Total pages in book: 225
Estimated words: 218500 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1093(@200wpm)___ 874(@250wpm)___ 728(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 218500 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1093(@200wpm)___ 874(@250wpm)___ 728(@300wpm)
His hand comes up and closes around my throat. Not tight, though. I swallow against his palm.
“You won’t marry him.”
“And what could you do about it?” I snap.
Derek moistens his lips with his tongue, then says, “If you attempt to marry him, I’ll burn the church down.”
“You’ll kill me and everyone I love?” I ask, body completely rigid.
“No,” he whispers, caressing my throat with his thumb. “I’ll pull you out first, then you’ll watch it go up in flames from a safe distance. I protect you at all costs, Chloe. Only you.”
“You’re crazy,” I say.
“Crazy about you,” he tells me, using the same dazzling smile he used back when he first reeled me in like hapless prey.
“Back off.”
“Come finish breakfast. We’ll talk after they go.”
“No.” I grab his wrist and throw his hand off. He drops his hand but doesn’t back off. “I’m not sitting at a table with my best friend and your sister while we talk about syrup from Vermont and your mental illness like it’s perfectly normal. Get some help, Derek. I’m leaving. Stop following me. Stop stalking me. I’m leaving and I want you to leave me alone or I don’t care… I will call the cops. I’ll go to the press. I’ll do whatever the fuck I have to do to –”
He grabs me and starts kissing me.
“Stop!” I fight as he presses me against the wall.
“I want you more right now than I did a minute ago. The backbone? It’s intoxicating.” He runs his nose up the side of my face. His body is pressed against mine. “Come eat with me and then when they go we’ll come back here and maybe I’ll eat you. After I punish you for being such a bad, bad girl, saying such terrible things.”
He releases my mouth and bites my throat a little roughly, then plants a kiss on it while one of his hands gropes my breast.
I’m swaying, shocked. Heat has flared low in my belly, and I’m ashamed to admit it, but my underwear are drenched.
“Let’s hurry and finish so I can kick them out and spank this pussy,” he says against my throat, “Maybe tie you up and edge you for a few hours with my fingers, my palms, and my mouth before I let you come on my tongue.” He presses a kiss against my mouth and then backs off, leaving me swaying.
“How wet are you right now, I wonder?” He winks and backs away slowly.
Bastard.
“Come eat. It’s getting cold. You probably don’t want to leave Alannah out there with me.”
He gives me a loaded look. Loaded with threats.
He leaves me. Leaves me reeling.
Fucking bastard.
Not knowing what he’ll do, flashbacks of the guy with the gun, of the cold look in his eyes when I slapped him across the face the other night, I decide I don’t want to leave Alannah’s fate to chance. I hesitantly walk out there.
I find Alannah and Grace with their heads together while Derek is making another cup of coffee, intense eyes on me.
Both women look at me with concern.
“I’m sorry if I was rude, Grace. I’m… kind of… shattered, thanks to your brother.”
She pats the chair I vacated. “Sit down. Let me fill you in on Derek.”
“This oughta be interesting,” Derek says, rejoining the table.
I sit down and Alannah grabs my hand and squeezes. But she’s got a strange look on her face.
I don’t have time to try to decode it before Grace starts to talk.
“Derek was kidnapped when he was a child. Held for ransom. It was kept out of the papers and both of you must keep this fact to yourselves. Under threat of severe consequences.”
“Grace,” Derek warns, giving her an icy look.
She ignores this and continues. “It was very traumatic for him. It’s probably why he has some extreme reactions in certain scenarios. Most people don’t know how to take him. I was very young when this happened, so I don’t remember much, but I can tell you that I’ve never seen him get infatuated by a woman before. Never seen him with the same girl more than once. Most of them don’t get past the first date. He’s certainly never moved anyone in with him.”
“How old are you?” Alannah asks Derek.
“Almost thirty-four,” Grace answers for him.
“When was he kidnapped?” Alannah asks, now looking at Grace.
“He was eleven. Most of his life, he’s had an addictive personality. When he discovers something new and gets hooked by it, his reactions can seem extreme. He works to excel in whatever he becomes focused on. I don’t think you’re in danger, Chloe. In fact, this is the best news I’ve heard in a while. Maybe best news ever where Derek’s concerned. Are you not interested in him? I mean, he’s attractive, wealthy. He’s a catch. Right?”
“She’s interested in me,” Derek states boldly.