Page 232 of Money Reigns
“I shouldn’t,” I whisper.
“Up to you,” she says, dry as ever. “But don’t pretend the phone’s the one holding you back.”
My thumb hovers, heart slamming, before I finally press his name.
It rings. Once. Twice.
Click.
The line connects, but there’s no voice. No breath. Just muffled sound.
I freeze.
Then I hear it—laughter. Familiar voices. My family.
Dean. My mom. Logan. All bleeding through the speaker like he’s sitting in my living room with them.
My stomach drops. I hang up fast, my pulse rattling in my ears.
I look at Ella. Narrow my eyes. “Are you distracting me again? Bringing me here so War could meet with my family behind my back?”
She blinks, startled. “No, Olivia. You askedmeto go out. What happened?”
I toss cash onto the table, my movements jerky. “War’s at my house. I have to go. And I have to run, and I know you hate running, so I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Ella scoffs, incredulous. “Liv, let’s just call one of your brothers. They’ll drive us—”
“It’ll be too late if we do that,” I snap, sliding out of the booth. “And they’ll tell War. I need the element of surprise.”
Before she can argue, I shove through the diner doors and into the freezing night air.
I hate myself instantly. I hate the way the cold air burns my lungs, the way every extra pound drags like an anchor, the way my thighs scream with every step. But I don’t stop. Not until my house is in sight.
I stumble up the porch steps, breath ragged, sweat dripping down my back.
The door flies open under my hand.
Empty.
The lights are off. The rooms silent. My family; gone.
I stagger back outside, heart pounding. The inn glows across the street, warm with lamplight.
I force my aching legs to move, cross the road, push through the door—
And there they are. My family, gathered together.
But not him.
“Where’s War?” My voice cracks as I scan the room.
My mom smiles, like it’s nothing. “He went to Murphy’s.”
Defeat crashesover me. “When?”
“Like five minutes ago,” Dean says with a shrug. “Ella called Logan to pick her up, but War said he’d do it. We all thought you were with her.”
My vision blurs hot. Fury. Humiliation.
