Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 60482 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 302(@200wpm)___ 242(@250wpm)___ 202(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60482 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 302(@200wpm)___ 242(@250wpm)___ 202(@300wpm)
He straightens, murmuring into my ear, “You drive me insane.”
I slip away, sprinting back to Chief with a wad of cash. “See? We help.”
He snatches it, face hard. “Half an hour more and you’re getting changed. No more stunts on the cars with Travis, either. Don’t need any more bullshit.”
I grin and dash away.
By afternoon, we’ve scrubbed every car and made a ton of cash. We pack up to head inside for burgers. Laughter floats around the table and it feels good to have achieved something, but of course, that feeling never lasts long around here. Because a little over half an hour in, Bill approaches Chief, his eyes weirdly concerned. “Chief, you’ve got a visitor.”
Chief frowns. “So send them in.”
Bill hesitates. “Don’t think you want me to do that.”
Chief looks at him, confused. “Just send them in, Bill. Fuck.”
“You asked for it.”
Bill leaves, and a moment later comes back with a young woman—eighteen, maybe nineteen, pale blonde hair catching the sun, eyes like slate, lips full and determined.
Chief freezes.
She breaks into a run, arms outstretched. “Daddy!” she cries, flinging herself at him.
My entire body goes still.
Travis clamps a hand on my arm. “We should go.”
It’s as if he knows, even before everything erupts.
Chief’s gaze snaps to me, locked.
“Get me out,” I croak to Travis. “Get me out.”
He moves swiftly, helping me up and turning me toward the door. The entire room is silent, an emptiness that goes on and on. Everyone is too afraid to speak. Maybe half of them are in shock. Just like me.
Chief’s voice stops us. “Violet, hold up.”
I spin around. “Is she your daughter?” My voice cracks.
He swallows hard. “Fuck. This... this wasn’t how I wanted you to find out.”
I inhale sharply, my chest feeling like it might just burst. “How long have you known?”
The girl looks triumphant, as if she’s won something. There is a smirk on her face that tells me she is bad news.
“It’s a long story, but I didn’t know about her until recently.”
My chest tightens. I force out a strangled laugh. “How could you? This is why Mom left, isn’t it? Because you cheated on her and knocked another woman up.”
“It’s more complicated than that,” Chief growls. “Just let me talk to you.”
“No,” I say, my voice firm and unwavering. “No.”
Travis turns me and we leave, Chief’s bellow of rage following us out the gate.
I have a sister.
A sister.
Why does it feel like everything is unraveling all at once?
“HEY NOW, YOU NEED TO eat.”
I turn to face Travis, and his expression is concerned. He brought me back to his house, but I haven’t said a word since we came in. He has been making food, letting me sit in my silence. The world beneath me just shattered. My father, my mother—everything’s collapsing in my chest. Pain claws at me.
“Baby, come on. Eat for me?”
I look up at him. My throat burns. I swallow, nod, and force a bite of the sandwich he’s set before me. I haven’t eaten enough today, considering how much I drank last night, so I know it’s important I do, but each bite tastes like I am swallowing sandpaper. My heart aches, so much. Everyone I love seems to have so many secrets, and they’re all unraveling at once.
“He loves you, Violet. He’s been frantic trying to reach you.”
“He lied to me for God knows how long. He has another daughter—and he lied.”
Travis’s eyes soften but his voice stays firm. “Might be more complicated than that.”
“Did you know?” I say, looking up at him.
“No,” Travis says, and his voice is firm. “No, I didn’t.”
I nod.
“You need to call your mom. She’s been blowing up my phone.”
I exhale. “She knew, too, and didn’t tell me. Nobody tells me anything.”
Travis goes silent.
I pick up my phone. There are so many missed calls I don’t even bother to scroll through them. My fingers tremble. I press my thumb to Mom’s number. She picks up on the first ring.
“Violet, baby. I am so sorry you found out that way.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
Her voice cracks. I can hear the tears she swallows.
“I didn’t want to hurt you. Caden adores you, and you love him...”
“He has a daughter, Momma. I have a sister. You didn’t think I had a right to get to know her?”
“Jasmine isn’t... she isn’t the kind of sister you want, honey.” Her voice gets weary. “She’s been trouble since the day Caden found out.”
I feel nauseous remembering that cold smile Jasmine gave me when she burst in tonight.
“That doesn’t matter. I had a right to know. You and Chief kept it from me. Is that why you left?”
“Yes and no, it was more complicated than that.”
“How could he do that to us?”
She goes silent, and I know my words bring a pain she doesn’t want to feel.
“Why did he sleep with her?”