Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 69286 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 346(@200wpm)___ 277(@250wpm)___ 231(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69286 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 346(@200wpm)___ 277(@250wpm)___ 231(@300wpm)
I still can’t believe I spent my first day in Crimson Falls asleep. In my room, I discard the sweater I’d been wearing and grab the red hoodie and pull it on over my T-shirt. Donning the hood to cover my hair, I race down the stairs and out the patio doors onto the stoop, which is hard beneath my sneakers.
Light streams from the spotlights, illuminating the garden just like they did last night. A howl from somewhere in the forest has a gasp falling from my lips. There isn’t any staff outside, but I should be safe since Estelle told me there are traps for any foxes wanting to get onto the property.
I take one step off the stoop onto the lush grass, which feels as if I’m walking on a cloud.
A sound to the left of where I’m standing startles me, and I wonder if the gardener is outside doing work. “Hello?” I call out, but there isn’t any response. Shrugging, I move farther into the garden, to where I recall two of the staff picking vegetables this morning. The patch is dimly lit, and I can make out a few types of lettuce and some carrots which have been pulled out. I don’t recognize a few other plants, and I make a mental note to ask Jean-Pierre about them.
A branch cracking has me whipping my head behind me, but I don’t see anyone there. The hair on the back of my neck stands on end when I hear another scrape of what I can only guess is a shoe against concrete. My gaze snaps to the stoop, but there’s nobody there either.
“If you’re trying to scare me, it’s not working!” I call out to who I can only guess is the gardener attempting to freak me out. Shaking my head, I move toward the house, and that’s when I see a large figure at the door. A scream is stuck in my throat when he moves slowly, predatorially toward me.
I can’t see his face properly, but from the shadows, I can tell he must be at least six-five with broad shoulders, and he’s wearing a dark hoodie that covers his face. Then I notice the glint of a blade in his hand. And that’s when I race through the garden.
8
Lycan
Being back in Crimson Falls is intriguing, but also, I’m anxious to get this contract in motion. The home I grew up in, the one where my memories now lie, is where I’ll bring her. Even though I haven’t been here in a long time, I know it will be the perfect place for me to ensure my little red is safe while she comes to terms with her new life.
The flight back from New York was quick, and the drive up here was refreshing. A change from the city. The furnishings my decorator chose are exquisite—all dark woods, glass and steel in the kitchen, and claret carpets overlying the expensive marble tiles.
I head up the sweeping staircase and turn left down the hall to the room I’ve had set up for Scarlett. Upon pushing open the door, I find the ornate four-poster bed, a myriad of cushions, and a deep red comforter.
On the opposite side of the bed is a vanity with a beautifully intricate mirror. Carved from the finest oak, the frame shows a little girl with a red hood and the wolf right behind her. They’ve painted the hood perfectly, her long hair hanging over her shoulders as the predator makes his way toward her.
Reaching for the sculpted scene, I trace my finger over the hood, the memory of Scarlett’s sleek, red hair flickering in my mind. The length perfect for fisting around my hand, her eyes wide and bright as she regarded me with fire and defiance. My cock jolts with the memory, and I can’t help but grin. How perfectly delicious it will be to break her down and watch her submit to my whims.
When I planned to bring her here, I wanted the room to feel like home. Even though she’s going to hate me for a while, I figure at least she can hate in comfort. The contract I signed with her father ensures she’s mine and no longer a Bardot. She will be a Shaw as soon as the ceremony is complete.
A man relinquishing his hold on his daughter because he fucked up is a sad state of affairs. But he did it to ensure I never divulged what he did behind his wife’s back. Yes, she knew about the money, the club, but she I’m certain has no clue her husband has a much larger secret, one that would most certainly break the perfect family unit he’s managed to build.
Power has been my drug for a long time. I’ve reveled in it. Knowing I have the command to take down anyone who steps in my path is a heady feeling. Dominance goes hand in hand with the emotion, and I can’t wait to see Scarlett on the other end of my control.