Total pages in book: 218
Estimated words: 215412 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1077(@200wpm)___ 862(@250wpm)___ 718(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 215412 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1077(@200wpm)___ 862(@250wpm)___ 718(@300wpm)
“What?” I lift both brows. “Were you expecting a dramatic monologue? A speech? A group hug? Not happening.”
“That’s not…” She dashes away her tears, her anger rising to the surface as she examines my scars. “He used a scalpel on you but didn’t bother to heal the wounds. I mean, he was a fucking surgeon!”
“Yeah, well…” I rub the back of my neck. “He was stingy with the stitches. I never got an infection, so he must’ve put antibiotics in my food.”
Monty exhales like a man preparing for war.
I swallow and try to come up with a joke, but nothing lands.
Dove steps to my side, and her hand skims around my waist, her fingers slipping into the dip above my hip, holding me together. Who needs stitches when I have her? She’s my seams.
That’s when it hits me. With my scars out, my story written, and Dove standing at my side, I don’t feel the urge to curl up on the floor. I’m not blacking out or tripping into the scary-movie reruns of my life. My vision is clear, my mind lucid and present.
“No more hiding.” I meet their eyes, one by one. “I’ll talk about it instead of running from it. But right now…” I spot a bottle of vodka on the coffee table. “I say we drink.” My eyes lift to Kody. “Is that a new flavor?”
“I made it a while back. Been saving it for this moment.” Kody frees a rare smirk. “It’s cherry-free vodka.”
“What the fuck is cherry-free vodka?”
“Vodka that lost its cherry.” He looks me straight in the eyes. “Like you.”
I stare at him, waiting for my chest to burn with the defensive coil connected to my virginity.
But it doesn’t come.
Instead, something lighter pushes up under my ribs and tumbles out in a carefree laugh. “I’ll take that. I earned the hell out of it.”
Kody’s smirk grows into an expression that could damn-well be considered a smile.
“I’ll get some glasses.” Dove steps toward the kitchen.
“No.” Kody waves her back. “We’ll do it family style.”
Monty reclaims his spot on the couch as I grab the free armchair and pull Dove onto my lap. She settles across my thighs, her palm finding the center of my scarred chest.
Her touch sinks like a grounding bolt, pinning me to the moment, keeping me from retreating into the parts of my brain that still feel the scalpel opening my flesh.
Kody twists off the cap and takes the first pull, jaw feathering as the vodka hits. Then he passes it to Monty, who drinks like he’s signing legal documents with his throat. Leo takes a swig and releases a loud, aggressive shout, widening his eyes and fully extending his tongue like the animal he is.
Frankie laughs, snatching the bottle and giving the rim a mournful sniff. No alcohol for our baby mama.
Then the bottle comes to me.
I hold it to Dove’s lush lips and tip it back. She swallows like a champ, then I slug my share, the vodka burning warm all the way down. Clean and wild. Kody’s specialty.
“So…” Monty crosses an ankle over his knee. “What’s the plan for you two?”
“We’re getting married.”
Dove makes a sound of surprise. Everyone else looks at me like Duh, tell us something we don’t know.
“Oh, you meant what are our plans right now?” I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand. “We’re going to chill on the island for a week. Let everything settle after… Everything. We need time to get to know each other better.”
Leo snorts. “By that, you mean biblically, repeatedly, and with enthusiasm.” He shakes his head. “Poor Dove.”
“All right, let’s get this over with. I know why you’re all here and what you’re thinking. I have no experience, so I probably fumbled it.” I take a long pull from the bottle and hand it to Kody. “Feral men and lady of the jury, allow me to present the evidence. Dove said, and I quote, I was legendary.”
“I meant it.” She touches her smile to my cheek.
“Now you know.” I glance around the room, enjoying the hell out of their squirmy discomfort. “In other news, I called Dr. Thurber yesterday.”
Frankie’s head snaps up, eyes going bright.
“He’s coming to the island tomorrow. We’re doing a session here. Oh, and you won’t see Gretchen’s robe again.” I motion at the flames in the fireplace. “I sent it back to hell.”
“Wolf…” Frankie practically vibrates. “I love that for you.”
Leo stares at the floor, smiling to himself. Kody gives an approving nod and takes a hit of the vodka before passing it. Monty sits back, studying me like I just lifted the weight of the world off his shoulders.
“I’m so proud of you.” Frankie casts a look at her husbands. “It took an act of Congress to get these three into a therapist’s office.”