Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 81930 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81930 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
Don’t mourn me forever, Eliot. Live your life. For me.
She’d be ashamed of him if she could see him. That was the sad truth. Even if it wasn’t as simple as just moving on. Because she would always live on inside him.
And it would take a special person or persons to understand that a piece of him would always belong to Anna.
Could he be looking at those two people right now? He didn’t know, but he felt so drawn to them. He wanted to pick them both up and carry them. To hold them tight and never let them go.
To put them both over his knee for not looking after themselves. It seemed Marcus had eaten his weight in sugar to the point of throwing up while Isla looked pale and tired. He guessed she wasn’t looking after herself, either.
It was time for him to either step in and take charge or to leave.
He cleared his throat, feeling extremely awkward. It wasn’t anything new. With his size, he’d spent half his life feeling out of place.
They both turned to look at him. One set of green eyes surrounded by dark lashes. A strong nose and slightly pouty lips. A lean, but muscular body encased in a tight T-shirt. Blue eyes filled with tiredness in a pale face. Tiny, pert nose. Full pink lips. Long, light-brown hair that lay down her back.
He had to hold back from tucking them into his pocket and keeping them safe from everything bad out there. Anything that would want to harm them.
“I’m sorry for shutting the two of you out before. It’s scary opening up and being vulnerable. You’d be well within your rights to turn me down.”
“You really mean it?” Isla asked. “You to be, uh, to, umm…” She looked at Marcus.
“To be our Daddy while we’re all here,” Marcus eyed him. “Why’d you change your mind? You didn’t want that a few hours ago.”
He understood why he was suspicious. Knew he was protective of the girl under his arm who was trembling slightly.
He frowned. “We should have this talk while Isla rests.”
“I’m—”
They both turned to glare at her.
“All right,” she whispered. “Stay with me.” This was said to Marcus, who nodded.
Another pang of longing. Eliot watched them carefully as they walked into the bedroom, then through to the living area of the suite. Isla was leaning against Marcus, letting him lead her.
They both sat on the sofa and stared up at him worriedly.
“Okay, first thing is first. You both need to hydrate.” He grabbed them both a glass of water. Isla’s hand shook as she tried to drink. And without thought, he sat on the coffee table, ignoring the creaking noise it made under his weight, and reached out to steady her hand with his.
Her eyes widened, but she didn’t say anything as he held the glass for her.
She drew away when it was half empty.
“Uh-uh, I want to see it all gone.”
He half-expected one of them to protest that he didn’t have the right to boss them around.
But neither of them said a word, and he managed to get her to drink the whole glass of water. Marcus had only taken a few sips from his. He sent him a chiding look.
The sassy brat just gave him a look back. Okay, he was more of a challenge. Although he had a feeling that once Marcus fell for someone, he’d fall hard.
“Drink your water,” he said firmly.
Marcus narrowed his gaze. “You’re not my Daddy.”
He steeled his shoulders. “You’ve made up your mind, then? You don’t want my offer?”
Marcus opened his mouth but then frowned, not saying anything. Eliot had only known the other man a short time, but he thought that seemed pretty unusual.
“What exactly would your offer entail?” Isla asked.
“First, before we go through that, I need to know what’s wrong. You were light-headed, and Marcus vomited. You could both be coming down with something.”
They shared a guilty look.
Marcus squirmed. Definitely guilty. “I really did eat too much candy and chocolate. That’s why I vomited. I feel a lot better now.”
Hmm.
He’d have more to say about that if they accepted his offer. And if they didn’t… well, he might have to have a word in Marcus’ cousin’s ear. Someone needed to be keeping a closer eye on these two.
So, he nodded and turned his gaze to Isla. She seemed to shrink under his stare. Which he didn’t like.
Not one bit.
Who had taught this girl she was less than anyone else? Or to fear a stern look?
Because that’s how she looked. Afraid.
And that wasn’t acceptable.
“Isla, look at me please,” he said.
He might prefer the softer side of being a Dom. But that didn’t mean he would ever allow them to harm themselves. There would be rules and consequences.
He knew that these two Littles would thrive with the right kind of attention.