Total pages in book: 181
Estimated words: 171979 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 860(@200wpm)___ 688(@250wpm)___ 573(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 171979 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 860(@200wpm)___ 688(@250wpm)___ 573(@300wpm)
“That’s fine.” Creed looked up from the mound of paperwork he was filling out for Glory to file against the Ashwood estate and said, “Take your time.”
“Would you like me to bring you lunch?”
“No, thanks.”
“Mr. Bryant?” Mrs. Boward looked at him worriedly. “Are you sure? I don’t mind.”
“I’m sure. Thank you, anyway.”
Completing the paperwork, he placed them in his briefcase to take home.
For the last four evenings, he had managed to make excuses for his late nights as well as the early morning meetings to dodge Sage. He didn’t know how much longer he could keep making excuses for staying away from her.
Having caught up on his paperwork, he had nothing left to occupy his mind from the thoughts racing through his mind. After lunch, he would have Mrs. Boward check if any of the other attorneys needed any help with their cases. Anything was better than going home to have Sage tell him what he had been expecting to hear after the Ashwoods’ deaths made the news five days ago.
The ping on his cell phone made him check his messages … and there it was.
We’re leaving the house. I’ll be home after 8. We need to talk.
Sage’s message sent his heart diving.
Leaving Mrs. Boward a message that he would be taking the rest of the day off, with his briefcase in hand, he left, taking the elevator to the parking garage. There was no need hiding out at his office if Sage wasn’t going to be home.
For the last three months, he had known this day was coming. He had held out hope he would have more time but, realistically, he’d been on borrowed time from the moment he had married Sage.
When he arrived home, the silence struck him at once. Placing his briefcase on the kitchen counter, he went to sit down on the couch, not bothering to turn the television on. He took out his cell phone to dial the only person whom he thought could understand what he was going through. He held the phone to his ear, only for it to go immediately to voicemail.
“Call me when you get this message. I need to talk with you.”
Disconnecting the call, he laid the cell phone on the couch cushion, only to have to pick it back up.
“I had to check the caller ID to make sure it was you who was calling. What’s up?”
“Dad, Sage is going to leave me …” The words came out thick with the emotions he was no longer capable of holding back.
“It’s been a long time since you called me Dad.” Creed heard the thickening of emotions in Twister’s own voice. “Why do you think she is going to leave you?”
“She doesn’t need me for protection now that the Ashwoods are dead.”
Creed bent over, resting his elbow on his thigh. Placing his face in his hand as he held the phone in the other one, he dejectedly closed his eyes, picturing Sage the last time they had made love. How was he going to survive without her?
“The only reason I was able to convince her to marry me was because Victoria Ashwood put a hit out on her. With her and her husband gone, she doesn’t need me anymore. I fucked up so bad with another woman, and she can’t forgive me … I thought I had more time to convince her I love her, that I regret screwing up. I just wanted to pay Garrett back for you losing your home.”
“You’re why Garrett sent me the deed to the condo? The letter he sent me said that after looking over my file, his accountant found I had been overbilled.”
Creed gave a bitter laugh. “You should have seen the motherfucker’s face when I made him sign the condo over to you.”
“You should have seen mine when I read the letter.”
“You moved in yet?”
“Yeah. You should stop by and see the place. We can have a beer. It’s been a long time since we shared one.”
“I’m going to have plenty of free time after Sage leaves me. She doesn’t have to worry I’ll fuck around with another woman. She’s all I want, Dad.” His voice broke, and he didn’t even care. “I can’t live without her. She’ll take the girls, too. I’ll lose them, too. And I’ll miss Glory. I never even knew I wanted a sister until I met her. They’re my family … I’m losing my family, Dad.”
“Creed, even if Sage does leave you, that doesn’t mean you have to stop convincing her you love her. Eventually, she’ll come back. She might just need more time to get over her anger. It isn’t easy for a woman to love men like us.”
“Do you really think I can convince her to come back after she leaves?”
“Son, when you love someone, no matter how angry they are, eventually, they come back. You can’t break the tie that binds you together. If you love her as much as you say you do, and she loves you, that love will bind you. My bond with your mother was cut with her death. I survived because I wanted justice for losing her and what the Phantoms had done to you boys. Sage might leave, but as long she’s breathing, that’s the only reason you need to keep putting one foot in front of the other. Besides, Creed, since when do you accept defeat? If you can get Garrett Hollingsworth to deed a two-million-dollar condo over to me, I think you can handle getting Sage to stay.”