Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 107687 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107687 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
“No, I get it,” I agree, taking a long pull of my beer. “I’ll probably talk to her.”
“Good,” he says, and I can hear the satisfaction in his voice. “And then you can admit you’ve got a huge thing for Austen, tell her about it, and see how that goes.”
I snort, knowing damn well her face would flush before she would glare and then laugh at the audacity I would have to display to tell her that. “She’ll probably laugh in my face.”
“Probably,” he agrees, but before either of us can say anything else, we hear raised voices. Our gazes snap to where Quinn and Emery are squaring off. “Oh shit. Here we go.”
I chuckle at that, but it trails off when I notice Emery is crying. “You gotta stop!” she yells, her body shaking. “I can’t do this anymore.”
“Guys, this is not the time,” Elli interjects, but neither of them hears her. Or they ignore her.
“I love you, Em. And I know you love me,” Quinn pleads, but Emery is shaking her head. “Please don’t do this any longer. Give me a chance.”
“It doesn’t matter what I feel or what you think I feel. You gotta leave me alone.”
Then Fallon, Emery’s mom, is beside her. “Quinn, you need to move on. She doesn’t want to be with you.”
By the look on Elli’s face, this is about to get bad. “Who are you to say that?” Elli snaps, and I see Shea pushing through the crowd to get to his wife.
“Oh shit. Who’s gonna swing first? Emery on Quinn, or Elli on Fallon?” Flynn jokes, and I look at him wide-eyed.
“I’ve got my money on Elli.”
He nods. “All fucking day.”
“Elli, this is getting ridiculous and is practically stalking,” Fallon tries, but Elli shakes her head.
“But nothing is to be said about how Emery plays with my son’s feelings. She was just at the house the other night!”
I cover my mouth to keep in the shocked gasp.
“She is playing him for her needs.”
Fallon looks stunned, but she recovers well. “She went to talk to him.”
“And had sex with him instead?” Elli throws back. “She went into the bathroom in his shirt, Fallon! No pants.”
“Elli, please,” Shea says softly.
“I don’t know about that. All I know is Quinn won’t leave her alone—”
“I’m done!” Emery screams, tears streaming down her face. “Fucking done,” she says to everyone. “I refuse to let us come between the century-long friendship of our families. If we can’t live in the same state and you let me be, then I’m gone. I’m fucking gone.”
She turns, but Quinn takes her wrists. “Don’t do this.”
She pulls her hands from his. “I am doing this for you, for our families. I’m the problem, and I’m removing myself because of it. Move on. Find someone who can give you what you want.”
“You don’t mean that,” he accuses. “You don’t want me to be with anyone, just as the thought of another man touching you will break me.”
“Move. On!” She stomps off, and the look on Quinn’s face breaks my soul. Dude looks like a kicked dog, but then he pushes past people to go the other way. Time stands still, and I swear you could hear a puck hit the hardwood. Gone is the excitement, replaced by anger and resentment.
Flynn glances at me just as I look at him, and with an expression of pure horror, he says, “Man, you couldn’t pay me to get involved with the Brookses or the Adlers.”
I have to agree. “Same, bro. Same.”
The party pretty much ends after that, and I am the first one out the door. I have nothing to say to anyone, and I sure as hell don’t want to listen to each side. I just hope the wedding goes off without a hitch. I feel for both sides, but I definitely don’t want Stella’s wedding to be ruined by drama that is out of her control. It’s all just so sad—but it’s entertaining too. Which may make me an asshole.
I close the door behind me and throw my keys on the side table as I take in my dark apartment. I wonder where Austen is? Her door is open, and her keys aren’t on the table. If she’d give me her damn number, I could call. But I doubt she’ll give it to me now, after I scared the shit out of her this morning. I chuckle to myself as I turn on the lights and head into the kitchen for a beer. Before I can make it to the fridge, though, something catches my eye on the counter.
Dark Nights, a Truly Wicked Love Story.
My face breaks into the widest grin as I reach for the book. I grab a beer and then throw myself on the couch, not even the slightest bit worried that I’m still in my suit. I open the first page, and I get to reading. Talk about emotions, talk about drama, and the battle of the vampires is top-notch, but the way the hero talks to his heroine, fucking throws it down on her? Five stars, for sure.