Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 160684 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 803(@200wpm)___ 643(@250wpm)___ 536(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 160684 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 803(@200wpm)___ 643(@250wpm)___ 536(@300wpm)
It was too fast. Way too fast.
And yet, Effie knew better than most how precious life was. How someone you loved could be taken from you in the blink of an eye. Obviously, Steele had experienced that too.
“I’m sorry about your sister.”
“Thank you, baby. I’ll tell you about her one day.”
She gathered up her courage. Because Steele was the easier one to read. Grady was far trickier. But that didn’t mean he was any less important. And she didn’t want to come between the two of them. She didn’t want him to think that he had to be with her because Steele was into her.
And she didn’t want him to think that she wanted him any less, if he truly wanted her.
“Grady?” she whispered. “Are you . . . do you . . . what do you want?”
He stared at her for a moment. “Part of the reason I wanted to hire you is because of that rule. Because I knew Steele wanted you. And the truth is, I wanted you too.”
He’d hired her so she’d be off-limits?
“I don’t understand. You didn’t want to want me?” she asked.
“No. Because I knew you weren’t a one-night stand kind of girl and, at the time . . . well, at the time I didn’t think a relationship was something I wanted. Nor Steele. And more than you needed a night in our bed, you needed a job.”
It hit her hard and fast. “You pitied me? That’s why you gave me a job? Was there even a job?”
She needed out of here. Now. She reached for the door handle, opening the door. She tried to jump out, but her seatbelt caught her.
Fuck. She couldn’t even make a proper getaway.
“Urgh, such an idiot!”
“That’s five,” Steele rumbled.
She froze. “Five what?”
“Five spanks. Once you agree to be ours and we’re ready to move to that step, you’re over my knee for five smacks to your ass. Not putting up with you putting yourself down anymore, baby girl.”
Holy. Heck.
“Listen to me,” Grady said in a low, commanding voice that had her eyes shooting to his. It was getting cold with the door open, but she didn’t move to close it. “I knew you needed the job. I could tell you were down on your luck. But I would not have hired you if I didn’t need help. And you’ve been an amazing assistant.”
“I . . . I have?”
“Yes. You’ve made my life so much easier. Even if I think you’re taking too much on and working too hard.”
“I didn’t want you to regret hiring me.”
“I don’t.” It was said so firmly and with such certainty that the tightness in her chest eased.
She licked her lips. “What do you want?”
“You,” he replied instantly. “I’m not good at this. At talking about emotions. At telling you what you mean to me or even showing it. But know this. I’ve never felt like breaking that rule. Until you.”
Effie took several breaths, trying to soak in all of that information. She wished she could just say yes. But there were so many more things to think about. And now she could see why they’d made that rule.
“If this doesn’t work . . . my job . . .”
“Your job is safe,” Steele told her firmly. “If this doesn’t work, and you can’t stay working for us then we will help you find a new job.”
“And pay your wages until you do,” Grady asked. “We’ll put that in writing.”
Steele nodded.
Okay. That was . . . that actually took care of her biggest fear. Well, there was something else.
“Both of you?” she whispered.
“Both of us,” Steele repeated, watching her steadily. He probably thought she was going to freak out. She had to admit . . . she was close to losing it.
“That’s not . . . normal. I mean, I know that the two of you like to share. But you said yourself that you’ve never been in a relationship . . . what about what people will think? What if someone gets jealous? I don’t . . . I don’t want to come between you both.”
“You won’t,” Steele said. “If we have problems, we’ll talk to each other. Grady and I have been best friends since we were ten.”
“Steele saved me from a bully,” Grady added. “I was living in a foster home at the time. They were good people, but they weren’t family. When I met Steele, that’s who he became.”
“So we know how to deal with each other. And we won’t involve you in any arguments.”
“That doesn’t seem right.” She frowned.
“No, that’s us protecting you,” Steele told her. “Which is our right as your men. We make your life easier, not harder. We’re both men who like to be in charge in varying ways. I’m likely going to be extremely overprotective. Grady has a fixation on rules and control. You’ll have enough to deal with. You don’t deal with our shit too. Understand me? And I can safely say that as many of your worries, fears, and burdens that you want to give us, we want to take.”