Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 103878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 519(@200wpm)___ 416(@250wpm)___ 346(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 519(@200wpm)___ 416(@250wpm)___ 346(@300wpm)
“Right,” Ashland says. “It's the very topic of conversation we were having ourselves, because whether or not the blowback from Crowning is as bad as we anticipated is the question of the day, isn't it? But I have a theory. We all do, actually.”
Erin's fingers pause on her phone screen.
“Has your Mam reached out to you since you came back with me?” Ashland says. His arms are secure around me, and he nestles his hands in my lap, my fingers intertwined with his.
“I—” I say quietly.
“May I take a look?” he whispers. “No one else needs to look, lass, just me.”
I swallow hard and show him the slew of texts I've gotten, one after another after another.
Mam
What have you done? Where have you gone? What have you done to our family?
Look,” he says quietly. “She’s not concerned about you, is she? She’s asking what have you done to her.”
I nod, swallow, and lick my lips. I read back the messages where I told my mother that Marcus tried to hurt me, and her response:
Mam
He did no such thing. Stop being so dramatic.
And I can hear it now. Stop being so dramatic. Don't make it all about you. Why do you have to be so selfish?
Now that I'm outside her orbit, I can see more clearly. I wasn't selfish. I was manipulated. She tried to use me, and I allowed it.
I turn my head away. “She didn't even ask if I was okay. Marcus came after me. He was going to hurt me. Ashland, the chef in the restaurant, who didn't even know my name, tried to protect me more than my own mother did.”
I'm on the brink of tears. Figuring out that my mother's been using me all along was not part of my plan today.
Ashland kisses my cheek. “We need some alone time, lass, soon. Erin, do what you do best.”
I don't know what Erin does best, but her firm nod is reassuring. She doesn't look at me as if she doesn't even realize the distress I'm in. Kyla averts her eyes, too, her jaw tight. These women are stoic.
But Bronwyn and Caitlin—Bronwyn reaches for me. “I can't tell you how good it is to see Ashland with someone like you,” she says quietly. “He'll take very, very good care of you, Bianca, if you let him.”
Ashland sets me on my feet in front of him and takes my hand.
“I'll show you the room,” Caitlin says. “Now listen, you're going to be here for quite some time. Who knows when this will pass, but we'll see.” She smiles. “This is what we're going to do though. You have free run of this house. There's a pantry here I keep well-stocked because my children are always ravenous. Even as adults, Cavin still comes and raids the pantry at all hours.”
“We buy plenty of food on our own, but it's not the same as raiding your pantry,” Erin says with a smile as she flicks from one screen to another, and it's like watching a genius at play. This woman knows things other people don't. It's kind of amazing to see.
“Well, you do spoil us,” Bronwyn says with a wink to me.
“I'm always cooking, so there's plenty of food in the kitchen,” Caitlin continues.
“So at least I know I'll be well fed here,” I say as a joke. But I feel heat creep up my cheeks when they all laugh.
“Aye, you will,” Caitlin says. “That's important, isn't it?”
Ashland gives me a discreet pinch to the arse that nobody sees. “Aye,” he says, his voice husky. “It is.”
“So down this way, there's an exit to the garden, but I daresay, until we know things are safe—”
“You're not to go without a guard,” Ashland insists. “Which will be me.”
“Unless Seamus has you on a job, Ashland?” Caitlin corrects.
“We're not leaving the house without permission.”
“Down through this way,” she says, showing me around the house. “I'll have to give you a proper tour later, but this is a bit of a sanctuary here. Down this hallway is the library.”
“Library,” I breathe out. “You have a library in your house?”
“Aye,” Caitlin says. “When I was your age, it was my favorite place to go. Now I've started reading on, what do they call it, an e-reader? It's a little easier on my eyes, the older I get.” She winks. “But please help yourself to all the books you want.”
“Aunt Caitlin,” Ashland says. “Bianca’s got a cat.”
Why is it so fucking adorable to hear Ashland call a woman aunt, as if he were a little boy again? It's adorable.
“Aye?” she says.
“Oh, Ashland, a cat,” Caitlin says. “I’ve always wanted a cat. Your uncle’s not a fan, but he’ll agree if I persuade him. Yours, Bianca?”
“Aye.” I nod. “Ashland's not the biggest fan, but you’ve been very good to him, haven't you?”