Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 154595 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 773(@200wpm)___ 618(@250wpm)___ 515(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 154595 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 773(@200wpm)___ 618(@250wpm)___ 515(@300wpm)
“The other night in the alleyway . . .”
Ahh. Right.
“I didn’t use it on those idiots because someone might have heard and called the cops,” he explained. “I try not to use it unless it’s a last resort. It brings its own risk.”
“Yeah, probably best. I wouldn’t want you to get in trouble or feel bad about shooting someone.”
“I wouldn’t have felt bad about shooting those assholes.” Just like he hadn’t felt bad tracking down the two that had gotten away and taking care of them. Now, the three of them were no longer a risk to anyone.
Standing, he wandered around the room.
She was watching him anxiously. He didn’t like that. He leaned against the kitchen counter, staring at her. She moved from foot to foot and then scratched at her cheek.
Definitely nervous.
“Come here, Maeve.”
She startled. “What?”
“Come here.” He pointed at the floor in front of him.
She moved her hands to her hips, giving him a firm look. Ahh, there was the spunk he’d seen before. He preferred that to her being nervous around him.
Funny, in the club, he’d always gravitated to subs who were quieter, who obeyed beautifully. Who would never even think of sassing him.
Yet, with her . . . all of that was topsy-turvy. Normally, having someone ignore his command would annoy him. He’d walk away.
But he wasn’t going anywhere. He didn’t want to be anywhere but here.
“Come here? Really?” she grumbled.
“I’m waiting.” He gave her a stern look to let her know that he didn’t like waiting. While he thought she was cute, learning to obey him was something he’d have to teach her.
Fuck. Nope. You’re not going to be in her life that long.
She eyed him but moved over to where he stood. Fuck, that outfit was so ridiculous.
Grasping her hips, which he could barely feel through the material, he drew her to him.
“Girl, you don’t listen well.”
She gasped. “I can hear just fine.”
“Yeah, then why didn’t you come?”
“Well, maybe you weren’t doing it right?” She slid her hand over her mouth as though she hadn’t meant to say that, but he saw her eyes twinkle.
Oh, the brat thought she was so funny.
“Maybe I wasn’t doing it right? That wasn’t what you said the other night.”
Her hand dropped, and she pretended to think about that. “Hmm, but maybe I've forgotten about that.”
“Have you?” he murmured. Was she complaining about the fact that he hadn’t contacted her since the weekend? It wasn’t like they were dating or anything. If she wanted him to leave, she just had to say so.
He ran a finger down her cheek, then over her lips. She opened her mouth and reached out to bite him.
To his surprise, a shot of pleasure ran through him. That hadn’t happened before.
Then again, no one had ever had the balls to bite him before.
“Brat, you did not just bite me.”
“Who me? No, that must have been someone else. I wouldn’t dare bite you.”
“That’s what I thought. Because if anyone is going to do any biting around here, it’s me.”
10
Lifting her by her hips, he turned and placed her on the counter. Then he moved his hands to the bench on either side of her hips, trapping her when she attempted to move.
“Stay still.”
“What if I don’t want to stay still?”
Oh, thought she got to challenge him, did she? A grin tilted up the ends of his lips.
“Haven’t got much choice, have you? There’s no getting past me.”
“What do I get if I do?”
There was no chance. He felt sure of that. But he’d indulge her.
Fuck, getting soft in his old age?
“What would you like?” he asked. He expected her to be shy. Maybe she’d ask for a kiss or a hug or something sweet like that.
“I want you to eat me out again.”
Okay, he was way off base.
“Do we have a deal?” she asked.
Considering he’d been hoping to do that anyway . . . yeah, they had a deal.
He nodded. “Deal.”
She grinned. It was a fierce, gorgeous smile that rocked him.
There was something strange happening inside him as he stared at her, and he had to break the stare.
“Gray?” she whispered. “Everything all right?”
Shake it off, dickhead.
He didn’t know what was wrong with him. But he needed to snap out of it. When he turned back to her, he was aware from her slight flinch that he had his cold mask on. He tried to tone it down, he didn’t want to frighten her.
Once again, she shocked him. Instead of shying back or reneging on their deal, she cupped his face with her hands.
Fuck. Why were they so cold? Mind you, it wasn’t exactly warm in this old building.
“You need to have gloves on, girl.” He rubbed one of her hands between his own, then did the same to the other one.
“I have crappy circulation. I ignore it mostly now.”