Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 132657 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 663(@200wpm)___ 531(@250wpm)___ 442(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 132657 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 663(@200wpm)___ 531(@250wpm)___ 442(@300wpm)
“He’s not the reason his brother died,” she said softly.
“I think he’s finally starting to realize that. The fact that he’s sleeping right now kind of proves it. I don’t think he’s slept a lot in the last couple of years,” Niall admitted. He reached out and brushed a hand over her arm. “Why can’t you sleep?”
She shook her head. “Nope. This is my time. When the two of you are together you’re coming up with ways to torture me. Now I have the talker all to myself. I want to know how you met.”
He thought her curiosity was a good sign. He wasn’t going to argue with her. They did spend their time trying to figure out how to get her between them, and he was definitely the talker between the two of them. Though he had some hopes Jensen was coming around. “We met at school. I lived in town so I had seen him, but his momma didn’t bring him to Bonnet much. She wanted to pretend like she didn’t have kids a lot of the time. She thought it would be better if the men she dated didn’t know about the two kids who came along until they were already in too deep. Needless to say that didn’t go well for her.”
“That must have been chaotic.”
And chaos scared her. She was right about the word, but sometimes a person didn’t mean to create it. “Mrs. Wiley wasn’t a terrible person. She was just always hoping someone would come and save her. She never stopped praying for the dude on the white horse to ride in and pick her up and take her away. But you should know she also opened her home to me when I was in high school.”
She seemed to consider his words. “I thought your parents were married. They live here, right?”
“I think so. I wouldn’t know. I cut ties a long time ago when my mother chucked me out of my house at the age of fifteen because I dared to step in front of her when my dad was beating her. I threw a punch, and she chose him. She always chose him. He was my dad and he smirked when he kicked me out. He lied to her. Cheated on her. Beat her half to death sometimes, and when he told her to kick me out, she did it. Told me I was temporary and he was her forever. But I thought I would always be her son.”
“You were. Even if she loved him, she should have chosen you.”
This was a pain he’d held for a long time. It wasn’t sharp anymore, but sometimes he still ached with it. “Which is why you should give your dad some mercy. I know he’s acting like an ass, but he loves you. I know what it feels like when the two people in the world who should love you no matter what can’t find it to even care what happens to you. When I tried to contact her before I left for the military she wrote me back and told me she didn’t have a son and never to contact her again.”
“Sir, I think I need a hug,” Harlow said with a sniffle.
There was his warrior princess. She was strong and tough and cared so damn much. She was a woman who would always stand up for the people she loved, who would risk everything for them. He sighed in pure pleasure as she settled herself on his lap and wrapped her arms around him. He rubbed his forehead against hers, enjoying the sweet affection she offered him. “I’m okay, Harlow. Like I said, I had a place to go, but now that I’m talking about it, I think I know why we both fell so hard for you. You’re strong and capable and you would never take shit like that. You will always want to stand on your own two feet, and you’ll protect the people you love.”
“You would never deal out shit like that, Niall,” she whispered. “I’m pissed at Jensen, but neither would he. And I’m not sure he thinks I’m competent.”
“He does. I assure you. He knows how smart you are, but Tommy was smart, too.”
“Tommy was a student. He did not have the training I have.”
How to explain this to her? “No, but he was incredibly smart, and Jensen loved him and lost him. So when he got the news that Hamilton wanted to bring you into the inner circle, he freaked out. He knew what could happen.”
She sighed and rested her head in the nook of his neck. “I wish he would have talked to me.”
“I do, too, princess. I wish I would have talked to you. If I could do it again, I would have walked up and knocked on your door and laid it all out for you.”