Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 96404 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 482(@200wpm)___ 386(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96404 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 482(@200wpm)___ 386(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
But I can’t help it.
“Is…Aspen one of them?”
“Could be.”
“She’s pretty.”
“She is.”
“Reina called her a redhead witch.”
“Reina is still a bitch sometimes. Aspen is a beautiful woman.”
“Then go back to your beautiful Aspen.”
“I’ll see her at the firm once my sick leave is over.”
“Well, good luck.”
“Thanks.”
“You’re not supposed to agree with that.”
“But you’re the one who was saying she’s pretty and wishing me good luck.”
“It’s just figure of speech, asshole.”
“You’re the definition of Tsundere.”
“Shut up.” I pull away from him and place a hand on my hip. “You have to do something about her. I don’t want to share you.”
“Are you going to do something about your husband?”
I bite my lower lip.
“You can’t ask me to be exclusive with you while you’re on another man’s arm, Naomi. That’s not how it works.”
“I…know.”
“What do you know? Do you know about how fucking enraged I become when I see you with him? You were smiling at the motherfucker in all the pictures online.”
“It was an act.”
“One you pulled so well.”
“Do you want me to cry then?”
“I want you to leave him once and for all. This is not up for fucking negotiation.”
“I want to leave him, too and I’m plotting something. Akira needs to be the one who divorces me while still being Father’s ally. If I initiate it, my father will come after you.”
“I don’t give a fuck about that.”
“No, Sebastian. No! I didn’t sacrifice seven damn years just to crash and burn now.”
He grabs me by the arm and pulls me close, his eyes darkening like a lethal storm. “I won’t see you on his fucking arm again, Naomi. Do you hear me? I don’t care if he’s gay. He still puts his fucking hands on you. He still touches you. I’ll kidnap you and get us both killed instead of seeing that scene again. You’re fucking mine and that means you belong with me, not with some other asshole.”
“Then get rid of Aspen, too. The next time I see her on your arm, I’ll kick you in the balls.”
“You will, huh?”
“Yes! And you know what else I’ll do? I won’t let you chase me.”
“Now, that is pure torture.”
“Torture is seeing you with another woman and not being able to do anything about it.”
“There’s no other woman, baby.”
“Huh?”
“Aspen and I are in a strictly professional relationship.”
“Then…why is she always on your arm?”
“Because I wanted to hurt you as much as you hurt me.”
“That’s just…cruel.”
“You were cruel, too.”
I release an involuntary breath that comes after too much crying. “Aren’t we so toxic?”
“We are?”
“Yeah, we keep hurting one another.”
“Not anymore.”
“But it hurts, Sebastian. Thinking about you with Aspen and other women hurts.”
“There haven’t been any other women.”
“W-what?”
“I’ve never been in a relationship since you.”
“Oh.”
“Not even for sex. I wanted to that first year, just so I could erase you, but I couldn’t get it up for anyone. Except for the memory of you while I was in the shower. Thanks for the world’s longest cockblock.”
“Wait…you never had sex with anyone else?”
“Not since Owen’s party. My dick blames you for his strained relationship with my hand, by the way.”
I smile, my heart feeling lighter than it has in years.
“What are you smiling at, Tsundere? My dick’s issue is a real one. That’s why I nearly broke you that first time after you came back.”
I wrap my arms around his neck. “I’m just happy.”
“Wow. You’re happy for my dick’s misery? Now he’ll really hate-fuck you.”
I laugh. “No, I’m happy because you never forgot about me. It makes everything worth it.”
“Who’ll make up for my slaughtered sex drive?”
I lick my lips. “I’ll apologize with my lips. They’re friends with your cock.”
“That would be a good start. But hate-fucking is still on the menu.”
“Isn’t it always on the menu?”
“We’ll take it up a notch this time.”
I hop up his body and Sebastian staggers backward as my legs and arms wrap around him.
He holds me steadily with an arm and smiles. “Is this an invitation, baby?”
“For you? I’m always asking for it.”
I squeal as I jump off of him and he eats up the distance between us in a fraction of a second. I turn and take the stairs, then I break out in laughter as we strip each other and tumble into the shower.
Happiness.
This is what happiness feels like and I wish I could stay in it forever.
Even if I know it won’t last.
36
Akira
Dear Yuki-Onna,
I touched you.
In my dream, I mean. Let’s take a moment to thank the Lord and all of his angels that I didn’t think I would ever be grateful to.
For the first time since forever, you didn’t vanish into thin air right after you blew me and you let me sink my fingers into your inky hair. I want to be a dick and say that it resembles Sadako from The Ring, but I will rein in the assholish tendencies today.