Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 66548 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 266(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66548 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 266(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
“So don’t show up in my shop or at my apartment. You have my phone number—use it.”
While I appreciated the calm way she spoke to me, I respected the gun under her counter a lot more. I liked the way she got big and loud when it came to her family. I’d always been the same way about my brother, willing to do anything for him at any time. He was all I had left now, the only person who would always have my back—no matter what. “I’m going to give you some advice.”
“Advice?” she asked, surprised by the change in subject.
“Always stand up for what you believe in and never back down—not even to me.” I nodded downward, indicating the gun she had stashed away. “Never settle for less than what you deserve. The more respect you earn, the more power you earn—and the safer you’ll be.”
I texted her when I got into the car. I’m coming over. I’d been waiting around for her to finish her day at work and head back to her apartment. The second she walked through the door, as my men informed me, I told her what I wanted.
I just walked in the door.
Yes. I know.
I didn’t get a response, which told me she was pissed by that answer. I’ll be there in ten minutes.
I was escorted to her apartment, and I walked up the stairs until I reached her door. Like last time, I snapped through her locks and invited myself inside. “Beautiful, I’m here.” I locked the door behind me.
She came down the hallway, in the same outfit she’d been wearing earlier. “Knock.”
I raked my eyes over her body as she came close to me, treasuring the sight of her beautiful curves and even more beautiful face.
“You can’t just—”
I didn’t hear the rest of the sentence because I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her, squeezing her hard against me in the entryway.
Her anger died in her throat, and she kissed me back, forgetting the reason she was pissed in the first place. Her arms locked around my neck, and she kissed me like she’d missed me all day, despite the cold way she spoke to me.
I backed her up against the wall and dug my hand into her curls, loving the way they felt in my fist when I held on to her. I hooked her leg over my hip and breathed into her mouth, feeling her tits through her bra right against my chest. Just because she told me not to come into her shop didn’t mean I wouldn’t keep an eye on her and make sure no one bothered her. When I told her being with me was the safest place she would ever be, I meant it.
I would protect her—even if I weren’t there.
When I pulled away, all the anger she had was gone. She looked at me with the same expression she wore in bed, like I was the one thing that mattered. It was the only time she was soft toward me, when our naked bodies were combined together and our mouths dragged across each other’s skin.
The rest of the time, she hated me.
Hated everything I stood for.
I rubbed my nose against hers. “I missed you.”
She gave me a light kiss on the corner of my mouth. “I missed you too.” Maybe she only meant it in that moment, or maybe she didn’t mean it at all, just wanted to repeat the words back to me because of the heat between us.
It didn’t matter to me. I just enjoyed listening to her beautiful voice. I lifted her against my chest and carried her to the couch in the living room. I sat back and held her with me, remembering the time we’d fucked in that very spot. Now I just wanted to look at her, wanted to feel this beautiful woman in my arms. “How about I make dinner tonight?”
“You’re going to cook for me again?” she asked, cocking her head slightly.
“Yes.” My hands rested at her hips, the sexy curve in her perfect body.
“And what are you going to cook?” she asked, her hands rubbing against my chest.
“Whatever you want.”
“Hot sex and a home-cooked meal? I’m one lucky lady.”
“No.” I brought her left hand to my lips and kissed it, keeping my eyes on her. “I’m the lucky one.”
Her eyes softened slightly, but she quickly forced the look away, like she was embarrassed for feeling anything in the first place. She had a good poker face, but the longer we spent together, the harder it was to keep it up. The armor she wore was slowly coming undone, and she began to drop her guard, allowing herself to want me. She was still scared of me, sensed the danger in my rough exterior, but she was starting to disregard it. “What have you been doing for the last few days?”