Total pages in book: 194
Estimated words: 187754 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 939(@200wpm)___ 751(@250wpm)___ 626(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 187754 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 939(@200wpm)___ 751(@250wpm)___ 626(@300wpm)
Her lips part to say something smart, but she thinks better of it and snaps them closed.
Aurelia doesn’t realize it yet, but she’s already starting to fall in line.
It’s all I can do not to send smug looks to my brothers when she inches closer. Aurelia isn’t ready to admit that she enjoys a firm hand and probably never will, so I gently take her nape as soon as she’s within reach and draw her close to me until her body is flush with mine and my free hand is resting under the curve of her ass cheek. My fingers are just inches from the tempting heat of her pussy, but I ignore the distraction and focus on the task at hand.
“Now, let’s try this again,” I say patiently. “If you refuse to answer or I don’t like what I hear, I’m going to hurt you. It won’t be easy, and you won’t be able to take it. Don’t test me, Aurelia. I’m not in the mood. Am I clear?”
My anger slowly unfurls in my chest when she stares at my chest and nods.
“Did Khalil tell you what we expected of you today?” Aurelia hesitates a moment and then nods slowly. “Were you confused by what he told you?” She shakes her head. “So why wasn’t it done?”
That defiant gleam enters her eyes again, and I tighten my hold in warning. She blinks, and then it’s gone. “I-I didn’t know how.”
“You didn’t even try,” I bite out.
“Because I don’t know how!”
I slap her ass hard enough for it to smart, and I swear to fucking God her nipples pebble through the flannel. “Watch that volume, songbird. I won’t tell you again.”
Aurelia shudders violently and then squirms against my hold when she realizes I can feel her reaction. “Don’t call me that,” she grinds out.
“Why not?” I whisper against her lips. “It’s what you are. “You don’t like it?”
“No.”
Her response is a knee-jerk reaction. And it’s a complete lie.
I’m tempted to reach under the flannel—my flannel—and touch her pussy to prove it.
Khalil couldn’t wait to find us earlier and brag about how he kissed her, and she kissed him back. According to him, she was damn near panting for it.
It’s hard enough watching Aurelia run her mouth, sleep in my bed uninvited, and walk around dressed in my clothes with nothing underneath and not do anything about it, but now it feels like I’m competing with my brothers for her attention.
“Tough. I don’t like it when my woman doesn’t obey me.”
“I’m not your—”
I don’t give her a chance to lie to me again.
She’s ours, and there’s nothing she can do about it. The thought sends a thrill from my fingers and up my arms and neck until it fills my head with euphoria.
Unwilling to repeat the same argument, I distract her with kisses instead. My lips are firm against hers but not demanding. I wait her out to see if she responds—to see how long it takes her to stop pretending she doesn’t want my touch.
The answer—not that fucking long.
All that fuss, and I don’t even have to make her kiss me back. Her eyes are closed so she doesn’t see me open mine to peer smugly over her shoulder at Khalil.
He rolls his eyes and looks away.
My way got her pliant, but maybe Seth and Khalil were on to something.
Nice makes her want it.
Aurelia even opens that mouth of hers when I ask, and nothing but sweet comes out when she moans and claws to get closer to me.
“Do you want a repeat of your first night?” I ask between kisses.
A terrified shudder rips through her, but she doesn’t stop kissing me, doesn’t stop feeding me her tongue. I swear to God she even clings to me like I’ll protect her…from me. “No.”
“No?” I break the kiss to stare down at her with my fingers tightening around her hair. “Then you better get started on dinner. You’ve got one hour to have something edible on that table, Aurelia. I’m not fucking around.”
SETH | EKEZ
“Fuck,” Thorin gripes under his breath so that Aurelia won’t hear. “She’s an even worse cook than Khalil.”
Khalil sucks his teeth at the jab. “Man, fuck you.” He makes a face like he’s chewing glass as he tries to stomach the slop Aurelia served us for dinner.
I can’t even begin to tell you what it is.
It’s bad.
Like eating animal dung would be better bad.
Me? I find it hilarious.
Aurelia literally made Thorin eat his words by serving up the worst dish known to man. I don’t know what it is, but I wouldn’t feed it to my dogs if I had some. I inhale it anyway to keep from laughing at these two miserable fucks.
And because Zeke will wake up soon.
I’ll need my strength to keep him suppressed for a little while longer. He won’t like what we’re doing to Aurelia. He’ll try to come to her rescue, and while I’m happy to cheer and encourage her rebellion, I can’t help but want to steal a piece of her for myself—to take with me when I sleep. It could be years before Zeke loses his shit enough to let me take over.