Total pages in book: 192
Estimated words: 189782 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 949(@200wpm)___ 759(@250wpm)___ 633(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 189782 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 949(@200wpm)___ 759(@250wpm)___ 633(@300wpm)
“I know.” I shift, straddling him and resting my chin on his chest. “But you have to trust me to protect myself, too.”
“I do.”
“Prove it.” I coil a strand of hair around my finger, waiting.
“Who else does that work on? Leo? I bet he falls for it.”
“What are you talking about?”
“The huge puppy dog eyes, hair twirling, fluttering lashes, and this sexy little pout…” He traces my bottom lip. “Woman, you are filthy sweet and charming as fuck, and when you bite your lip like that, you’re lethal. Makes it impossible to deny you anything.”
“I’m not trying to manipulate you.” I crawl up his rippled torso and sink into his smoldering gaze. “I’m telling you very clearly that you cannot assault people. Not my colleagues. Not my doctors. Not the strangers I encounter in town. If you see something you don’t like, you need to come to me, and we’ll talk about it like adults. Can you handle that?”
“I’ll try.”
“Thank you.
“I’ll do a session with Dr. Whitaker.” He holds up a finger. “Just one. Then I’ll go back to calling him a dead man.”
I sigh. Because what else can I do?
As we stare at each other in the fading light, I know one thing is certain. I don’t want to argue with him anymore.
The therapy session, the fight, the makeup sex, the unresolved emotions—it’s enough for one day. I just hope I can find a way to navigate through it all without becoming a doormat in the process.
Being the only woman on an island of dominating, controlling men is exhausting.
But it’s not Hoss.
This is a dream compared to what I escaped.
“We should go check on Leo and Monty.” I start to rise.
“They’ll find us when they’re finished.” He guides me back to his chest.
He’s so warm against my cheek. A bit hard and chiseled. But he’s safe. One of my favorite places.
He pulls out his phone and browses the Internet. I watch him search on driver’s license practice tests, effective muscle-building exercises, and industrial distillery equipment.
As he scrolls with one hand, the fingers of his other absently comb through my hair.
My eyes grow heavy. I fight the pull, but within minutes, I fall asleep.
When I wake, I’m alone.
Lying on the couch in the guest house, I squint through the mantle of nightfall.
A porch light glows beyond the window, illuminating Leo just outside the door, hands on his hips, expression pensive.
A deep voice muffles through the walls. I can’t decipher words, but I know that tone belongs to Monty.
Is Kody with them?
Yawning, I rise to my feet and make my way to them.
The instant I open the door, their conversation cuts off, and three pairs of eyes turn to me.
“Hey.” I lean against the doorframe and hug my waist, shivering in the cool night breeze. “Why are you out here?”
“Didn’t want to wake you.” Leo strides toward me. “You’re cold. We can continue this inside.”
Everyone shuffles into the cozy sitting room and open kitchen. I deliberately take the only armchair, hoping they’ll all squeeze onto the couch.
They don’t.
Leo and Kody sit on either end. Monty perches on the edge of the kitchen table, arms folded and legs crossed at the ankles.
“How did your therapy sessions go?” I ask Leo and Monty.
“No fighting or drama.” Leo rubs his nape. “Pretty anticlimactic.”
“And no touching.” Kody gives him and Monty a pointed look.
“Not once.” Monty narrows his eyes at me with condescension and superiority, the side of his mouth curling as if to emphasize he was right all along.
“So this is how it’s going to be?” I sit back, head held high. “You’re besties now, embracing your brotherhood through a shared hatred toward my therapist.”
“Frankie,” Kody gnarls under his breath.
“Part of me wants to call Doyle and tell him I’ve found someone else. A straight female psychiatrist who doesn’t threaten the men in the Strakh family.” I ignore the heavy glaring around me and shift to the edge of my chair. “But it’s a slippery slope. I’ll be working for Rhett again. One of my closest friends. He’s an unmarried man. Very touchy-feely.”
“He’s gay,” Monty says.
My nostrils flare. “A lot of my colleagues at the hospital are unmarried men. Sometimes we go out for drinks after our shifts.”
“Cool.” Leo nods. “We’ll go with you.”
“Sometimes, sure. But not always. What if you don’t like them? What if one of them casually touches me? I won’t eliminate people from my life who don’t pass your approval. That’s not healthy. Tell me you understand that.”
“Remember when Wolf asked you about your red flag?” Kody asks. “You said you’ve always had someone. Boyfriends. Friends with benefits. A husband. None were platonic friendships.”
Monty stiffens.
“I had schoolmates and colleagues.” A flush burns my cheeks.
“Fuck buddies.”
“What’s your point?”
“You don’t have female friends because they’re jealous of you. And every guy you’ve befriended tries to turn it into something more. Tell me I’m wrong.”