Total pages in book: 147
Estimated words: 136048 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 680(@200wpm)___ 544(@250wpm)___ 453(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 136048 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 680(@200wpm)___ 544(@250wpm)___ 453(@300wpm)
“Very well,” she says, straightening her back. “My husband has gone missing. He was hurt in a home invasion last week, and don’t get me started on the fact that neither of you bothered to check in on him or even attempt to send him a get-well card. However, that is not why I have come. He disappeared early on Saturday morning, and nobody has seen or heard from him since, so I have come, as a last-ditch effort, to ask if the two of you will help in my search efforts.”
My brow arches, and I glance down at Harper, meeting her horrified stare just as Ace and Diesel both get to their feet, realizing exactly what I have—Elias has absolutely no intention of turning himself in, and Harper is still at risk. He’s going to come after her again, and when he does, he won’t be fucking around.
Harper stiffens, and I press my hand to her back, trying to keep her calm, but it’s not needed. She blows out a gentle breath. “Perhaps he has had enough of you too and took off,” she suggests, shrugging. “He’s a billionaire who needs to be locked behind bars. I’m sure he has plenty of enemies. I suggest you start your search there.”
Harper gives one last fake smile before stepping around her mother, but Mae calls out. “How could you be so cold?” she spits. “That’s not how you were raised.”
“That’s exactly how I was raised,” Harper growls, turning on her mother. “You raised me in your image. You raised me to care about materialistic things. To be cold and calculating. To care more for money than my own damn well-being. You didn’t raise me to have compassion for others, to be empathetic, or generous. I found all of that despite you, so if you would excuse me, you have overstayed your welcome.”
“Whether you like it or not,” Mae says to her daughter’s back, “Elias is going to be in our lives for a very long time, and for your sister’s sake, it’s about time you got used to it.”
“What?” I mutter. “Sister? Harper doesn’t have a sister.”
Harper stops and turns on her heel once again, looking over her mother through a narrowed gaze. “What are you talking about?”
“This is why I invited you for dinner,” Mae tells Harper, cradling her stomach, that I only just now see is slightly rounded. “I’m pregnant. You’re going to have a baby sister.”
23
HARPER-RAYN
Igape at my mother in horror. “You’re pregnant?” I spit, already heartbroken for the child inside her womb, knowing the hell she will endure with Mae Slater as her mother.
“Yes,” she tells me. “I’m fourteen weeks, and I was planning on breaking the news to Elias this past weekend, but then he disappeared.”
Knight laughs, shaking his head as if somehow finding this amusing. “Well, that’s not going to go down well.”
“Excuse me?” Mom demands, staring at him as though he’s the scum of the earth, and honestly, it makes me want to punch her right in the tit. How dare she treat him so poorly.
“You heard what I said,” Knight says, striding around my mother and walking deeper into our home to grab his drink. “It’s not going to go down well, and if I were you, I’d do everything in my power not to tell him the happy news. Not unless you want to be caught out for cheating, that is.”
“Cheating?” she gasps, stepping forward and raising her hand to smack him, but Diesel appears behind my mother, catching her wrist before she even gets the chance to swing.
“I wouldn’t if I were you,” Diesel murmurs, the edge in his tone enough to send a chill right down my spine. “I hear he has quite the temper.”
Mom huffs and attempts to yank her arm back, only Diesel doesn’t release her, and her momentum leaves her unbalanced, wobbling around like a bobblehead doll. Diesel is relentless as he holds her stare until she visibly shrinks away from him, realizing just how much trouble she’s in, before he finally takes pity and releases his hold on her wrist.
“That’s what I thought.”
Mom glances toward me, holding her wrist as though Diesel hurt her, but that shit won’t work here, not with my friends and not in my home.
“Let’s try that again,” Knight tells her. “Elias had a vasectomy the moment he started making money. He gets off on the idea of drawing broken women in, letting them get comfortable in this luxurious lifestyle, and pulling the rug out from under them when they try to get their hands on what’s his. The only way you’ve fallen pregnant is by another man, so let me make this clear. Once he finds out that you’re pregnant, the credit cards, the mansions, the vacations to private islands will all be gone. He will put that prenup into use, and you will be out on your ass with less than you came in with.”