Page 69 of Wraith
“Oh—how did that go?”
“Well, my job is safe.” She explained. “Apparently, they received a visit from a cop who told them I was helping them in an investigation and would be unavailable for a few weeks. I’m pretty sure Tex and Lili had something to do with that. I didn’t even think about it.”
“Told you—this team is a family. And the fact your job is safe is great news—isn’t it?”
“It is…I just—I’ve always wanted to open my own accounting firm.” She had never admitted the dream to anyone—not even Lisa. “Make my own decisions, you know?”
“How can I help?”
“You’re serious?”
“Of course.” Liam told her. “I was thinking of working myself. Lili has some friends in the police here. With my training, I wouldn’t have to do much to gain my shield.”
“Would this shield come with a uniform?” Amelia walked around the desk and wrapped her arms around Wraith.
“Yup.” He kissed her. “That’s what does it for you, huh? The uniform gets you hot?”
“I confess, detective.” She whispered breathily. “The uniform makes me hot.”
He growled. “I have another way of revving your engine.”
She sighed as his hand snaked down the front of her pants. Soon, the fingers were past her panties and she spread her legs as the ball of one rolled circles over her clit. “Oh, yes…that will do it too.”
The next dayshe used Liam’s help to pack up her house. There was no way she could stay there. Selling it seemed like the only thing to do. They were already looking at properties together. After they were tired of the boxes and the dust, they met Lili and Doc for some food. While she hugged Doc and played with him at the park, Liam and Lili talked.
By the time the next day rolled around, Amelia had fallen in love with a lakehouse. While Liam met with the agent, Amelia drove over to Lisa’s.
“You’re alive!” Lisa said as she tackled her for a hug.
“Barely.” Amelia hugged her tightly then entered the house.
Lisa poured them some coffee and they sat at the dinner table for a talk. Amelia went through the entire story, leaving nothing out. When she was finished, they’d been through an entire pot and a half of coffee and demolished a tray of cookies Lisa had baked.
“Your dad?” Lisa was stunned.
“Apparently, he’s not my father,” Amelia said. “I forgot that bit.”
“Da-fuck?”
Amelia nodded before draining the last of her coffee and set the mug on the table. “My birth certificate has no father listed.”
“You think he was lying to hurt you?”
“Why then? In his head I was going to die anyway,” Amelia told her. “It makes no sense he’d even say those things. My mother had an affair on vacation and brought back a bun in the oven.”
“How do you feel about that?”
Amelia shrugged. “No clue. I was a little—I was left kind of spiraling. All my life I was a Hemmingway. I mean, he was a partly shit father, but I still belonged to someone. Suddenly, I was no one.”
“How about the hottie?”
“Liam?”
“Yes. Didn’t he promise”
“No—not in so many words.” Amelia sighed happily. “But I know one day, I’ll carry his name and until then, I’ll keep Hemmingway.”
They wandered from the kitchen to the living room. They slumped silently to the sofa and for an eternity neither said anything. Lisa was the first to break the silence.
