Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 83216 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83216 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
I smooth my skirt, gathering the last scraps of control I have left. “Then it’s settled. Rina stays.”
His eyes gleam. “For now.”
Every decision I’ve made since our broken engagement has been about control. This is the first time I’ve willingly traded it away.
And I did it for her.
With a nod, I turn toward the door. My hand won’t stop trembling as I reach for the handle. Stepping into the hallway, I force a slight smile before asking Rina and Oliver to return to the office. Behind me, the clock ticks on, marking every choice I can’t take back.
He thinks this is a game he can win.
And maybe it is.
But the thing about games?
I’ve learned how to play them too.
Next time, I won’t be the one who folds first.
Bonus Chapter
Laiken
The penthouse is once again quiet except for Oliver’s voice drifting from near the elevator. He’s got his phone pressed to his ear, talking low, the words clipped in that half-teasing, half-serious tone he always uses with Rina. Something about checking in and making sure she got home safely.
I still can’t quite wrap my head around Oliver becoming a father. But it’ll be good for him. Good for both of them. Our Railers family is growing.
I start clearing the table out of habit. Cards into the box. Chips in their case. Glasses to the sink.
I like order.
Always have.
Maybe because it’s the one thing I can control when the rest of life feels like a scramble of broken plays.
When my cell lights up on the counter, I glance at it.
Abigail. My ex’s mother.
The name alone has my gut churning. I flip the phone face down and keep stacking glasses. I’ll deal with her tomorrow.
From down the hall comes the bright burst of Elody’s laugh, followed by a quieter, smoother tone.
Kia.
She’s reading another book to my daughter even though I told her she didn’t have to. Most sitters clock out as soon as the first bedtime story ends. Kia’s voice drifts down the hall, every syllable weaving calm through the walls of this place.
I rinse the glasses, trying not to listen, and fail miserably.
Most nights I wonder if I’m getting any of this right. If I’m enough for my daughter. But then she smiles, and I tell myself it’s proof I haven’t completely screwed it up.
When Sarah left, I thought the worst part would be losing her. Turns out it was realizing how easily she walked away from Elody. That kind of betrayal rewires something inside you, making you cautious. It makes you look twice before trusting anyone with the things you love most.
And then there are Elody’s grandparents.
Sarah’s parents.
The ones who are doing their damnedest to take her away from me. They talk a lot about what’s best for Elody, like I’m not the one who’s been here every day since her mother vanished. Like love’s something you can measure on paper.
It’s become a never-ending battle.
One they refuse to let go of.
The hallway light flicks on, and Kia steps out with her hair pulled back, a loose lock curling against her neck. Oliver’s still on the phone as he waits near the elevator.
She spots me in the kitchen and smiles. It’s small and polite, but there’s warmth in it. “We finished the story and she’s out.”
“Yeah?” I dry my hands on a towel. “Did she ask for a sleepover?”
A quiet laugh escapes her. “She did. And when I told her no, she tried to win me over with a blow-by-blow description of how we could play with her dollhouse.”
That pulls a chuckle out of me. “Sounds about right.”
“She’s a great kid,” Kia adds.
“Yeah.” I force myself to meet her eyes. “She really is.”
Something unwanted flickers in my chest.
It’s the kind of pull I haven’t felt in years. It hits hard enough to surprise me and sharp enough that I shut it down before it has a chance to gain traction.
For fuck’s sake, this is Oliver’s younger sister.
I have no idea how old she is, but she’s young.
College aged, maybe.
What the hell am I even thinking?
Women are a complication I promised myself I’d never let into my life again.
And I’m not that guy anymore. Not since Sarah or Elody.
“Thanks for helping out tonight,” I say, trying to keep my tone even. “You didn’t have to.”
“It was no trouble,” she replies, tucking a stray lock of blonde hair behind her ear. “Actually, it was nice. It gave me something else to focus on.”
There’s a faint hitch when she speaks, a small dip that doesn’t match her smile.
Sadness maybe.
Or loneliness.
It bothers me more than I want to admit.
“You were good with her,” I say before I can stop myself.
Her eyes lift to mine. “Thanks.”
“Come on, Kia,” Oliver calls from the entryway. “Let’s head out before Laiken decides to throw us out. Trust me, the crusty old son of a bitch will do it.”