Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 72496 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 362(@200wpm)___ 290(@250wpm)___ 242(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72496 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 362(@200wpm)___ 290(@250wpm)___ 242(@300wpm)
“Yup,” I said, as I crushed my mouth against hers. She gasped and wrapped her arms around my neck. I pulled back slightly. “Just… horny.”
“College students.” She grabbed my hair and jumped into my arms.
“Shit.” I mouthed against her as we tumbled back against the wall. My right hand dug into her hip, lifting her leg.
I shouldn’t.
It was messed up.
She was a virgin.
I knew she was.
“Let me.” I moved my hips against her. No matter how cruel I could be, I knew it was wrong, that I was playing the devil’s card, and that I wasn’t being the person I should be. But I couldn’t stop, and I didn’t want to. Deep down, a part of me wanted to claim her; no, not just claim, to stake a claim, to throw a giant middle finger at the other Families and say yeah, she’s mine, and I did this not because I loved your precious princess but because I wanted to tarnish whatever crown she wore. “Shouldn’t it be your enemy anyway?”
She nodded. “Then I’ll always remember that the guy who stole my virginity was a complete jackass.”
“Agreed.” I kept my groan in. What the hell was I turning into?
“Agreed.”
Wait, did that mean yes or no?
She broke away from me, stumbling back.
I had to admit, I felt a bit rejected, even though I knew it was my body talking, nothing more, right? “What? Too scared?”
She scoffed. “No, I just, whatever. Judge me all you want, I just need it to be more than shower sex with a horny college guy who hates me and thinks I’m a troll. Call me romantic.”
I reached over and grabbed her arm. “Are you willing to admit that you’d never sleep with me because my Family’s bloodline is so tainted it hurts to touch me? Because that may just feel like a challenge.”
She jerked away, and her lower lip trembled. It was the first time I’d seen even a hint of her wanting to cry. “Is it so wrong, in this world of darkness and terror, to want something for yourself?”
I had nothing.
I stared her down.
Everything about our hatred for each other felt raw, like at any minute one of us was going to suddenly collapse and admit how exhausting it was to genuinely put so much energy into pushing someone away rather than pulling them close.
This time I really wanted to kiss her.
Not because I knew it would feel good or meet any need I had.
I wanted to kiss her because she was honest, she was brutally raw, and she was fucking gorgeous that way. “No. Sometimes, the right choice is to be selfish. How else can we survive in this sort of world without at least once choosing ourselves rather than the paths given to us?”
“Wow, hot body and wisdom all in one short shower. You know, you could be extremely attractive if you stop being a jackass half the time.”
I shrugged. “Too bad it’s part of my charm.”
“Yeah.” She swallowed slowly. “It really is.”
I ignored the way she stared at me, and I lashed out, like I always did when people saw too much then got that look in their eyes like we’d somehow shared some common ground or when you could tell they wanted to ask if you were truly okay.
“Anyway…” I shoved her when I walked past. “I’m saying this only because I care, but you really need to work on your kissing skills, I thought you were going to bite my tongue off. Most guys don’t like violence like that.” I winked, then instantly felt like an ass as I saw the panic in her eyes, like she hadn’t had enough time to put her shields back up, so my arrow soared, and it hit flesh. It didn’t hit the Bella I was used to sparring with because I’d already pulled down all her defenses.
I couldn’t tell if it was a tear that slid down her cheek or remnants of water, but what I could see were her red, swollen lips.
What I could taste was how sweet her mouth was.
What I could feel, I had no business feeling.
I left her alone in the shower, grabbed my towel and stomped out of the bathroom, only to nearly run right into Junior’s solid body.
He glared down at me. “Where are the kids?”
“In bed.” Why did I suddenly want to say, sir?
Ash popped up behind him, drinking a glass of wine. “They’re alive? Cared for? Asses are changed? Swear on your life that you didn’t make them cry.”
Have I mentioned I sometimes hate this Family?
I sighed and loudly announced, just so Bella could hear, “They’re in their rooms sleeping, Bam-Bam was selling his fruit snacks again to Barbie, Walt grabbed a calculator…” Ash cursed under his breath. “…and I’m pretty sure we’re getting audited now, it’s like he knows things.”