Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 90778 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 454(@200wpm)___ 363(@250wpm)___ 303(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90778 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 454(@200wpm)___ 363(@250wpm)___ 303(@300wpm)
The words hung in the air, heavy and cutting, and I felt the burn of anger rise in my chest. I looked at Earl then, at the way he sat so still, his shoulders rigid, his eyes fixed on the table like he was trying to will himself not to react, make a scene and ruin my birthday. It broke something in me to see him like that.
“No, thank you,” I said sharply. “This is exactly what I wanted on my birthday and I’m celebrating it with the person who matters.”
Charles’s smirk faltered, just for a second, before he recovered, laughing like I’d just told the world’s funniest joke. “Come on, Raven. Be serious. What could he possibly offer you? Maybe his drunkard father begging for change in the parking lot outside the liquor store? Oh, wait, didn’t that already happen last week?”
His friends erupted into laughter, the sound grating and cruel. I felt my hands ball into fists at my sides, the heat of my fury threatening to spill over. “You’re pathetic,” I said quietly. Then I stood abruptly, my chair screeching against the floor, and shoved past Charles, my shoulder deliberately colliding with his in a way that made him stumble.
“Come on,” I said to Earl, grabbing his hand. “Let’s get out of here.”
“Oh, come on,” Charles had called after us. “I’m not lying. His father was on his knees before mine begging to borrow some money. Tell her, Earl!”
“Ignore him.” I’d rubbed Earl’s arm. “He’s an asshole.” Earl followed without a word, his hand hot and tense in mine. We walked away, leaving Charles and his pack behind, their laughter fading into the distance. I didn’t let go of Earl’s hand until we were outside, the cool air biting at my skin, the noise of the food court replaced by the distant hum of traffic.
I looked at him then, at the way his head was bowed, his eyes fixed on the ground. “Are you okay?” I asked softly.
“Of course I am,” he replied. “And he’s right, my father did do that. We might lose the workshop.”
“I’m sorry,” I’d replied, worried on his behalf.
“Hey, It’s not your fault, you know,” he’d smiled in the way that made my heart stop.
“And it’s not yours either,” I’d told him.
“Yeah,” he smiled and kissed me and I felt so in love it made me dizzy.
Now, the memory burns like acid in my chest and I can’t help but steal a glance at him. His jaw is tight, his focus unyielding on the road ahead. The same guy, but not the same at all.
“How did you do it?” I ask before I can stop myself, my voice breaking the silence.
He doesn’t look at me, doesn’t even flinch. “Do what?”
“All of this.” I gesture vaguely at the car, at him, at the life we’re both pretending to live. “The money. Where did it come from? And so quickly at that.”
There’s a pause, thick and deliberate, before he finally answers. “Every cent of it is dirty.”
Something in me recoils with horror, and I turn to face him fully, searching his expression for any hint of hesitation, any sign he’s lying. But his face is a mask, his tone devoid of anything but cold truth.
“All of it,” he continues, his gaze fixed ahead. “Every last cent. But there’s a lot of it, and you’ll be able to shop until you drop.”
His words are flippant, but they leave a bitter taste in my mouth. A part of me wants to push, to demand answers, but the other part—the part that still cares, that still worries—hesitates. What happened to him? Was it Charles’s humiliation that pushed him to this? Was it something worse?
The questions swirl in my mind, unanswered and relentless, as the car pulls up to the entrance of the department store. The glass façade gleams like a promise I don’t trust.
As I slide out, I realize my hands are trembling. Earl rounds the car, his expression unreadable, and for a moment, our eyes meet. There’s something there, something fleeting, but before I can place it, he looks away.
“Let’s go,” he says, his voice sharp and detached, and I follow him inside, my heart heavy with the weight of everything left unsaid.
CHAPTER 24
EARL
The gleaming floors and carefully curated displays in the most expensive boutique in the mall reek of excess. Raven hesitates at the threshold, her hands tightening around the strap of her bag.
“After you,” I say, gesturing grandly. She shoots me a look but steps inside.
A sales associate appears almost immediately, her smile practiced and polished. “How can I assist you today?”
“She’s living out her pretty-woman fantasy,” I say, my voice cold and clipped. Raven stiffens beside me, but I don’t stop. “Show her the best of what you’ve got. The more extravagant, the better. I plan to spend an indecent amount of money.”