Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 69775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 349(@200wpm)___ 279(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 349(@200wpm)___ 279(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
“We were broken up,” I grumbled. “And like your mother needed another reason to hate me.”
Six
I don’t get offered drugs nearly as much as D.A.R.E. said I would.
—Nettie to Boone
Boone
She was right.
I had no right to demand something of her when my own fucking mother would’ve used that information to bury her.
“She moves in with you,” Denver said. “But you also need to find someone to be with her whenever she’s alone outside your house. After what happened last time…”
Denver didn’t need to go into further detail.
What happened last time my mother had gotten her claws into Nettie, I’d lost my daughter.
There wouldn’t be a second time.
I wasn’t a seventeen-year-old kid anymore.
“Is there an end date to this?” Weaver asked. “I mean, you’ve been working on this for how long?”
“Years,” I grumbled.
“Longer,” Sawyer admitted.
“I have a solution, but you’re not going to like it,” Denver offered.
We all looked at him.
“You let me take her out like I offered to a year ago,” he said. “Now there’s something a little more on the line than you and Boone.”
He was right.
It wasn’t just Dad and me who needed to be worried about anymore. There was an innocent life that was protected by her mother, but wouldn’t be forever. And having an innocent child around that was utterly helpless?
“Do it.” Dad surprised me. “Wish we hadn’t gotten the FBI involved.”
“Fuckin’ Gail.” Denver shook his head. “You’re right, this would’ve been a lot easier a few months ago, but it’s still doable now. No one said that it had to be an execution. Maybe it’s just…natural causes.”
“We give it until the baby is born,” Sawyer commanded. “After that, we’re not taking any more chances.”
I couldn’t believe I was sitting there plotting my mother’s murder.
But if it was between keeping my family safe, or my mother’s life, I’d choose my family every time.
Plus, without her in the picture, I would finally be free to pursue a relationship with the woman I loved. One where I wouldn’t constantly have my mother hovering in the background making life miserable for the two of us.
“What about Felicia and Kurt?” Weaver asked. “Gail’s not the only issue here.”
“She’s the only one that cares about ruining the mother of my child’s life,” I pointed out. “Kurt and Felicia can be taken care of by the FBI.”
“Agreed.” Sawyer nodded once. “But if they make signs that they suddenly find interest in her, then we’ll shift directions.”
After plotting my mother’s murder was finished, the food I’d ordered arrived, and I got to enjoy watching Nettie go to town on it.
I’d forgotten how much she enjoyed food when she was pregnant.
I didn’t know where all that food was going, but it was obvious that this was an every meal occurrence for her.
“Where is she putting it?” Denver chuckled.
Nettie lifted her head from her sixth slice of pizza. “I’m growing a child inside of me, Sinclair Windsor. Get off my nuts.”
Denver snorted.
“Your name is Sinclair?” Weaver asked.
“He doesn’t like it,” Nettie told Weaver. “That’s why no one knows it. I call him by his given name because I knew him before he was Denver.”
“Why don’t you like it?” Weaver asked. “It’s a good, solid name.”
“It’s a last name for a first name, and it irritates me.” Denver shrugged. “Eddy, do you want some pizza with all that ranch?”
Weaver chuckled at Eddy’s glare.
“Why are you picking on me?”
“Because you’re the one that told Nettie I hated my name and she makes every effort to call me by it whenever she’s near me.”
“You should really be scared of him, Nettie,” Eddy pointed out. “I mean, he’s a SEAL. They’re badass.”
Denver puffed up his chest in an exaggerated movement.
Nettie poked him in that chest and said, “Don’t get too big of a head. I saw you scream when we watched that scary movie about that doll.”
“Dolls are creepy.” Denver chuckled. “But I didn’t scream like Boone did.”
“I was writing my paper for school and looked up just in time to see her right there. It was an accident,” I defended myself.
“Uh-huh.” Nettie’s eyes sparkled at me.
It was such an unusual event that it had me stilling in shock.
She hadn’t smiled at me genuinely in so long…
Damn, it felt good.
It also felt like I’d been poleaxed since it’d been so long since I’d been on the other end of that kind of smile.
“On that note.” Eddy shoved the last of her pizza into her mouth and stood up. “I have to go. And Weaver has to take me. We’re a few days away from a state championship.” She looked at Nettie. “Are you coming to practice?”
Nettie nodded. “Wouldn’t miss it.”
Weaver and Eddy left.
When the door was firmly closed behind them, Nettie turned to me and said, “What else?”
“What makes you think there’s something else?” I asked carefully.
Even if there was more.