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Chapter 76
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His Wicked Games series Chapter 77
- LOUISA -The thing that surprises me most about jail is how absolutely frigid it is.I've been here four hours and twenty-seven minutes. My fingers started to go numb about two hours and three minutes ago. I know because there's a clock hanging over the holding cell. It looks ancient. In fact, it reminds me of the ones you see hanging on the walls of high schools in cheesy '80s movies.I wrap my arms around myself and shiver. They must make it this cold on purpose. Maybe it's an intimidation tactic. But as I glance around the other women sharing the holding cell with me, I suspect I might be the only one.The cop who put me in here said I was lucky. He said if I'd been arrested last night, or the night before, it would have been a lot more crowded in here. There are still almost a dozen women. About half of them appear to be sleeping. At least a couple smell like booze. One girl - who looks several years younger than me and has a bunch of tattoos and a nose ring - just looks bore
His Wicked Games series Chapter 78
- LOUISA –Calder insists on putting me and Ward up in a hotel for the night. I hate the idea of taking charity from my brother, especially after everything he's already done today - and judging by Ward's expression, he feels the same way - but before I can say anything, Lily cuts me off."I'd love the chance to get to know you better, Louisa," she says, smiling.I remember the last time I talked to her. I was sneaking out of Calder's apartment in the middle of the night and she tried to stop me. My neck goes hot remembering some of the things I said to her.But Lily's obviously trying to play nice, to bridge this gap between us, and honestly, the only thing holding me back is pride. This is my chance to make things right.I look back up at Ward. His eyes are on me, and he gives me the smallest nod, leaving the decision to me. "Okay," I say.Which is how, less than an hour later, Ward and I find ourselves in an enormous room at the Royal Suites Hotel.After all the motels we've
His Wicked Games series Chapter 79
BOOK SEVEN: THEIR WICKED WEDDING- LILY - In seven days, I will be Lily Cunningham.Even after everything we've been through together, even after nearly a year of engagement, it still seems unreal that Calder Cunningham and I will be getting married next Saturday. I've looked forward to this day for so long that I'm almost afraid to believe that it's nearly here. That I'll finally be his wife.I look down at my hand, at the engagement ring that still shines as brightly as it did the night Calder gave it to me in this very apartment. In seven days, I'll have a second ring on this finger, one that symbolizes the promise of a lifetime."Are you ready?" Calder says behind me.I turn to find him coming out of our bedroom, his suitcase in his hand. He's in a button-down and dark slacks - a casual look for him, but one that's still undeniably sexy - and his hair is still just the slightest bit damp from his shower. His dark eyes meet mine, and I feel that little thrill that always cour
His Wicked Games series Chapter 80
- CALDER - Lily should know better than to tease me.It's clear by the end of our first night back at the estate that she means to have fun with this little "arrangement" of ours. It's all a game to her - the looks over dinner, the brush of her fingers against my leg beneath the table, the lilt in her voice when she says she thinks it's time for her to go back to "her" room. You'd think, though, that given our history, she'd know better than to challenge me. Or that she'd at least have the sense to recognize that she's woefully outmatched.Oh, she knows how to arouse my imagination - I'll give her that. By the time dinner is over and we're heading back upstairs, I've imagined myself taking her in a dozen different ways. Hell, my cock has been aching since this afternoon, when I had her writhing and panting beneath me on our dining table. Being back in this house only increases my hunger because it reminds me of how this all began. I'm tempted to suggest a game of Hide and Seek and
His Wicked Games series Chapter 81
- LILY -I don't know whether to be pissed at or worried about Calder.Not because he needs to be here, but let's be honest - he was the one who insisted on taking the whole week off, and he is the one who tells me time and again that he refuses to let his work come before his family. Yet there he goes, rushing back to the office after only a day. And then staying much later than he said he would. It's a little infuriating.When it comes down to it, though my worry wins out over my annoyance. Both Calder and I are trying hard to balance careers we love with our home life, but Calder takes it a step further. I've seen it in his eyes - the fear, the determination. He's afraid that this - me, his sister, his family - could slip away from him again at any moment, and I know he'd quit his job before he allowed anything to jeopardize it. If he had to race back to work, it was because something serious happened, and I don't want him dealing with that sort of stress this week. I want him to
His Wicked Games series Chapter 82
- CALDER -I deserved that.I deserved it, and yet if I could go back, I still wouldn't reveal a thing to her. There's no reason Lily needs to worry about some stranger claiming to be my half-brother, not during our wedding week. And not until I confirm that he is, in fact, my father's son.Which, at this point, I still highly doubt.I spent the entire car ride from my office to the estate revisiting what the man told me.I'm Taran Harker, he'd said. My mother was Patricia Harker.First of all, what the hell kind of name is Taran? Secondly, he'd said Patricia Harker like I was supposed to know who that was, like I should have been aware of every woman with whom my father had some casual acquaintance.If my father had been acquainted with Patricia Harker at all, which is still in question.According to Mr. Harker, Patricia Harker met Wentworth Cunningham while he was in London. He was there to acquire some pieces for one of his many collections, and she was working as the repres
His Wicked Games series Chapter 83
- CALDER -I wasn't lying when I said I had work to do. But though I initially locked myself in my room with every intention of losing myself in my accounts, I should have known it would be a lost cause. No matter what I do, I can't get this whole Taran Harker business out of my mind.I tell myself that I'll have more information in a couple of days, once Joe Osborne has had the time to do his research. But I'm not sure I can wait that long. And I'm not content to just sit around doing nothing.Which is why, not half an hour after Lily and Louisa leave to get the dress, I borrow my sister's car and take off on my own errand. I'm now at the public storage locker where I left boxes and boxes of my father's effects in the months directly following his death - those things I couldn't sell and didn't want to deal with. I spent months going through his financial statements after he died, but I largely ignored his other papers and keepsakes. I didn't want to dive too deeply into his memori
His Wicked Games series Chapter 84
- LILY -I don't look back. I stride down the steps and out the door without even a glance over my shoulder to see if he follows.He doesn't.Only when I'm outside do I break into a run. My feet crunch over the gravel paths through the gardens. The cool night air whips at my face. I'm sure there are garden lamps out here somewhere, but no one bothered to turn them on tonight. My only light is that of the moon, but it's enough to get me across the grounds to the hedge maze.I pause next to the dark, high walls of the maze. The hedges rustle in the breeze, but otherwise there's no sound. No footsteps behind me. No one calling my name, asking me to come back to the house and talk things out like two rational adults.I'm not sure when I started crying, but there are tears on my cheeks. Am I overreacting? Completely misreading Calder? I remind myself of Lou's words: People deal with that stress in different ways. But it's not wedding stress that's bothering Calder. I know it isn't. Wha
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