Total pages in book: 120
Estimated words: 112850 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 564(@200wpm)___ 451(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112850 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 564(@200wpm)___ 451(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
“Scroll,” Nico instructed.
“What site is this?” I asked, tapping the screen.
“Daily Mail. They pay the most for content right now,” Nico hollered to me over the engine noise.
I had no idea what tabloid that was, but I swiped my thumb up the screen, seeing my and Slade’s personal private moments captured in photos. The last picture was where Slade and I were huddled up on the sofa, kissing.
The pictures had to have been taken from outside, through the windows Slade always kept open.
I started over from the first one. The one that bothered me the most was a picture of Slade in his underwear, me in my tighty-whities. Our bodies were not the same. I looked like I had a long-standing dad bod next to Slade Whitaker.
Luckily, before I demanded I be taken to a gym, Slade’s name appeared at the top of the screen.
I answered without considering this was Nico’s phone. “Hey. Are you okay?”
“Who’s this?” Slade barked.
Words froze in my throat due to the way he spoke to me. The tone held all the anger he had told me he used to deal with his life, I just hadn’t believed him. He’d always been kind and patient with me.
Nico plucked the phone out of my hand. “I’m here, boss.”
Any wind left in my sails vanished as I sat back in the seat and let Lori’s driving shift me left and right. Slade hadn’t known who I was. I reached for my cell phone, checking to see if he’d tried to call me first. He hadn’t.
“Here. He wants to talk to you,” Nico said, the phone thrust back to me. “Slow down, Lori. We don’t need an accident right now.”
I brought the phone to my ear, dropping my chin to my chest. I didn’t speak, staring into the darkness of the floorboard.
“You there?” Slade asked in a tone I finally recognized.
“Yeah,” I said, unsure how to proceed.
“Was that you who answered the phone? I’m sorry for barking at you.” Slade’s voice held tension, and stress, but the tone was apologetic, and I let it ease the sudden burst of confusion. “Say something, Mace.”
“I’m okay. Nico showed me the pictures posted…”
Slade cut me off. “I’m sorry, Mace. I felt like the pictures wouldn’t post. I should’ve just paid,” Slade said, bleakly.
“No, you made the right decision. We prepared for this, right?” I said, but maybe we hadn’t. I couldn’t remember.
“Your court records have released too.” This time Slade’s voice held a raw and hollow quality I never wanted to hear from him.
My silence was only due to wondering how the release of my accident report would affect Slade in such a way.
“Baby, I’m deeply sorry to put you in this position,” Slade continued. “I was wrong to let you get to this point.”
“Why haven’t you been textin’ or callin’ me?” I asked quietly. “Have I fucked up your life too much? I get it if you’re resentin’ me.” The words tasted like bile in my throat but had to be said.
“Mace, I’ve wrecked your life. I can’t get past it. I’m so disappointed in myself,” Slade explained, his hurt ringing through every word.
“No, I don’t feel that way at all. You’ve given me my life back. I don’t want to lose you,” I said, desperation edging each syllable.
“I’ve got a lot going on. I’ve replaced most of my staff and I probably should have had a plan for that,” he said. “I don’t know where I stand with anything.”
“Are you still comin’ home on Sunday?” I asked, my hands itching to touch him, to remind Slade what mattered most.
“Of course. I’ve wished you were here with me many times. You make me steady.”
“Okay. Text me more. We’re already almost home. Lori’s drivin’. I can’t believe we’ve survived gettin’ here,” I said, this time loud enough for her to hear and hoping that it lightened Slade in some way.
“Shut up,” she called over her shoulder. “I saved the day.”
“You’re staying where I can see you,” Nico commanded to me.
“Did you hear that?” I asked Slade.
“Yeah. We still don’t know the source of the photos, but Nico’s on to something. We should have more answers in the next day. If you stay put on the ranch, it’d help my head,” Slade said.
“Okay. Lori’s stayin’ at my place. I’ll be at your place, but I’ll have to feed the animals.”
“Why’s she at your place?” Slade asked.
“Don’t really understand why, except my family’s lovin’ all this attention. I’ve learned tonight she’s a stunt driver. There’s more to my family than I realized,” I said, leaving out the part about the funding drive the sanctuary was doing in the background of everything else going on.
“I have to go. I’ll call you.” Slade disconnected the line without the two to three minutes of our customary I love yous that we normally gave.