The In-Laws: A completely gripping psychological thriller with a breathtaking twist by Laura Wolfe

Author:Laura Wolfe [Wolfe, Laura]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781803149172
Publisher: Bookouture
Published: 2023-01-25T13:00:00+00:00

EIGHTEEN

ABIGAIL

I wasn’t sure how long I lay there like that, sobbing on the forest floor. But when my agony had finally dried up, I felt a hand supporting me from behind. I forced myself to sit up, my insides hollow and shaky, ankle aching. Pete rubbed my back, whispering in soothing tones that everything was going to be okay. I rested my head on his shoulder, finding it solid and warm. Even though I’d detected a quake of fear in his voice, his presence comforted me. This trip I’d concocted hadn’t been easy on him either, but he was putting me first. I realized he’d always been there to pick me up when I fell. After a hard day at work or whenever I had a disagreement with a friend, Pete was quick to take my side, to stand in my corner. I’d taken his loyalty for granted. In so many ways, he was just like Dad.

A panicky realization jolted through me. What if I’d made the most royal of royal mess-ups? What if I had gotten this whole thing wrong? Perhaps my nervous instincts and cold feet about the wedding had been nothing more than that—nerves. The same nerves that every bride and groom around the world experienced every day. Romantic feelings ebbed and flowed in all relationships, didn’t they? Maybe my meaningless fling with Liam had merely been a selfish, short-sighted decision. One which I now regretted and wished I could take back. My rational mind knew that men like Pete were exceedingly rare. Pete couldn’t help what family he’d been born into. He’d done everything in his power to create the life he wanted for himself. Lately, my heart had been lagging behind, slow to catch up to what my brain recognized—that Pete was the perfect partner for me. But now as Pete held me, preventing me from completely falling apart, my emotions pulled me toward him, my heart warming once again to the man who’d been so loving and loyal, the handsome stranger who’d taken my breath away when I’d first met him as he stood next to Dad’s desk two years ago. What if it had taken the current crisis for me to see things clearly? How could I have been so blind? So stupid?

At last, I straightened up, shoulders trembling, and looked around. Dad sat on my other side, eyes glassy. Concern pulled down the faces of the others who sat nearby.

“I’m sorry.” I blinked my wet eyes, looking at Pete, then Dad. “This is all my fault. Mom is missing because of me. We’re all out here because of me. This was such a stupid idea. I made a huge mistake.”

“Stop talking like that.” The sharpness of Liam’s voice cut through my lame attempt at a confession. He sniffed, wiping the back of his hand underneath his nose. “Nothing like this has ever happened on any of my camping trips before.”

Dad’s chin dipped toward me. “This isn’t your fault, Abigail. No one could have foreseen your mom getting lost.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.