Total pages in book: 224
Estimated words: 215705 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1079(@200wpm)___ 863(@250wpm)___ 719(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 215705 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1079(@200wpm)___ 863(@250wpm)___ 719(@300wpm)
“Murder,” she whispers. “That’s—unexpected.”
“I know, and fuck, baby, it’s killed me to stay silent on this, but I’m in the middle. I don’t have proof of an actual murder.”
“Well then, how can you be sure your father killed anyone?”
“When I confronted my father about your father’s accusations, he didn’t admit it or deny it. And granted, my father would stay silent just to fuck with my head, but this—I don’t think he would on this. Not unless it was true.”
“What proof does my father have?”
“A recording of my father talking to my uncle, who isn’t my uncle at all. He’s just my father’s best friend. They say some pretty damning things in that recording.”
“I thought you didn’t have the proof?”
“Your father gave me a transcript,” I say. “If it’s accurate, it’s damning.”
“Does Gabe know?”
“Hell no. I don’t want him involved and I don’t want you involved, but at this point, like I said, you had a right to know.”
“What about the information you have on my father? What was he trying to cover up by leaving the company? Surely that still keeps him silent.”
“He wanted to save face with you, baby. That’s over. He’s moved on and found his field of oil, quite literally.”
“I can’t believe this,” Carrie breathes out. “This is like a mob movie starring our families. Do you—are you sure the paperwork on the building project would take you down?”
“No,” I say, “but it’s not a war I want to fight. Proving I’m innocent would destroy our company. It would destroy you, Carrie, if you were married to me. Had I not asked you to marry me, you wouldn’t be in the middle of this.” I stand up and walk to the window, and damn it, I know this is how Carrie and I end. I know this is what her father knew would happen.
Carrie is suddenly in front of me again, leaning on the glass, her hands on my chest. “You didn’t do this, and as for the risk of marrying me, there are none. Marrying me protects you. Once it’s done, it’s done. My father won’t risk taking me down with you.”
“He’ll have a plan to protect you, and baby, if your father comes at my father, that’s bad. He killed someone. Remember?”
She blanches. “Are you suggesting that your father might kill my father? Is that why you don’t want to tell your father what’s going on?”
“Yes, Carrie. That’s why I don’t want to tell my father.”
Chapter seventy-five
Carrie
It’s all I can do to process the idea that Reid’s father would kill someone. That Reid believes that his father would kill my father. “You have to call your father,” I say. “You have to warn him before you end up burned. Before Gabe ends up burned.”
“The part where I said that my father is killer,” Reid says, “did that not compute?”
“If that murder even happened, my father hid it. They’re both monsters. I’m worried about you and your brother, who I know you love. Call your father. You can control him. Tell him that if my father ends up dead, you’ll do something to him. You know what that something is that will work. I know you do.”
“Setting my father’s temper on fire is not the answer.”
“Fine,” I say. “Then I need to end this.” I stand up and before I can make it a sway, let alone, a step, Reid is in front of me, pulling me to face him.
“I tried to end this. This is not a simple conversation away from closure.”
“You did end it. And then I showed up. I opened the door to yet another war.”
“You didn’t do this, Carrie. Don’t put their war on yourself. We didn’t do this. We’re the peace between two families. We’re the change.”
“Would he kill me? Would your father kill me? And no, I’m not afraid. I’m angry that I even have to ask that question.”
His lips thin. “Not while you’re with me, and that’s the part of this equation that’s tormenting me. I didn’t think he could kill anyone,” Reid replies. “Now, I think he might have. If you’re with me though you’re connected to that nastiness, but my father would not dare touch you either. I protect you, but this also means that you have to deny knowing anything.”
“This is like a mob scenario over and over. If you protect me then this works in reverse. If you’re with me, my father won’t go after you. He’s just talking.”
“I don’t think it works like that, baby. He could still come at me to get me to divide us.”
“Then I have to talk to my brother.” I try to pull away. Reid holds onto me. “Damn it, Reid, don’t stand back on this. Be the bastard that you are. Motivate my brother to shut this down.”