her career, her heart and soul. Pushing her to step away from the danger would be the least of it, I know that much.
A seed of respect for the brother who’s causing all the drama tries to take root. A tiny one, but it’s there. I can understand a man who would burn the world for those he loves. I’m that type of man too. I would do it with violence while Chance is doing it with words, but we are maybe a bit more alike that I first thought.
Kayla, though, is tougher than any of Chance’s worries. “People have always called me names. They’ve watched me, eagerly anticipating my failures and getting off on seeing me fall on my face when I make a mistake, all the while trying to make me feel small and weak so they could feel better about themselves. I have lived my entire life with more naysayers than cheerleaders, and if I were to let them determine how I live my life, I wouldn’t be half the woman I am today.” She gives Chance a long, even look, and I’m now more curious than ever to hear what exactly has transpired between the Harrington siblings. “I don’t care what they’re saying about me. They can rot in their jealousy, gossiping about me while living their own sad, unfulfilled lives. I do care about you and I hope you’ll come to see that this is the right choice for me. But even if you don’t, I’m going to live my best life on my own terms, with the two men I love and who love me.”