Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 67479 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 337(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67479 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 337(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
“You are.” His voice is steady. Certain. There’s no softness, just a fact laid bare.
My head jerks back in surprise. “What?”
“You are the reason. I realized it because of you.”
I try not to dwell on those words or what my family said as I head inside to find my father in the kitchen cooking. My mother is the baker of the family, and my father is the cook.
My parents have a fantastic marriage. They’ve been together for more than forty years. Not once have I seen them fight to the point of no return. Yes, they argue now and then, which is healthy for a relationship, but my father is always the first to apologize.
I remember him sneaking up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist, and telling her he loves her. The bad news is that I thought I had found that with Noah, but I was wrong. I don’t regret that relationship for a single second, though, because it gave me Oliver.
“What’s up, kiddo?” Dad asks.
“Just came in to see what you’re doing.”
“Or are you avoiding your mother and sisters?” He laughs and waves for me to come closer.
I always love helping him in the kitchen. My sisters hate it, and to this day, they still don’t cook. I learned how to cook from my father. I’m not the greatest at it, but he taught me a few things for which I am grateful.
“You know, you’re more like me than they are.” He chuckles. “It’s why I cook. It gives me a break from being surrounded by beautiful, opinionated women. However, I do miss having you around, kid. No one joins me in the kitchen anymore.”
He hands me a peeler to start on the potatoes, then says, “Oliver is so big now. I miss seeing him.”
“I’ll try to bring him home more often,” I tell him. “My life is just so busy. And I know that’s not an excuse.”
“Of course it is. You’re a single woman in a city, raising a son. Life is busy.” His words provide me with some comforting relief. “Though I would like to come visit you. We now have help on the farm since I’m getting older.”
I stop peeling and look at him. “Really?”
“Yes, if that’s okay with you.”
“I would love that.”
“So would I, kid. So would I.”
THIRTY-EIGHT
SOREN
Cressida is back from her trip, but I haven’t seen her. Though I have stalked her social media and seen many photographs of her and her family from the time she was away, I still don’t know her well. She looks happy in almost every single one of them. A part of me is jealous that I can’t make her that happy. I’ve tried to avoid listening to her conversations, because if she finds out, she’ll probably kill me. Pretty sure I’d die with a smile on my face if it were she who killed me, though.
I spot Lilith and Reon as soon as I walk into their anniversary party. They don’t have many guests, seeing as it is only a small gathering. Quite a few of the attendees are members of the Forsaken, and others are people Reon works with. I see a few women I don’t recognize, and I’m guessing they’re Lilith’s friends.
I pause in my perusal of the room when I see Cressida, shocked, because I didn’t even think I would be seeing her. She’s dressed in all black, matching the color of her hair, and she’s holding a glass of champagne. She looks gorgeous, effortlessly so. The soft lighting glints off the rim of her glass, catching the curve of her lips as she takes a slow sip. My chest tightens, and I can’t look away.
Reon says my name, and I reluctantly drag my gaze from Cressida to find him and Lilith standing there.
“Oh, I see you recognize one of my guests,” Lilith says.
I know she and Cressida have met before, but I didn’t realize they were close enough for her to invite Cressida to parties. But then again, Lilith probably did it on purpose, thinking it would be payback. I don’t think she will ever let me live down the torment I caused her. I don’t blame her, but at the same time, I would do anything to protect the Society.
“You’re good friends with Cressida, are you?” I ask her.
“No, I was just hoping to annoy you,” she replies cheerily, and I look at Reon to see him watching me. Lilith smiles and walks off, leaving us standing there.
“Your wife sure knows how to hold a damn grudge,” I inform him.
“I know, it’s one of my favorite things about her,” he says with pride as I scan the room for Cressida again.
“She doesn’t know you’re in love with Cressida,” he adds after a moment, and I spin to face him.
“Love?” I laugh, and he holds his face in a neutral expression. “Love?” I scoff.