Total pages in book: 331
Estimated words: 315585 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1578(@200wpm)___ 1262(@250wpm)___ 1052(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 315585 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1578(@200wpm)___ 1262(@250wpm)___ 1052(@300wpm)
“EVE?”
Charlotte and I both look up when we hear Haidyn shouting my name. I frown, getting up off their bed and walking to the bedroom door. Sounded like he was coming from the hall.
I open their door and see him exiting Kashton’s room.
“Everything okay?” Charlotte asks him.
He stops and glares at me. He looks pissed. Breathing heavily, like he just left the gym, I notice his hands are clenched.
The sound of the elevator dinging has me taking a quick glance to see Kashton and Saint exiting. They come to a stop and watch.
I give Kashton a smile, thankful to see him. For a split second, I thought that something had happened to him. That’s what scares me the most. Falling for him. You never have to experience loss if you never allow yourself to love.
“Did you know?” Haidyn demands my attention.
I feel like this is a trick question and am not sure how to answer. I swallow nervously. My gaze shoots to his wife before returning to him. I’ve got to tread carefully because I don’t know what he’s been told. I’m guessing Kashton has filled them in on Evan. That I’m keeping secrets about how I know so much about Dollhouse.
“Haidyn—”
“Did you know that you’re my sister?” he snaps at me, interrupting Charlotte.
“What?” She gasps now, looking between the two of us, and I get a glimpse of Ashtyn opening her bedroom door to see what the commotion is about.
Great. Just what I need. An audience. How the fuck did he find out? I haven’t told a soul. Especially Kashton. I’d never make him keep secrets from his brothers. I have so many that I will take to my grave. Hell, I will die to keep most of them, but I say, “Yes.”
“Were you ever going to tell me?” he demands.
I look up at my half brother through my lashes. Our father hated him almost as much as he hated me. I knew Haidyn was too good of a person to let him know who I was. It would have only gotten him in trouble with our father. I know he’s dead now, but telling him would open another door that I need to keep shut. For both of our sakes. “No.”
His face falls and the man that is six seven looks like a little wounded child. The anger fades, replaced with sadness and regret. “Why not?” he asks, his brows draw together. “I could have protected you.”
That’s why I never said anything. “Protect me?” I shake my head. “We were all on our own, Haidyn.” Everyone was. The guys had each other, but they still went through hell. They were separated and tortured all because Ashtyn ran and fucked everything up. Our father kept me away from Haidyn because he knew we’d get close and Haidyn would choose me. That was one less thing he wanted to fight Haidyn on. “And he’s been dead for years.” After the Spade fathers were killed, there was no reason to confront any of them. I was free to move on with my life. I didn’t want to come back to this. Kashton changed all that.
“I’m sorry.” He runs a hand over his head before it drops to his side. “I’m sorry that Dad sent you to Dollhouse. I should have asked about you…the girl I picked to save.”
My head snaps up and I glare at him. Dollhouse? “How do you know that?” I demand. Stepping closer to him, I shout, “How do you fucking know about that?”
“Eve.” It’s Kashton who says my name, and I look over at him. He walks slowly toward me, but I see the sadness in his eyes as well. And Saint. He can’t even look at me. His hands are shoved into his pockets, his eyes on the floor.
What the fuck? “Where the fuck have you been?” I ask instead. I zero in on something in Kashton’s hand. It’s an envelope of some kind, and it makes panic rise. What could be in there?
“We’ve been at Dollhouse,” Haidyn answers. “We watched your tape.”
My stomach drops at his words, and I take a step back, feeling like someone has just punched me in the gut. No. That was too long ago. The videos have been destroyed. Evan promised me that they were no longer there. That they’re all ruined after a doll is sold.
“I don’t believe you,” I whisper, even though I do. How else would they know what goes on there? That everything is taped?
“Eve.” Haidyn steps closer to me. “Bill showed it to us.”
I shake my head. My dad? The man who said he’d protect me, give me a better life, betrayed me? Why? Have I done something wrong? Is he mad at me? One of my biggest fears is that I’ll let him down. It took a lot of time and effort to get me out of that hell. I promised him I would make it worth it.