Total pages in book: 159
Estimated words: 155775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 779(@200wpm)___ 623(@250wpm)___ 519(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 155775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 779(@200wpm)___ 623(@250wpm)___ 519(@300wpm)
“That won’t happen,” she said. “Because all you ever do is take care of me, so you won’t let it happen. And you know what? I don’t care if it does. We all have stuff about our lives we wish we could change, that we could have done differently. It doesn’t mean that we can’t learn from them and not make the same mistakes again. And it doesn’t mean that we don’t deserve to feel love and happiness.”
“I was hoping you’d think that. You know that you’re mine now, Addie, don’t you? For the rest of our lives.”
She looked worried again. “I don’t know how that will look though. I mean, we live in two different cities.”
“We’ll figure it out, as long as you know that you belong to me.”
“Just like you belong to me.”
He drew her in close, rubbing his hand up and down her back. “Are you sure you’re all right with what happened? That asshole didn’t hurt you?” He could feel himself growing more tense at the thought. He’d love nothing more than to end that bastard’s life.
“I’m all good now that you’re here,” she told him.
“That’s my good girl. I’m always going to take care of you.” He kissed her again. “Come on, let’s go make a call to Butch.”
“You and Ralen make it sound like the three of you are enemies.”
“Well, he’s not our favourite person in the world. He’s a grumpy bastard who thinks he’s always right. Bossy and controlling.”
“Yes,” she said. “Those people can be rather annoying.” She gave him a pointed look.
He tickled his fingers over her sides. “Are you saying that I am a bossy and controlling person? That I’m grumpy and think I’m always right?”
“I mean, maybe not grumpy,” she said.
“Sassy brat. You know, you might want to be careful what you say now that Daddy is back in charge. I might just tip you over my knee and smack that naughty bottom of yours. And take away one of your good girl stickers.”
“What for?” she asked with a gasp. “For saying the truth? That’s not very nice.”
“For being mean to your Daddy. That’s not very nice.”
“I would never be mean to you, Daddy. I’m a good girl.”
A knock on the door startled them both and Ralen’s voice boomed through. “If the two of you are finished in there, we need to do something about Limpy out here.”
Time to get back to reality.
52
Butch scowled at them all.
They decided to call him on Addie’s computer. Now, though, she was wondering why they’d wanted such a large screen, because all it did was make his scowl look even bigger.
“What do you mean, Limpy is there?” Butch demanded.
“Exactly what it sounds like,” Ralen said.
“Are you getting deaf in your old age?” Cash asked him.
She didn’t think it was possible for Butch’s scowl to get any worse, but it did. Now he looked positively menacing.
“Explain,” he snapped.
Nobody spoke up. Shoot. Maybe she’d have to tell him. But then Dotty started going through everything. His gaze was intent on her. So intense, it was almost terrifying. Addie knew if he looked at her like that, she’d probably pee herself from terror. But Dotty managed to stand her ground as she told him everything that had happened.
“Are you hurt?” He snarled the words at Addie and Monroe.
Addie shook her head.
“You said that he grabbed you around the neck. Do you have bruising?” he asked Monroe.
“I’m fine,” she said.
“And you weren’t there?” he asked Dotty.
“I came after.”
“Thank God Cash and Ralen were here,” Dotty said.
Butch’s gaze moved away from Dotty and back to Cash and then Ralen. “Why are the two of you there?”
Cash crossed his arms over his chest. “None of your business, man.”
“I think it is my business if you turn up at the same time as a guy set on assaulting Monroe and Addie.”
“And what are you trying to say?” Ralen leaned his hands on the desk. “Are you trying to say that we are associated with Limpy?”
It was the same thing that Dotty had kind of suggested, although she knew her sister hadn’t really meant to. Sometimes Dotty said things without thinking, things that could hurt other people. She always felt terrible afterwards. People just didn’t see that and thought that Dotty had little empathy and feelings.
Butch narrowed his gaze as he took them all in. “No, don’t suppose I am. But did you know that Limpy was going to be there?”
“Of course we didn’t,” Cash said.
“So then why are you in Las Vegas? Outside their house?”
“Are you mad we didn’t invite you?” Ralen asked, leaning back with a smile.
Butch didn’t answer. Was he upset that they’d gone without him? No, that wouldn’t make much sense.
“Nope.”
“Look, we need your help,” Ralen said.
“You need my help, but you’re not willing to tell me anything.”
“We came here so I could see Addie,” Cash told him. “So I could tell her how I felt about her.”