Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 50032 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 250(@200wpm)___ 200(@250wpm)___ 167(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 50032 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 250(@200wpm)___ 200(@250wpm)___ 167(@300wpm)
“You’re right. I just hate that I’m putting you two between things. He’s your son, and I’m, well, I’m me.”
“You’re our daughter, no matter what happens. He knows this, mija.” Isla comes back into the room, hands on her hips. “Now, food, yeah?” I nod, unable to deny them anything.
2
JOHNNY
“You have got to be shitting me.” I drop my gaze from one drama to the motherfucking next. Kennedy, Trent, and Asher are going head-to-head with her dickhead ex, who happens to drop in when he sees fit, and while Kenny will usually deal with him, her brother, Asher, will grumble. And Trent? Well, he’s the wild card, ready to beat some ass and take names. Which is why the last thing I want is to have my own issue reappear after years of her being a fucking ghost.
“Oh fuck,” Tysen breathes out right beside me. Asher’s place is the usual meeting place unless we have it in my office; that’s only when business is involved. When it’s time to let lose, it’s at someone’s house, and since Ash and Lennie have a pool, this is where we land more often than not.
“That’s about the size of it,” I return, my feet taking me toward the woman who ripped my world to shreds. Though, I’m not that much of a dumbass to know ultimatums have repercussions and this one was one hell of a colossal fuck-up. My brothers will have my back no matter what. Everyone except Jagger with this subject matter, and he’s not here, probably a good thing because if anyone has a soft spot for my wife, it’s him. He’d be the first one out here to welcome her with arms wide open.
“Be cool, man, yeah,” Tysen says as the others join me. Apparently, the baby daddy drama has ended, and now I’ve got everyone at my back.
“Not gonna be a dick. Done that already. She’s back, and there’s a reason. I’ve got a mind to figure it out.” I watch as Winnie steps out of the same car she left with, the only thing she took minus her clothes, rings, and one of my shirts. I’d have never known if it wasn’t the one I’d worn, thrown to the bed only to see it was gone and not in the laundry hamper. Her phone became disconnected a few days later. When I finally got my shit somewhat together, I texted Winnie, and when she didn’t respond, I called her. That’s when I got the notice her phone wasn’t in service. I left work and went straight home to find her gone. Not at my best, I called my parents. My mom cussed me up and down, Dad got in on the mix, and then there was a litany of words even I didn’t expect to come from them.
Still. I didn’t go after my wife. I figured if she didn’t want to stay and work on the life we were building, then she could stay gone. I didn’t say it was right, but in that moment, I thought it was.
“That’s good, man. Real good,” Tysen says, staying on my six. Fuck, figured that’d be Trent, but seeing as how he’s making sure Kenny is good, it’ll be a minute. What I do notice is all of the others are right there with me—Tysen, Luke, Jude, Crew, and Matthew. Trent would be here, too; except he’s getting his woman and her daughter inside and away from this shit.
“Matthew, you got this in case things escalate?” I hear Asher join is as I take another step closer to my past. The car still looks like it’s in decent condition. Winnie never was one for the flash of a vehicle. She looked at material things as just that. Plus, the way she told it, she only drove to and from work. The rest of the places she needed to get to, she could walk, or she’d ride with me.
“You know that won’t happen, not from Win.” I wince at Matthew’s words because he’s right. The same might not be said for myself when it comes to Winnifred “Winnie” Marie Keen Gonzales. She dropped her maiden name shortly after our honeymoon. There were times she thought about changing her first name, except it’s a family name from a time in her life when things were better.
“I’m sorry to, uh, barge in. I just need you to sign these.” My wife’s first words to me after years of going radio silent are to ask me to sign what looks like several sheets of paper.
“Son of a bitch.” Crew puts two and two together at the same time I do.
“Got this, guys. Head back inside.” I look at Winnie, really look, then crook my head to the side and watch as she shrinks further into herself. The clothes she’s wearing are two sizes too big, her hair is hanging limp against her head, and her coloring is off.