Page 104 of Reckless Vow

I groan. Of course it is. What time is it?

“Make it stop,” she pleads.

I push up on to my elbows, blinking, unable to locate the offending sound, when it finally stops. I drop back, but my relief is premature and the ringing returns.

Trying to untangle from the sheets, I manage to stand up, stumbling around the room before I find my phone on the charger beside the bed.

I glance at the caller ID. “John, this better be good.” I plop back onto the bed, yawning.

“Shit, sorry, I thought you were in Europe.”

My agent is based in London.

“I am in Europe. What time is it?”

“It’s ten o’clock here, so I guess eleven in Portugal.”

“I’m in Spain… never mind… What’s going on?”

“I can’t believe you sidetracked me with the time conversation—I have great news, Brook. They finally signed off.”

I sit up so fast my head spins. I blink a few times, my heart hammering against my chest, and then I squeal.

“Jesus, what’s going on?” Saar sits up in her bed, her hair sticking out in all directions.

“Congratulations,” John says in my ear.

“Thank you.”

“What happened?” Saar mouths.

“They agreed to all my requests?” I ask John.

“Mostly. I’ll email you the contract and the dates I need you to be here. They want you to meet the main protagonist.”

“Yes, of course. I can be there anytime.”

“We did it, Brook. Talk to you soon.” John hangs up.

I fall back and kick the air and pump it with my fist at the same time. “My book is becoming a TV series.”

Chapter28

Baldo

Guilt.

Overwhelming guilt.

This heavy load of guilt has been weighing on me since Brook told me what happened to her that night.

I should have been there. I should have never asked her to run away with me. I should have left the house with her, not before her. I should have…

My head has been spinning with all the bitter, nauseating remorse swirling inside me. The endlessshould haves stripping me of control.

Sleep, food, and less whiskey might stop—or slow—the spiral, but they wouldn’t negate one fat truth.

I failed her.

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