Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 103413 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 517(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103413 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 517(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
“What are the safeguards?” she asked, finding it easier to ask questions.
“Another bite first,” Liam held out some more omelet.
“I have my breakfast now.” But it looked unappetizing.
“Don’t you know things taste better off someone else’s plate?” Liam chided.
“They do, huh?”
“Yep. Open.”
She took the offered bite.
“Now, swallow.”
Nico made a strange noise as she chewed and swallowed. “Are you feeling all right, Nico?”
“Yes, Nico,” Liam drawled. “Are you feeling all right?”
“Yes. Just remembered something.”
“In our case, safeguards like a safeword that Nico can say at any time. Just in case something happens. He gets a cramp, say, and I don’t notice.”
“Like that would happen,” Nico added. “He notices everything, Lottie. Even when you don’t want him to.”
“You mean like when you’re driving too fast and scratch your car against a post?” Liam asked, feeding her another bite. “Or when you attempt to hide another speeding ticket? Oh, or when you destroy your car and try to buy another to replace it without telling me?”
“Nico!” she said, shocked. A bark of laughter leaving her. “You did all those things?”
“I am innocent until proven guilty.”
“You’re guilty,” Liam said. “And you know it.”
“What can I say? I like to drive fast. I live wild.”
“Not anymore, you don’t,” Liam said to him sternly. “You used to live wild, now you have rules to keep you safe.”
“Rules,” Nico sighed, waving his hand in the air. “Liam loves rules and order.”
“They keep you safe. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
“That’s so sweet,” she whispered.
“Sweet?” Nico spat out. “Liam?”
“I can be sweet,” Liam agreed with her while Nico just stared at him.
“You can?” Nico asked.
Liam ignored him. “It’s hard trying to keep Nico safe sometimes. I could use some help.”
“Really? What sort of help?” she asked.
“Someone to watch him when I’m not around.”
“Hey! I’m not a child,” Nico protested. But there was something in his gaze when he looked at Liam.
“He’s a daredevil, Lottie, I won’t lie. He gave me all the gray hairs I have.”
“You don’t have any gray hairs,” Lottie pointed out.
“But if I did, they’d all be from him.”
She had to smile.
“Don’t listen to him, Lottie. I’m nothing like that. If anyone worries over anyone, it’s me worrying over him.”
“You two are such a sweet old married couple,” she told them.
“Old?” they both said at the same time, looking shocked.
She started giggling.
“She’s a brat,” Nico said to Liam.
“Undoubtedly,” Liam agreed.
“Good thing we love brats,” Nico added.
“Isn’t it.”
She sobered quickly. “I still don’t see how this would work. I can’t . . . I’m not sure I could ever let you touch me. Either of you.”
“You seem fine with us touching you so far,” Liam pointed out.
“That’s not the sort of touch I was meaning.”
“We’d go as fast or as slow as you needed, Lottie,” Nico reassured her. “You’d be in charge.”
“Of that part,” she clarified.
“Of that part,” Liam agreed. “Safety and health are my areas. And, to be frank, you need some help with those.”
She couldn’t deny that. She licked her lips. “What about my brothers? They’re not going to want me to get involved with you both.”
“Let us take care of them,” Liam reassured her.
But that didn’t seem fair. They were her brothers. It wasn’t like they’d hurt her. But they might do their best to stop her from getting involved with Nico and Liam.
“You don’t even live here. If we tell them and Regent kicks you both out . . . I’m not ready to leave the house. I can’t . . . I . . . ” Panic suffused her. She wanted to be stronger. To be ready for all of this. To confidently walk out that door and not worry that she was going to lose her mind in public. But she just couldn’t.
“Breathe, Lottie. Just breathe,” Liam’s voice was steady. His words penetrated the haze of her panic. He touched her hands with his, and rather than shy away, she latched on.
“That’s it, we’re here. You’re safe,” Nico murmured in a softer voice. More cajoling. “Breathe for us, pretty girl.”
“One deep breath in then out. In again. Out.” Liam’s voice was commanding, firm.
She started following his orders without thinking. In. Out. In. Out.
“That’s a good girl. There you are.” Liam cupped her face between his warm, calloused hands, anchoring her in the present. While Nico practically wrapped himself around her, holding onto her tight, protecting her back.
She’d never felt safer. Even with Regent or one of her other brothers around, she’d never felt like this.
“S-sorry.”
“Uh-uh.” Liam shook his head. “You don’t apologize for this.”
“I don’t?”
“Nope. I don’t want to hear it, understand?”
“Are you sure this is what you both want? Maybe you should think about it. Because . . . because I don’t know if I could stand it if you changed your mind further down the road. I just, I think . . . I need some space.”