Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 83800 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 419(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83800 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 419(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Does she seem too perfect for me because that's the role she's playing?
It would be a serious long con if that was the case. Is Kaylee involved? I tracked Henry's movements before Heathen went to the warehouse, where he picked Kaylee to marry. Could Henry have been a part of that as well?
I can lie here and make myself crazy over the questions.
Hell, Henry's game could be to simply get in my head and make me doubt everything so that I ruin my chance with Morgan. The fact that my brother hates me so much that he's willing to ruin my life bothers me more than it should. But I accepted Henry for who he is a long time ago, despite there always being that niggle in the back of my mind that wishes he would just wake up one day and decide he wants to be a decent human being because I love him. I know that will never happen. Family wasn't ever one of his priorities, and there's no sense in wishing he'd change that now.
I don't know if putting distance between myself and Morgan is the right choice, but if she's nothing but a gift from my twin, I don't know if I'll be able to ever trust that what we have is real even if she is also just a pawn in one of his games.
With her sleeping quietly beside me, I almost have to force myself out of the bed. I don't want to give in to the voice in my head, but I also want to be cautious and not get blindsided by Henry's plan. I know he's up to something, and it kills me that I haven't been able to figure out his angle yet.
Maybe there's also a certain level of fear that his end game could leave me brokenhearted where Morgan is concerned.
She shifts slightly when I slip out from under her, and I hold my breath, looking down at her to make sure she stays asleep.
A sickness forms in my gut as I stand up and grab clothes appropriate for leaving the room.
Sneaking out of the room to go do research and try to get to the bottom of why she's in my life feels like a betrayal to her. Sickness pools in my gut with every step I take down the stairs.
The same thoughts that kept me awake and pulled me out of bed with Morgan form a layer of overwhelming exhaustion when I take a seat on my office chair.
Still, my fingers work over the keys.
My first order of business is a recheck of my system to ensure Henry hadn't stuck some weird code inside when he messaged on the app earlier. It seems clear, but there's always a chance that he has a timer set on his intrusion, and it won't be discovered for a very long time. My brother has always been a pro at the long game. His patience is unmatched.
As I search, I can't help the argument in my head about what I want to find. Do I want there to be proof that what I've started with Morgan will turn sour because of my brother, so I feel justified in my thoughts about wanting to clam back up and build a wall between us?
Do I want those worries to go unfounded, giving me an opportunity to build something bigger with her? The latter would still always keep that whisper of doubt, but at the same time, I don't want to ruin a good thing with a wonderful woman with unfounded worries.
My back muscles grow stiff, and tension from sitting at my desk, along with the worry I have for this entire situation, ‘cause every muscle in my body to ache to the point that I inwardly wonder if I'm getting sick.
My eyes grow gritty, sandpaper-like as they dart back and forth between my screens as I run program after program, trying to find a hint at what Henry has been up to.
It isn't until I sense someone at the open door of the conference room that I realize I've worked through the entire night, and the sun is starting to rise.
Morgan gives me a sleepy smile from the doorway and guilt for what I've been up to for hours swims inside me.
I open my mouth to apologize but stop short of confessing what I've done as I walk across the room to greet her.
"Good morning," she whispers, her voice still filled with sleep. "You're already working?"
"Yes," I answer.
It isn't a lie, and I justify it by reminding myself that I have been tasked with tracking Henry down for what he did to Kaylee, despite my real reasons for leaving her in my bed alone hours ago.
I reach out for her, not knowing how long I'll get to live in the fantasy of pretending she's mine on some level before Henry blows it all up. Without hesitation, she steps into my arms and rests her head against my chest.