Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 105775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
“Like when we have to leave quickly in the night?”
The muscles around my eyes tighten involuntarily at the sound of that.
She clears her throat. “Like when we’re traveling or on holiday.”
I put a reassuring hand on Noah’s shoulder. “You’re coming to live in my house.”
He blinks up at me. “Is it as big as the hotel?”
It takes effort to hold my smile and not give in to the crushing feeling that squeezes like an iron band around my ribcage. “Bigger.”
His eyes grow round. “Really?”
I nod, not trusting my voice to sound normal if I speak.
“Is it far?” he asks.
Tatiana gives me a glacial stare, her beautiful green eyes cold and hard.
I let Noah go and fold my hands on the table. “It’s in New York City.”
He swings his legs. “How long do we have to drive before we’ll get there? Are we going in Mommy’s car?” He looks at Tatiana. “Are you going to pray, Mommy?”
I raise a brow. “Pray?”
A blush tints Tatiana’s cheeks pink.
Noah turns his face back to me. “Mommy prays when we have to drive far. She asks all the angels listening not to let us break down.”
Tatiana shifts in her seat. Jasper coughs.
I cut my gaze to Tatiana. “We’ll take a plane.” I haven’t told her yet I had that danger-on-wheels driven to a scrapyard. Smiling at Noah again, I continue. “We’ll be there before you know it.”
“A plane!” He bounces on his seat. “Wow, cool! Did you hear that, Mommy? We’re going to fly in a plane.”
“That’s exciting, right?” Tatiana says with forced enthusiasm, no doubt for Noah’s sake. Averting her eyes, she takes the menu from the holder and opens it in front of him. “What would you like to eat?”
The menu has photos of the dishes and desserts, making it easy for kids who can’t read to choose.
Noah takes his time to go over the pictures. He studies each one with the concentration a serious task deserves. After a few minutes of deliberation, he pushes a finger on the cheeseburger and fries. He steals a longing glance at the pink, blue, and green milkshakes printed on the dessert side before handing the menu back to Tatiana.
“What about dessert?” I jut my chin toward the menu. “And you’ll need a milkshake to swallow all of that down.”
He looks at Tatiana with so much expectation that my heart compresses into the size of golf ball. She nods and opens the menu on the dessert page.
He points at a waffle and a chocolate milkshake.
Once he’s showed his mother what he’d like to eat, he reaches for the crayons. In the span of a second, his attention is absorbed by coloring.
I’m amazed at how fast he changes gears. Come to think of it, Sav’s girls are a bit the same. The minute they’ve finished a task or a game, they happily lose themselves in the next activity, completely present in the moment. I admire the ability that seems to come naturally for kids.
For the last seven years, I’ve been living in the past, stuck on my vengeance. That can’t be helped, considering how my history played out. With Tatiana, it was different. Whenever I got my hands under her dress, I’d live for that moment only, for the taste of her pussy on my tongue and the sound of her moans in my ears. And then she left and took my only anchor to the present with her. Unintentionally, Noah is forcing me to live in the moment again, and I feel alive in a way I haven’t since Tatiana went on the run.
After coloring for a while, Noah wants to go to the enclosed play area that has a jungle gym and slides. I offer to take him, but Tatiana tells me she prefers to watch him herself.
I’m about to excuse myself and join them when the waitress arrives to take our order. I shift on the bench, ensuring I have Tatiana and Noah in my sight, and signal for Ulysses to keep an eye on them.
Once the waitress is gone, Jasper pins me with a look.
I stretch my arm along the backrest of the bench. “What?”
She snorts.
“If you’ve got something to say, Jasper, then go ahead and say it.”
“Fine.” She leans forward and rests her elbows on the table. “What exactly do you think you’re doing?”
I shrug a shoulder. “Having dinner.”
“Very stupid.” She pulls a face. “And not funny. You know what I mean.”
“If you’re worried about Tatiana, you don’t have to be.”
“Oh, I have reason to be worried, and if you think I’ll believe a single word that comes out of your mouth, you’re delusional. Look what happened the last time.”
I nod at Reino. He slides out of the booth and walks toward the play area, giving us privacy.
“Tatiana should’ve trusted me,” I say when Reino is gone.