Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 100853 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 504(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100853 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 504(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
Fuck, I hadn’t seen this coming.
I didn’t know what had driven me to open that envelope in her bedside table. I’d only opened the drawer to drop the condoms in for later. But something about the envelope… I knew it was wrong when I pulled it out, but I looked anyway. When the picture of my mother fell out, the sight of her had been a stab through the heart.
I’d never seen that particular photograph of Sarah Sawyer—Sarah Fordham at the time—but I knew that face, those eyes. She’d left us before I was old enough to form a solid memory of her. I knew Griffen had a few things tucked away: an earring, a book she used to read to him. I had nothing. I’d only been two years old when she left.
Seeing that picture, knowing that Paige wasn’t who she’d said she was, had sent fury coursing through me. And then my rage had fallen apart.
I didn’t know many people as alone as Paige McKenna—abandoned by her father, hated by her mother. She’d spent her adult life on the fringes of other people’s families without one of her own. I’d found myself in the odd position of being absolutely, morally right and not caring in the slightest.
She’d come to our home under false pretenses. Except she was Paige McKenna. She was a professional nanny with a degree in early childhood education. She’d omitted information, but she hadn’t straight-out lied. Still…semantics. She’d been dishonest. But as I’d said to her last night, who was I to condemn her? I’d done far worse—and the things I’d done, I’d done out of greed and weakness and envy. She was looking for her father. Not the same at all.
I shifted my head on the pillow, rubbing my stubbled cheek against the silk of her curls. What I wanted was this—Paige in my arms. I wanted her close. I wanted to protect her. And I had no interest in punishing her for anything she’d done.
Which left me with a problem to figure out: how to explain all of this to Griffen. There was no way we were keeping this—our relationship, Paige’s goal in finding out what she could about her father—a secret. I couldn’t rebuild my family’s trust by lying to them. I’d sworn I wouldn’t leave, and I’d meant it. But as much as I needed to be here to mend my relationship with my siblings, I wasn’t letting Paige go. If Griffen couldn’t see reason and actually kicked her out, I’d go with her. If she’d have me.
She might be safer without you around. Maybe. If Cole ever figured out what she was to me, he’d go straight for her. I was going to have to gamble on Griffen’s compassion. Fortunately, I knew my brother had an overabundance of that emotion. We were going to need it.
And then there was the issue of what had happened in this room—the plummeting temperatures, the jammed door, the way we’d shouted, and the sound had seemed to bounce back into the room without penetrating the hallway. At first, I’d thought the newest assassin had found me. But just as quickly, I’d realized that didn’t make any sense. I didn’t believe anyone could get inside the Manor undetected, much less set up an elaborate booby trap that could have killed us both. It had to be something else.
Paige’s phone lit up, a lively tune tumbling out. She woke early since a big part of her job was helping with the kids’ morning routine before she took over with Stella. Her eyes fluttered open, landing hesitantly on my face.
I reached up to stroke the backs of my fingers down her cheek. “Morning,” I said.
“Morning,” she said back. “It’s warmer in here now.”
“I know. I doubt we’re locked in anymore.” I rolled to my side and tugged a loose curl of her hair.
“What happened?” she asked, moving to sit up, taking the blankets with her.
“I don’t know,” I said, and nodded at her phone. “You have to get up.”
She let out a low groan. “Mornings are always a little crazy.”
“We need to talk to Griffen,” I said softly.
She gave a jerk of a nod and swallowed.
“Hey.” I sat up, leaning against the headboard and sliding my arms around her to pull her into my side. “You’re not going to get fired.”
“Ford,” she said quietly, “I would fire me.”
“Yeah, well, Griffen’s nicer than you,” I said, knowing it wasn’t true. Paige was steeped in kindness. “Don’t worry about it, okay? Just put a pin in it until we talk to him. I really don’t think he’s going to fire you. We just need to explain.”
“We?” she echoed.
“We,” I repeated. “He might know something about our mother and your father. Do you trust me?” I asked, feeling like I’d never asked a question that important before.