Chapter 66

Jane Just this once

Lv.1

A week later I still haven’t been able to bring myself to tell Ethan about the police suspecting me for his Mother’s murder. I keep telling myself that it’s simply too much stress for him at an already difficult time, but I think there’s also a small part of me that’s afraid he won’t believe me. The detective’s words have been playing on loop in my mind, and I have to admit his story sounds compelling.

We’re finally returning to the apartment today, assured by the crime scene cleanup team that it’s now spotless and we would never know such a horrible thing happened there. Still, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to erase the image from my mind, nor do I think Ethan will. The kids are the least bothered by all of this, but then again they don’t know Petra was murdered, they simply know she’s gone.

So when we return to the Penthouse, the kids run in almost instantly, rushing off to their rooms while Ethan and I stand frozen in the doorway, haunted by the last occasion we stood in this place. To their credit, the crime scene team had been true to their word. There’s not even the slightest hint that anything happened, no lingering scent of death or items out of place – it’s exactly as was before the murder.

“Are you alright?” I ask Ethan, squeezing his arm.

His handsome face is hard as steel, his jaw clenched so tight I can see it twitch. “I’m not sure I can stay in this apartment now.”

“There’s always my rat breeding farm.” I offer.

He hooks his arm around my neck and pulls me in, dropping a kiss on my temple with a chuckle. “Thank you, but I’ll give it a few days and see how I feel.”

“No one would blame you if you wanted to move.” I tell him, pulling out of his hold. “But they also tell you not to make any major life decisions for like 6 months after a loss like this.”

He’s already reaching for me again, “Does that include custody decisions?”

beginning to feel increasingly guilty about taking Paisley from Ethan when he’s just lost his mother. Slipping out of his reach, I add, “And now that we’re home I think we

week at the hotel we’d been very affectionate – which I allowed only because there was nothing sexual about it. It was pure tenderness and Ethan dearly needed it, in fact I’ve woken every morning this week with both Ethan and our pups in my bed, even on the nights I went to sleep completely alone. “Including with the pups.” I add. “I don’t mind co-sleeping every now and then but it took

when I turn to look at him he’s eyeing

isn’t what I meant and

all if I don’t have something soft to cuddle, and then the pack will pay the price: Without a strong leader the city will fall to ruin, crime will break

from him as he continues to stalk me

the way a lovely little wolf is.” Ethan protests, smiling

long enough to

his head, as if he doesn’t believe his ears.

up at him as he towers over me. “We’ll put Paisley in with

laughs, calling after me as I cart my bags to my

in their own beds now that we were back home and telling them if they felt lonely to make a puppy pile amongst themselves, then retreating to my own room and closing the door behind me. However hours later, when it was no longer night but the early hours of the morning, I woke and realized

a robe, I padded into the living room and found Ethan sitting up in the dim lamplight, staring at

childhood. Petra was prominent in many of the photos, and my heart softened towards him even knowing

was there until he sees it in front of his face. He looks up at me with red-rimmed eyes.

Venka

morning, and I’m waking up sprawled over Ethan’s chest, with his arms locked around my body. I try to pull free of him, but his hold only tightens and I decide to give in and stay – just

since the murder. I know he’s probably anxious to find out if I’ve thought any more about dating him, but the moment we

makes you so sure it’s

I respond, “I mean who else

know Eve wants to get Paisley out of the way because she

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