Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 79462 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79462 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
"But we have time, right?"
"We have tonight." I look up at her, doubting my own words.
I'm not supposed to give in, not ever.
Certainly not with her.
She's too precious, too fragile.
I don't want to break her, but fuck, do I want to try.
"What's going to happen to me now?"
"Do you trust me, Iris?" She nods. "Then trust that I'll keep you safe, no matter what."
I brush a stray strand of hair from her face, my thumb lingering on her cheek. "You're coming with me. I've got a place set up for us, and we can figure out the rest in the morning."
She opens her mouth to protest, but I silence her with a finger against her lips. "This isn't up for discussion, Iris. I'm not letting you out of my sight, and you're coming with me. End of story."
She looks like she's about to argue, but thinks better of it. "Okay, Viper. Whatever you say."
I grin, and she flashes me a shy smile in return.
She's so fucking beautiful, and I'm dying to see all that beauty spread out beneath me.
My cock twitches in anticipation, and I'm painfully hard.
She must feel it, too, because her breath hitches, and her eyes widen.
"We should get out of here," I murmur, reluctantly releasing her and stepping back. "The club's ours until closing, and then we'll head to my place. Sound good?"
"Yeah, okay."
"I'll go wait for you outside." She nods, and I leave her alone, not wanting to risk being tempted by her again.
As I head for the front door, I catch Rosa’s eye. "Well, well, well. Looks like you two are getting cozy."
"Don't start," I growl.
"I'm just saying, if you break her heart, you'll have to answer to me. And believe me, you don't want that."
"Iris is mine, Rosa. And I'll do whatever it takes to keep her safe. Even if it means keeping her at arm's length."
"Is that what you really want? To keep her at arm's length?"
"That's the plan."
She laughs. "And how's that working out for you, boss man?"
"Not so great," I admit, running a hand through my hair. "But I have to do what's best for her. For both of us."
"You're a fucking idiot."
"Excuse me?"
"She wants you. It's obvious."
"No." I shake my head, rejecting the idea.
"Yes, Viper. Trust me, I'm a woman. I know what I'm talking about. Now, stop being such a stubborn ass and claim her. Because if you don't, someone else will."
I narrow my eyes. "What the hell are you talking about?"
She nods her head to a man approaching. Lyon.
"Shit."
"Yeah. So, you'd better do something about that."
"Stay with her."
"Of course." Lyon is on a collision course for me, and I meet him halfway.
"You bought my fucking club!"
"Oh, you seem to have forgotten, the club was never yours. It's mine, Lyon. What are you going to do about it?"
"You can't do that. The Crimson Reapers are in charge here. You can't just buy the place out from under us."
"Watch me," I sneer, shoving him back. He stumbles, but quickly regains his balance.
"You're not going to get away with this, Viper. Not here. This is my territory."
"Your territory?" I scoff. "It's about to be my fucking territory."
"Over my dead body," Lyon growls, and launches himself at me.
I easily side-step his attack and send him crashing into the bar.
"Is that a challenge?"
"Yeah, it is." Lyon pushes himself to his feet, glaring at me. "I'm challenging you, Viper. Man-to-man. Whoever wins gets the club."
"You're not in any position to challenge me, Lyon."
"Oh yeah? Why's that?"
"Because you're outnumbered."
"What the fuck are you talking about?"
"You're outnumbered by your own people."
"My own people?"
"Your own men. You're the president, Lyon. That should mean something, shouldn't it?"
"It does."
"Look around you." He does.
Every pair of eyes in here is trained on me, every man waiting for my instruction to pull out a weapon and start firing. "You're surrounded by men loyal to the Crimson Reapers. But you're not in the Crimson Reapers. Not anymore."
"What the fuck are you talking about?"
"Jaxon is no longer your brother in arms. He might be your blood, but you're nothing more than a pawn to him. He's using you."
"Using me? For what?"
"For his own gain."
"That's bullshit. I'm the king of the Crimson Reapers."
"No, that would require you to be the President of the club. In case you've forgotten Jaxon has that title.." I gesture to the crowd. "These men are the Crimson Reapers. Not you. They'll do anything I tell them, not you. They respect me. They trust me. Not you."
"Fuck you, Viper."
"You're not man enough."
"What?"
"I said, you're not man enough."
"Why not?
"You beat your women. You treat them like trash. You don't deserve respect, and you sure as hell don't deserve Iris."
"Iris is mine," he spits, clenching his fists.
"No. She's not. She never was."
"She's not yours either."
"I know that. But that doesn't matter. I've claimed her. I've made my intentions known. You never did. You let her slip through your fingers. And now, she's mine." I shove him out of the club, and applause breaks out from the men gathered there.