Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 146477 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 732(@200wpm)___ 586(@250wpm)___ 488(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 146477 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 732(@200wpm)___ 586(@250wpm)___ 488(@300wpm)
Emily reaches for her girls, their little hands in each of hers as Mae looks on in horror. “Where . . . Where do you think you’re going? Dinner has only just begun.”
Jonah lets out a heavy breath. “We’re leaving,” he says. “I was reluctant to bring Emily and the girls. I knew this might happen, but you swore to me that it would be different this time, and I trusted you. But the second Harper walked through the door, you made your intentions clear. You wanted my family and Knight here in the hopes of humiliating her. Well congratulations. Mission accomplished.”
“No. No, you can’t leave,” Mae says, throwing herself to her feet, her fake tears all but abandoned.
“I’m not hanging around for my children to witness their grandmother’s narcissistic attempt to crush their aunt,” Jonah says. “Your act is getting old, Mom. Harper is an incredible young woman with one hell of an amazing career ahead of her, and you are missing out. You should be using this time to get to know her, not tear her down at every opportunity. One day you are going to find that you’ve pushed her too far, and she’ll never come back. And honestly, Mom, I have no doubt that day is quickly approaching.”
Well, fuck. I get to my feet and applaud Jonah like I’m front row at a concert. “I knew I liked you,” I say, not even attempting to hide my disdain for my brother’s wife. I look back at my brother, more than happy to leave him to clean up the mess. “Well, this has been a huge fucking waste of my time, so I’m gonna take off.”
Mae gasps at my tone, and I roll my eyes before looking back at her as her son files out with his family. “As always, Mae. It was such a pleasure seeing you again.” And with that, I file out of the dining room, grabbing the other bottle of red wine, just like Harper had, and listening to Mae’s overexaggerated wails as I leave.
25
KNIGHT
Not having heard the sound of the front door slamming, I go searching through the house, lifting the bottle to my lips and taking a swig of the wine, and as I pass the downstairs guest bathroom, I find Harper braced against the sink, her head low as she clutches the porcelain in front of the mirror. She takes heavy breaths, her knuckles turning white from her tight grip.
I step into the doorway, pausing there as I gently knock against the open door frame. Harper’s head snaps up, her eyes wild with rage, but as she sees me here, her shoulders slump, and her fight quickly drains away.
Her gaze returns to her reflection in the mirror, and I walk in, closing and locking the door behind me. “You good?” I ask, striding up behind her and putting the wine bottle down beside her already half-empty one. I drop my hands to the sink, coming down on either side of her, caging her in, and she immediately relaxes back against me.
“I just don’t get it,” she murmurs, her voice so low and filled with pain that it’s almost impossible to hear her. “Why does she always have to do that? Why can’t she just invite me here to have a good time? And in front of the twins, no less.”
I nod, my hands shifting from the sink to her waist, holding tightly. “Honestly, Harper. I have no fucking idea. I’d like to say that it’s because she’s threatened by you. That you shine so much brighter than she ever could. You’ve made something of yourself, by yourself, and you can stand on your own two feet. She’s always had to attach herself to men like my brother to find acceptance. But, the truth is, I don’t know your mother nearly enough, nor do I feel like giving her the time of day to try and work it out.”
Harper scoffs, a pleased smirk pulling at the corner of her lips. “Shouldn’t you be out there enjoying your dinner?”
“What dinner?” I question. “The party’s over.”
Her brows furrow. “What do you mean?”
“Your brother had your back for a change and finally stood up to your mom. He saw through the bullshit just as easily as you do, and he was pissed that she tried this shit in front of his kids. He took off while your mom started crying.”
“Wow. The asshole finally grew a backbone.”
“He sure did. It was incredible.”
Harper laughs. “If only Elias could grow one too. I bet he was all over Mom’s crocodile tears.”
“He was, but don’t be fooled. He knows they’re as fake as her personality. He’s not as fucking clueless as you think,” I tell her. “He just likes playing along because a docile wife that doesn’t put up a fight is a wife that can be controlled.”