Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 100476 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 502(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100476 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 502(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
“What are you doing?” I demand.
His head cocks to the side as he studies me. “Just trying to figure you out, cheerleader.”
“There’s nothing to figure out.”
“You’re afraid of me. You won’t think twice about stabbing me if I step closer. I’m bigger and scarier than your boyfriend ever was, yet you feel empowered right now. Like you could defend yourself if you needed to.”
“It’s called PMS. Beware of a bitch on the rag.”
His handsome mouth curls into a grin. “Good excuse. However, we both know it’s more than that. Why did you let that boy hurt you?”
I cringe at his words. “I didn’t let him do anything. He just took what he wanted. I won’t let him take from me ever again. Or anyone else for that matter.”
“Good girl,” he says, patting the top of my head. “And if he does, I’ll make sure he gets it twice as bad.”
“He belongs in jail,” I huff, hating how my skin crawls just thinking of him.
“I know people in prison.” His amber eyes flicker like flames. “Ask Kayden and Juno.”
I stiffen, finally lowering the knife to go back to chopping. “What’s with Kayden and Juno?”
Roux told me the whole story. Of Renaldo and his gang. The way they hurt her and Jordy. How they tried to burn them alive. Kayden tossed the match. He can burn in hell for all I care because my best friend could have died that night.
Jace stands behind me, peering over my shoulder, watching me as I prepare the vegetables. His breath is hot and tickles my hair.
“They’re paying for their sins not only with time,” he growls, “but with their flesh too.”
“You orchestrated this? Are you going to have them killed?”
“Nah,” he murmurs. “Too easy. Whenever I get pissed, thinking all over again what they did to Jordy and Roux, I just put in the word for them to be punished. It’ll hurt. Juno’s in the infirmary as we speak. Kayden has another ass kicking coming to him soon.”
“Are you the godfather of prison?”
He tugs playfully at my hair. “Just a guy who won’t sit around and let injustice prevail.”
“An ex-con vigilante mobster then?”
“Just a dad. Like yours. He’s a little more civilized in his approach. You think I’m the godfather? Your old man has been busy rubbing elbows with every influential person in Hood River. When he gets ready to call in favors, the whole town will yield to him like he’s king. I guess that makes you the princess.”
I’m about to speak when my words are cut short.
Yelling.
Pounding.
“Charlotte! Charlotte! Let me in!”
Jace snags the knife from my hand, storming toward the front door. I chase after him, fear swelling up inside of me.
“Jace!” I cry out when he flings open the door, a murderous growl in his throat.
He grabs our visitor by the front of his T-shirt and shoves him against the wall in the hallway, the knife with vegetables still clinging to it, digging painfully into his flesh.
“Apologize to her,” Jace snarls. “Apologize for being a psychopathic woman beater rapist!”
Loden’s eyes are wild with fear. “Wrong dude, dude.”
“Jace, it’s my friend. That’s not Ryan.”
Jace doesn’t pull away, his shoulders tight with anger. Gently, I reach past him to take the knife from his hand. He relinquishes it to me, but doesn’t unpin Loden from the wall.
“He seems sketchy,” Jace grumbles.
“And so do you,” I argue, “but you’re here, living with me. Sometimes the perfect looking ones are the worst. Lo is cool. Let him go.”
Jace finally releases him and steps back. His fiery glare takes its time inspecting Loden as though he’s hiding a hidden agenda that Jace can uncover with one stare. I move around the snarling beast and throw my arms around my friend.
“I missed you,” I choke out, overjoyed with his sudden appearance.
“Missed you too, baby.” Loden nuzzles my hair and sighs as though my hug has the power to heal all the cracked parts of him. “Is the ex-convict your new boyfriend or are you still banging the bad boy Hoodlum?”
I push away from him and swat at his arm. “Jace is just a friend.”
“A friend who will beat anyone who hurts her,” Jace throws out.
As much as I appreciate the protectiveness, it’s overboard. He can’t go beating people who might be a threat. Especially Ryan, who is one. Michael will have him tossed back in prison before either of us could even blink. There’s no way I will be responsible for him going back. My best friend would be devastated.
“Come on. I was just starting dinner. Jace, you can join us if you act like a civilized human and not this Neanderthal. Deal?”
Jace shrugs, his glare affixed on Loden. “Ain’t makin’ any promises, princess. If he gets out of line, I’ll straighten him back out.”
“There’s no straightening me back out,” Loden says. “But Char is my girl. She’ll always be safe with me.”