Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 96402 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 482(@200wpm)___ 386(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96402 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 482(@200wpm)___ 386(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
“Please, Jacques. Stay with me.”
I turned around and climbed in next to her without a thought. Rainey buried her face in my neck, holding me tight.
“Why aren’t we together?”
The question surprised me. “That’s what you want to talk about right now?”
“That’s the second-most asked question in my mind, Jacques. Right behind who is the Letter Man? I can’t help but wonder why you don’t want to be with me.”
I frowned. “Did I say I didn’t?”
“It’s been weeks. We could do just about anything, just about any time you want. But you don’t touch me outside of spankings. Is that where our relationship ends?”
“Do you think I’d tell you anything other than what you want to hear today?”
“I know you’ll tell me the truth, Jacques. You always do.”
“You’re right, so here it is. The truth and all that you’ll get from me today. This,” I said, “is where we begin.”
RAINEY
Jacques turned down Bay Avenue and parked in front of Paris’s house. I followed his gaze down the street to the mansion on the end.
“It’s awful she has to be this close to them. That there’s even a risk she’ll see them drive past in the morning or sit across from her on the deck, eating bagels.” My nails dug half-moons in my palm. “I can end this right now. Tell the sheriff it was the Crows who attacked us.”
“You can, and I won’t stop you if that’s what you want to do,” Jacques said. “Just know the likelihood of his rich father getting them off by claiming the witness saw they were masked, so you couldn’t be sure who it was. I respect whatever decision you and Paris make. Justice may not come from the legal system, but I can promise you, it will come from me.”
I was quiet, turning the last twelve hours in my mind. Justice did come slowly to the wealthy. That’s how it worked when the game is rigged in your favor. Whereas with the Bedlam Boys—
An image of the sex-trafficking rapist, Axel Verlice, lying in a pool of his own blood floated through my mind.
No one escaped their punishment.
“Does it help you guys that Jeremy thinks I’m on their side? Does your plan rely on it?”
He nodded.
“Then I won’t file a report. But,” I said, “I also won’t lie to Paris about who did this to her, if she hasn’t figured that out already.”
“Bye.”
I kissed his cheek and earned a crooked brow—his sign for what does that mean? Explain.
This was one of those things a genius could figure out.
“You don’t have to wait for me.” I flicked to the Crow house. “I’ll find a way back.”
Esteban opened the gates at the sight of me. That’s the friends we were. Paris already trusted me. It wasn’t just on the Bedlam Boys to see the Crows paid for what they did. Jeremy wanted to know where it hurt? He’d fucking find out.
I walked up the drive, unsurprised to see Cairo’s truck.
The housekeeper sent me up. I went straight to Paris’s room, knocked, and let myself in.
She huddled in the bed, swallowed in her oversized hoodie and three blankets. The mound shook as she sobbed into Cairo’s chest.
I padded in, catching his attention.
My wolf was out of place in this soft pink setting. He even looked out of place with Paris. I didn’t get the impression comforting was something he provided often. He leaned stiff against the headboard, the human-sized pillow she was clutching. He didn’t say or do anything other than rest his hand on the back of her head.
That could be exactly what she needs. For him to just be there.
Nora came in holding a tray. “Paris, dear, I brought you some— Oh, hello, Rainey. Now isn’t a good time...” The polite send-off died on her lips as I faced her. “You too?”
I just bobbed my head.
“Sweetie, I’m so sorry.” Setting down the soup, she gathered me in her arms.
“R-Rainey tried to st-stop them,” Paris whispered from her cocoon. “And paid for it.”
Nora gasped.
“I paid for not making a difference. They still hurt you, Paris, and I was useless to stop them. I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t say that. You helped me while half the quad was standing around squawking about what to do.” The smallest smile broke through the blankets. “Thank you.”
“Yes, thank you, Rainey.”
Nora squeezed me again, and the warmth of a mother’s hug so rattled me, I think I rested my head on her shoulder. It had been years since someone just... hugged me.
“You get comfortable because you’re staying with us until these animals are caught and I’m not changing my mind,” she added as I opened my mouth. “Paris will take some time off. When you’re both ready, our driver and guard will bring you to and from campus. Shouldn’t be long before they’re dragged out of that house in cuffs. Paris says she knows who attacked her.”