Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 108119 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 541(@200wpm)___ 432(@250wpm)___ 360(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108119 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 541(@200wpm)___ 432(@250wpm)___ 360(@300wpm)
“Why can’t you just leave it?” I roared stepping up against him until we were chest to chest. “Why?”
“Because I made a promise to a man we both respect and won’t ever admit out loud that we love. That’s why.”
I blew out a tense breath and snapped. “Follow me.”
I went back outside to my car.
And I drove it all the way to Eagle Elite and parked it on the far end of campus, where I knew she would be walking out to her next and final class.
Phoenix looked confused and then he did a double take, from me to the grass and buildings, back to me. “Holy shit has this turned into a sting operation?”
I pulled out my binoculars. “Hilarious.”
There she was. Walking by herself. A guy tried to come up beside her, she walked faster.
“You have binoculars.” Phoenix pointed out.
“I’m making sure she’s safe. I’m keeping my promise.”
“You could keep your promise by sending Ax, you know.”
“Ax isn’t me. I’m better than Ax, I’m better than every single one of you except Chase because he has more rage.”
Phoenix gave me a murderous stare. “Oh, I think I could conjure up some rage, don’t forget who you’re talking to.”
“Same goes for you.”
“Shit, you’re young,” he muttered like he didn’t want me to hear him. “I always forget that.”
“Because…” I lifted them back up when she stopped walking. “I look so old?”
“No because you were forced to grow up too fast.”
Pain filled my chest.
I ignored it.
I shoved it away just as a guy wrapped an arm around Alice’s body and pulled her against him.
She put her hands against his chest.
I was already out of the car.
“Don’t kill him!” Phoenix shouted after me.
“No promises,” I yelled right back as I jogged across the lawn and then slowly walked up to his side.
I tapped him on the shoulder.
The minute he turned, I clocked him in the jaw so hard he’d need to call his dentist to replace at least three teeth and if I was really lucky, four.
“Son of a bitch!” He roared from the ground. His looks screamed all-American football, sandy brown hair, a few misplaced freckles, athletic and dimples.
Fuck me.
The kid probably had a nanny growing up, wanted to go to Harvard because his dad went to Harvard but got sent here because it’s harder to get into.
He, probably wore white briefs, peed sitting down, and had a pet parrot.
“What the heck was that for?” Grass stained his black slacks as he tried to stand. We were naturally gaining an audience, but all I could seem to focus on was the fact that he was wearing white tube socks.
White. Tube. Socks.
With black shoes and black pants.
“Let me guess, you dress yourself?” I joked.
“So, you punched me?” He pressed the back of his hand to his mouth. “Ish thah a tooth?”
“Andrei.” Alice grabbed my arm and pulled me to her side. “What are you doing to my new lab partner?”
I smirked down at her. “Saying hello.”
“And a handshake was too easy?” Her eyes were bright, her cheeks pink like she’d been out in the sun too long, and something about her expression made me want to pull her against me, to see if her skin still felt warm from the sunlight, to see if she would hug me back.
One minute in Elena’s presence and I questioned things.
She was a menace to my sanity.
“I don’t shake hands.” I turned on my heel as Jackass of the Year got to his feet and swayed a bit. “These are the rules tiny dick. She’s mine. Touch her and I cut off the finger that committed the offense, breathe too close and I’ll take a piece of your tongue, and if I ever hear a word against her, I’ll make sure you can’t get a job until you’re forty. Do we have an understanding?”
“Wh-ho are you? Her father?”
“Do I look old enough to be her father?”
His mouth dropped open, then shut, he shook his head wildly.
“She’s mine,” I barked. “Do we have an understanding?”
“Yes.”
“Sir,” I prompted.
“Sir, yes, sir.”
I rolled my eyes. “Please stop saluting me, you’re embarrassing yourself. Now go.”
He stumbled away. A few of his friends helped him grab his bag and a discarded book, and the remaining students gaped like they’d never seen violence before.
“Why are you here?” Alice said through clenched teeth.
“What?” I tucked her hair behind her ears with both hands. “Not happy to see your husband?”
“You are not…” She leaned in; her eyes furious. “My husband.”
“You have my last name. You’re mine.”
“I didn’t sign anything.”
“That’s cute… your innocence that is.”
“I haven’t been innocent in a long time, and you know it.” She heaved, her chest rising up and down like it hurt to admit.
Shit.
Without thinking, I reached for her hips and pulled her hard against me, then lowered my mouth to hers. I kissed her softly, I explored her with my tongue, and she let me, she opened up like she hadn’t experienced hurt before or pain.