Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 25067 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 125(@200wpm)___ 100(@250wpm)___ 84(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 25067 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 125(@200wpm)___ 100(@250wpm)___ 84(@300wpm)
“Thank you,” I whispered.
Ending the call, I rolled over and burrowed my face in Jimmie’s chest. “Am I horrible for hoping he’s dead, and at the same time, being fucking angry if he is?” I asked.
I felt Jimmie shake his head. He ran his hands up and down my spine. “No, baby, you’re not. For your sake, I hope he’s dead, too. But I’m also angry that he won’t be convicted in court. I’m angry he had the balls to hurt you like he did and then has the audacity to attempt suicide to escape the consequences.” He pressed his lips to the top of my head, letting them linger. “But so you don’t have to face him in court and for your own peace of mind, I hope like fuck he accomplished his attempt.”
His fingers laced in my hair and began to massage over my scalp, soothing me. “One day, baby, you’ll fucking rage about the justice he stole from you. But for now, we just need to focus on your mental health and peace. But when that day comes that you’ll rage, just know, I’ll be angry right along with you.”
A WEEK LATER
I stared at the email in my inbox, unable to believe my eyes. Zac had definitely committed suicide. I’d received the call about ten A.M. the same day I’d heard that gunshot explode through my phone speaker.
His autopsy later showed he’d been abusing prescription narcotics and having them filled at the hospital pharmacy. The pharmacy was currently under investigation, and last I’d heard, the pharmacist in charge every time he got the scripts filled had been fired and was under investigation as well.
I’d been in a sort of daze since I’d found all that out, just going through the motions since I’d listened to that voicemail and got confirmation of his suicide.
It was so bad, Jimmie had gone ahead and gotten me into therapy. I saw Melissa, my virtual therapist, three days a week. I’d just gotten off my video call with her ten minutes ago when my phone pinged with the email I was currently staring at.
An email from Zac’s attorney listing me as the sole beneficiary to all of Zac’s assets—Zac’s house, his car, his bank accounts. Everything was given to me. And all of it was even paid off, including the fucking house. At one point, Zac had loved me—clearly. But drugs had obviously come into the mix, changing him just slow enough that I hadn’t noticed until it was too late.
“I can’t fucking believe I’m seeing this,” I breathed.
“What?” Jimmie asked, rounding the corner into the living room. He set Wyatt’s sandwich in front of him, along with a juice. “Eat up, bud.” Coming around the couch, he leaned over the back of it to peer down at my phone. “Holy fuck. Does that say what I think it does?” he asked in disbelief.
I nodded. “Yeah,” I said quietly. “He had me listed as his sole beneficiary. I got his life insurance policy, too. Two hundred fucking thousand dollars.” I shook my head. “I don’t want his things.”
Jimmie hummed and began playing with my hair, soothing me and settling my nerves. “So, sell it and put the money into a savings account. I’m already taking care of you and Wyatt, and you know I’ll fund your college tuition when you’re ready to go back. Save it and use it for whatever you want.”
I turned to look up at him, setting my phone down on my lap. “You don’t have to buy my affection to make me stay,” I quietly told him.
He blew out a soft breath. “I know I don’t, baby, but I want to do these things for you. I don’t want you in debt any more than you already are for school. Let me do this. Please.”
I leaned up to press my lips to his in a soft kiss. “I never should have friend-zoned you.”
He cracked a grin and kissed the tip of my nose. “No, baby, you shouldn’t have. To make up for it, you can let me take care of you.” He winked, making me laugh.
“You’re insufferable.”
Snorting, he pushed off the back of the couch and headed for the kitchen. “You love me for it.”
He was right… I did.
Epilogue
Jimmie
FOUR YEARS LATER
They said time flew by when you were having fun, and well, they weren’t wrong. Four years flew by in the blink of a fucking eye, and in my opinion, they went by way too damn fast. But in those four years, I got to share every birthday Wyatt had with him and his beautiful mom. I got to watch Trinity heal and grow and find her place here with me and my family. Even her sister, Carla, moved here so they could remain close.
In those four years, Trinity went back to school, interned at a local doctor’s office, and then graduated college at the top of her class. As a graduation present to her, I paid off her student loans, and then, she rode my cock so fucking good, I was goddamn delirious afterward.