Total pages in book: 44
Estimated words: 42237 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 211(@200wpm)___ 169(@250wpm)___ 141(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 42237 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 211(@200wpm)___ 169(@250wpm)___ 141(@300wpm)
Kendall shakes her head. “Wait, but how the hell did he know who—”
“Because Tony served you up to him.”
Kendall’s face drops.
“What?” she whispers coldly.
And I tell her. I tell her everything, about the extent of Tony’s losses, about him working with Bobby and owing him a bunch of cash after some deals went bad. And I pull zero punches about the fact that he basically pimped her out to Bobby to settle a debt. Not because I’m trying to be cruel, but because she deserves this un-sugarcoated. And I know she’s strong enough to take it.
But when the tear slides down her face, I growl as I hug her close, wrapping my arms tight around her and holding her like I’ll never let her go. She sniffs, shaking her head as she presses her face to my chest, burrowing into me before she finally pulls away.
“That… that… that fucker!”
My brow furrows. “This isn’t going to stand, you know. For one, The Society doesn’t take shit like what Bobby pulled lightly. Recruiting you was one thing. Taking the money is pure theft. Believe me,” I snarl. “He’ll be dealt with.”
Kendall’s eyes narrow. “And Tony?”
“Oh, believe me,” I growl dangerously. “I’ll be settling that one personally.”
She bites her lip, looking up into my eyes as a small smile creeps at the corners of her mouth.
“How…” she shakes her head, grinning. “How’d I get you?”
“I paid for your virginity in a really fucked up online secret society auction.”
She snorts, giggling as the smile spreads across her face, and before I know it, I’ve scooped her close to me, leaned down, and seared my lips to hers. She moans into my lips, kissing me back for a second before she pulls back, eyeing me.
“So, the other thing.”
I frown. “Other thing?”
“Before, when I asked if you were really curious about the bikini or about me moving to Palo Alto in the fall.”
Something inside of me hardens. I want her, and with that comes wanting her always. And not for a small period of time. Not “until she leaves.” I mean I want her always and forever. But I’ll be damned if I ask this girl to not go to school. Fuck that. She’s too smart, and she’s got too much of a future ahead of her. Nor will I ask her to give up the experience of being young, and meeting guys her age. I mean fuck does that thought send fire through my gut and make me want to march onto the Stanford campus and knock the fuck out of every cocky little college boy prick who’d dare even look at her.
But then, I’m not that guy. Possessive of her? Damn right. But I’m not going to be controlling or demanding. I’m not going to ask her to pause her life just because I’m crazy about—
“All I want is you.”
Her words are soft, but they knock me back as I blink away my thoughts. Kendall grins shyly, sliding her hands into mine and squeezing.
“Marshall, you’re all I want. I don’t want fumbly stupid college boys. I don’t want the hookup scene. I don’t want cheap dating.” She swallows, her eyes ablaze as she squeezes my hands tight and presses herself to me. “I mean why would I? I already found you. I already found the best.”
She leans up on her toes, and when her lips brush mine, I devour them. She moans into me, my hands sliding around her waist and scooping her into me as I lose myself in that kiss.
“Kendall, you’re going to college though.”
She snorts. “Damn right I am,” she winks, grinning at me before her smile fades and her eyes drop.
“I—I mean, I wouldn’t ever ask you to—”
“Ask me,” I growl fiercely. “To what, not see other women? To stay with you even if you’re across the country?”
Her brow worries, her lip twisting in her teeth as she slowly, almost imperceivably nods.
“Ask me, baby girl,” I whisper fiercely.
Kendall takes a shaky breath, her eyes locked on mine as she wets her pouty lips.
“Would…” she swallows. “Marshall, would you… would you stay with me?”
“Always.”
I groan as I wrap her tight in my arms, lifting her off the ground and pressing her into the shelves behind her. Our mouths crush together, lips searing as I kiss her with every single thing I have. I kiss her knowing this is forever, and I kiss her knowing I’m never, ever going to let her go.
I kiss her so hard, and so deep, and so long, that it’s not until the sound of a coffee mug shattering on the ground hits our ears that I realize we’re not alone.
It happens in horrible, horrible slow motion. We both whirl. Kendall drops from my arms. My heart sinks, and I watch the horror spread over Amy’s face as she shakes her head side to side.