Red_Roses_and_Black_Dahlias_-_Macy_T

Recommendations

Info

I stood in the hallway, staring at the door, still stunned when my phonevibrated in my pocket. I took it out without really thinking about it butstopped when I saw the text on the screen.AKYou’re welcome.
17SURPRISESMADDOX“Mads, no! It says one teaspoon, you put one tablespoon!” Valentinasqueaked, perched on a stool as we both did our best to make this cake atleast edible.“Shit, are you sure?” She nodded her cute little head, her pigtails swayingback and forth.She was just so cute, I hoped she’d never grow up. Pulling up the recipebook she ran to get as soon as I told her we would be baking a cake togethertoday, she showed me the open page.“Look, right here.” She put a finger on the recipe, her pink nails— nails Ihad painted pink the night before because she had asked me to, mocking me.“Una cucharadita, it means one teaspoon!” This book belonged to theirmom, or as Valentina had said, to their mama. And it was all written inSpanish for some reason.Valentina insisted we use it to make Sofia’s birthday cake. The latter wasstill soundly asleep— in her own bed, although she did spend a great part ofthe night in mine in an early celebration of her twentieth birthday.“How would I know? You’re the one translating this for me!” I flung myarms out in the air while the little shit glared at me like it was my fault. “Itook French in high school, okay? Je ne connais pas l’espagnol!”“I think it’s time you learn Spanish, gran bobo!” She pulled her tongue atme, shaking her head like I was stupid. Which, by the way she said it, I waspretty sure was what she just called me.
Page 2 and 3:
DedicationChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter
Page 5:
DEDICATIONTo my sisters, know that
Page 8 and 9:
home. I was only ten at the time bu
Page 10 and 11:
trouble for minor instances, Maddox
Page 12 and 13:
couldn’t, so I simply closed my e
Page 14 and 15:
I broke our staring contest and he
Page 16 and 17:
2OBLIVIONSOFIAThe suite was simple
Page 18 and 19:
Tonight, though, it was different.
Page 20 and 21:
Immediately, they flew back open.
Page 22 and 23:
3FAMILYSOFIAMy heart was in my thro
Page 24 and 25:
Despite myself, this made me shiver
Page 26 and 27:
of color. For that reason alone, sh
Page 28 and 29:
I could do this.I would do this.I w
Page 30 and 31:
squeeze, but it did. I told myself
Page 32 and 33:
Sofia sighed, looking dejected and
Page 34 and 35:
was what most people would consider
Page 36 and 37:
“Sofia, I didn’t mean it like t
Page 38 and 39:
I tried to reassure her too but som
Page 40 and 41:
father, his partner killed my mothe
Page 42:
much out of her today, but Sofia re
Page 45 and 46:
But that would never be my sister.
Page 47 and 48:
Maddox immediately started rubbing
Page 49 and 50:
“I swear to you it’s just for t
Page 51 and 52:
“Is she okay?” My voice was alm
Page 53 and 54:
with an angry Maddox.“I’ll fuck
Page 55 and 56:
6DESPERATEMADDOX"W—what did you j
Page 57 and 58:
the other officers, he thought I’
Page 59 and 60:
“You’re not a charity case. I k
Page 61 and 62:
nightstand, “got you some coffee
Page 63 and 64:
He scratched the back of his neck,
Page 65 and 66:
7ICEBREAKERSOFIAWhen I came out of
Page 67 and 68:
“Maddie!” The woman squealed.Sh
Page 69 and 70:
My stomach was in knots as Maddox p
Page 71 and 72:
I had to bite my lip to stop myself
Page 73 and 74:
“Hello, you must be Sofia.” her
Page 75 and 76:
As I looked at my sister, I noticed
Page 77 and 78:
both sisters after an event as trau
Page 79 and 80:
My eyes caught sight of a familiar
Page 81 and 82:
going to speak, then thought better
Page 83 and 84:
Reaching a hand to my erratic heart
Page 85 and 86:
I could see understanding dawning i
Page 88 and 89:
9IDEALMADDOX"We did our best to kee
Page 90 and 91:
Fucking journalists. Justin was tel
Page 92 and 93:
Once I heard the door close after t
Page 94 and 95:
***I turned around as soon as I loc
Page 96 and 97:
“For pretty girls like you? Of co
Page 98 and 99:
“But Mads protects us, Dada! He s
Page 100:
Plus, we were both fully dressed, S
Page 103 and 104:
Then I remembered.Last night, Valen
Page 105 and 106:
I should have noticed earlier that
Page 107 and 108:
“Please.” I moaned. “Please,
Page 109 and 110:
“You’re so fucking wet, Sofia.
Page 111 and 112:
breathing down her neck. And here I
Page 113 and 114:
of her weakened state. She was youn
Page 115 and 116:
“What wrong pretty girl? Are you
Page 117 and 118:
were pure, unadulterated innocence
Page 119 and 120:
“You will go nowhere with a fried
Page 121 and 122:
“He did go through it, but nothin
Page 123 and 124:
Yawning, I rubbed my eye with the h
Page 125 and 126:
She stared at me for so long, eyes
Page 127 and 128:
my body and looked down, my jaw cle
Page 129 and 130:
She sniffled and her arms shot up a
Page 131 and 132:
“Do you promise? Do you promise t
Page 133 and 134:
These people here didn’t deserve
Page 135 and 136:
One of these few details being my g
Page 137 and 138:
Faster than I could comprehend, the
Page 139 and 140:
her child, my niece, Adrianna, she
Page 141 and 142:
rise to take her in. I think they s
Page 143 and 144:
thing about him were his eyes. They
Page 145 and 146: talking about how she would love to
Page 147 and 148: being nipped in the bud. It wouldn
Page 149 and 150: The house burning was the last nail
Page 151 and 152: “Detective Brooks! There’s an e
Page 153 and 154: may sound insane for those who didn
Page 155 and 156: That nicked my heart and had me on
Page 157 and 158: never understand me or what I'd bee
Page 159 and 160: “S-she— huh, Sofia is the car a
Page 161 and 162: one of your cars while you bring he
Page 163 and 164: All I cared about was the wave of f
Page 165 and 166: Over the years and the numerous arr
Page 167 and 168: Maddox looked positively wrung out.
Page 169 and 170: 15DESIRESOFIAIt was phenomenal.No o
Page 171 and 172: did. I just hoped she could forgive
Page 173 and 174: anything to relive it, and now I fi
Page 175 and 176: brat, that I would lose Valentina f
Page 177 and 178: “P-please…”My own voice was s
Page 179 and 180: that’s so good.” I groaned, my
Page 181 and 182: His head went down and he kissed me
Page 184 and 185: 16MYSTERYSOFIARays of sun streaming
Page 186 and 187: So I spread my legs and let his han
Page 188 and 189: “That same cunt I have my fingers
Page 190 and 191: “I’m so sorry. It never happene
Page 192 and 193: As hot water dripped along my body,
Page 194 and 195: I was gonna answer him when the doo
Page 198 and 199: I chuckled, and put the spoon back
Page 200 and 201: “What is going on here?” Both m
Page 202 and 203: She gave me a dead-pan look and rol
Page 204 and 205: When the elevator’s doors finally
Page 206 and 207: The smell of a freshly baked cake a
Page 208 and 209: When I finished showering and getti
Page 210 and 211: 18FRIGHTMADDOXI thought my heart mi
Page 212 and 213: just nodded, not really knowing wha
Page 214 and 215: I thought seeing all the blood trig
Page 216 and 217: intensifies. She showered and put o
Page 218 and 219: yours, you get to decide who comes
Page 220 and 221: She gripped my shirt, looking up at
Page 222: I grabbed the cake as Valentina sta
Page 225 and 226: But hearing her cry in her sleep, n
Page 227 and 228: I could see she was stuck inside he
Page 229 and 230: already had more tattoos than most
Page 231 and 232: They said I shouldn’t worry about
Page 233 and 234: “Thank you so much, Detective. He
Page 235 and 236: “Yeah, what he did wasn’t reall
Page 237 and 238: “What the hell was that?” Since
Page 239 and 240: Maddox's hand came to clasp Valenti
Page 241 and 242: 20WATERMADDOXValentina fell asleep
Page 243 and 244: “What’s up with your face?” T
Page 245 and 246: We finally stopped in front of a do
Page 247 and 248:
“I never fucking ordered it, dete
Page 249 and 250:
“Looks like life has been looking
Page 251 and 252:
We were finally making progress and
Page 253 and 254:
21FIGHTSOFIAHe didn’t call.Maddox
Page 255 and 256:
That’s why I was ready to make hi
Page 257 and 258:
would make me feel uncomfortable to
Page 259 and 260:
away from me.How… bizarre.“I fa
Page 261 and 262:
Because yes, that nagging feeling,
Page 263 and 264:
The realization hit me full force a
Page 265 and 266:
spend hours licking and sucking on
Page 267 and 268:
Did I have the same effect on him?
Page 269 and 270:
Maddox stopped for a few seconds, p
Page 271 and 272:
communicate better.”Maddox pushed
Page 273 and 274:
22LOVESOFIALooking up at the ceilin
Page 275 and 276:
to hear the most perfect man I had
Page 277 and 278:
pressed against his chest like litt
Page 279 and 280:
“Look, baby. Look how well you’
Page 281 and 282:
“Yes. She was such a strong woman
Page 283 and 284:
“Already?”“Yup. He stayed in
Page 285 and 286:
“Whoever created that is a fuckin
Page 287:
however, was that he didn’t speak
Page 290 and 291:
for her, where she could paint and
Page 292 and 293:
I groaned internally. That bitch kn
Page 294 and 295:
My shift went on quietly and when i
Page 296 and 297:
“Do you have it or not?”“Yup.
Page 298 and 299:
too, was intrigued. Ray was the fir
Page 300 and 301:
“Valentina, food's ready!” I he
Page 302 and 303:
"In my heart?”“In your heart, b
Page 304 and 305:
Sighing, I set up the last two pict
Page 306 and 307:
“Ray woke me up, I think—“ Sh
Page 309 and 310:
Valentina was going to love this.24
Page 311 and 312:
His voice didn't leave anything up
Page 313 and 314:
“Maddox, what have you done?” I
Page 315 and 316:
I hated the taste of betrayal that
Page 317 and 318:
He stared at me intently so I conti
Page 319 and 320:
screams of my mother. They did so m
Page 321 and 322:
out to paint, or when I tried to ge
Page 324 and 325:
25DEVOTIONMADDOX"Maddox, are you su
Page 326 and 327:
After Valentina told me about Jack
Page 328 and 329:
We woke up on the couch, my whole b
Page 330 and 331:
My thoughts were proven right when
Page 332 and 333:
Deciding to try something different
Page 334 and 335:
wanted Valentina to experience that
Page 336 and 337:
eyes grew wide at how much sense th
Page 338 and 339:
asleep before going to their room a
Page 340 and 341:
EPILOGUEMADDOXFive years later.Look
Page 342 and 343:
apartment, and wrapped her arms aro
Page 344 and 345:
Her tenth birthday, our first trip
Page 346 and 347:
“She was totally eavesdropping.
Page 348 and 349:
Maddox’ Spanish was getting bette
Page 351 and 352:
BONUS CHAPTEROn the day of Jack and
Page 353 and 354:
I actually spit on the dirt on Jack
Page 355 and 356:
“We… We were raised in the same
Page 358 and 359:
THE END
Page 360 and 361:
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSFirst and foremost,
Page 362:
WHAT’S NEXT?Blood and Water book
show all

Red_Roses_and_Black_Dahlias_-_Macy_T

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?