Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 78466 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 392(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78466 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 392(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
“I don’t know why you’re––”
“You understand that Mr. Harcourt is being very accommodating,” Ian had told her in a commanding tone that was so icy it was a wonder she didn’t freeze right there. “He is not filing criminal charges against you, which would have resulted in you being taken to jail.”
“I––”
“Furthermore,” he had continued, all business, again using the scary-ass tone, “you have threatened the spouse of the chief deputy, and that, in and of itself, can be construed as a federal crime.”
I wasn’t sure about that, he might have been fudging that a bit, but maybe not. Either way, Angie shut up about him going through her bag, and seemed much calmer after he and Redeker left.
Angie turned to her daughter then, surprised me by taking both of her hands in hers, and then asked her what the hell was going on. After some hedging, Ella confessed that she was having sex with someone named Brad, who was a boy from church.
“Brad Carlson?” Angie gasped, glancing over at me and Kola before returning her focus to Ella. “Dani and Mark’s son? Our minister’s son?”
I didn’t laugh, because for one, it was petty, and for two, just because clearly, it was a surprise to Angie. I knew from experience that ministers’ sons were just as horny as any other boys. Plus, my son looked worried, and that was occupying my mind.
“I…” Ella stammered, biting her bottom lip, glancing over at Kola, who gave her a wan smile of support. “I asked Kola to go with me to get a pregnancy test because I was scared, but he just bought it for me like it was no big deal, and after it came up negative, we went to the clinic so I could get an exam and get some birth control pills.”
Angie looked at Kola again and then back at her daughter. “So you and Brad are sexually active, but you and Kola––”
“Kola’s the only one of my friends who would go with me,” she said, starting to cry. “Everyone else was too chicken.”
Taking her daughter into her arms, Angie looked at me. “I’m so sorry, Jory.”
I tipped my head at my son.
She turned her gaze on Kola. “I’m so sorry for what I said, Kola.”
He nodded and then turned to me, taking my hand like he didn’t do much anymore. Nowadays, he hugged me a lot, and put his arm around me, and kissed me on the cheek. The hand-holding had been missing for years. “I’m sorry I didn’t let you know I wasn’t at the museum, but Ella called and said she might be pregnant, and I figured she needed me.” His voice was low and grave, serious and somber as he apologized. “If anything like this ever happens again, I’ll be sure to call so you know where I am. I didn’t mean to put you in a bad spot.”
“Your heart was in the right place,” I said, squeezing his hand as we both heard the sound of Sam’s monster SUV out front on the street. He couldn’t get into our driveway, because Angie’s car was in the way. “Oh, hurricane Kage is on the horizon.”
“Oh man, he’s gonna murder me,” Kola groaned, slouching against the couch, head back, eyes closed, the dread rolling off of him.
“For what, being a good guy?” I asked him. “No, love, it’s fine.”
“You were a kind and loyal friend, Kola,” Angie said softly, comforting her daughter with her arm around her shoulders. “I’ll tell your father that.”
But moments later when Sam Kage stalked into the room, seeming even bigger than usual as we were all sitting down, all dark glower and massive shoulders, looking like he was carved out of granite, she didn’t say one word to him. She just sat there, eyes wide as Ella shivered and Kola held his breath.
I stood, stepped in front of him, and put my hands gently on his hips. “You would be so proud. Kola was a real friend today to a very scared young woman.”
He calmed after that, and then there was pounding on the front door a few minutes later, because of course, Angie’s husband, Robert, had come right over as well. The second Sam opened the door; the man yelled and drilled two fingers into Sam’s collarbone and accused his son of defiling his daughter.
“Defiling?” I repeated as Sam grabbed the man’s wrist and put him on the ground in front of him. “What year is this?”
Angie and Ella gasped, but when Sam told them to stay where they were, both of them stuck to the couch like they were glued there. He then explained to Robert that putting his hands on a federal marshal was NOT a good idea. Once he calmed down and took a breath, Sam helped him to his feet and walked him over to the couch. Everything was explained all over again, and then Robert was apologizing, first to Sam, then to Kola, and finally to me for yelling.