Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 123065 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 615(@200wpm)___ 492(@250wpm)___ 410(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 123065 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 615(@200wpm)___ 492(@250wpm)___ 410(@300wpm)
“Why are you talking about apples and Forrest Gump?” Cyrus’s voice is so loud that I stumble back farther from whomever this sexy stranger is, almost feeling a sense of guilt at being caught near him and stumbling into his own private residence. “And stop hitting on her, we’re going to Sin for breakfast in a few minutes. And what the hell sort of poison are you cooking? Didn’t we discuss this? Never feed the guests.”
Wait we’re leaving now?
“Like I said…” The guy goes to the oven and opens it, taking a huge inhale before laughing to himself. “Nobody would ever know, right?”
“Don’t”—Cyrus points at me like I’m the one in trouble—“ever eat anything he offers you. I don’t care if it’s a fruit snack.” He growls low in his throat. “Enki just likes to mess with people’s minds. Take nothing he says seriously.”
I gulp while Enki rolls his eyes and flips Cyrus off. “You need a vacation.”
“And you need a chaperone.” Cyrus paces the kitchen, reaches for a glass, then turns around, his glare is straight up locked on me. “Shouldn’t you be getting ready, not flirting?”
“I wasn’t flirting,” I say defensively, holding up my hands.
“If she was, I’d almost feel sad for humanity at this rate. Would have been a horrible go at it.” Enki shrugs. “She defended herself with a dish towel.”
Cyrus’s eyebrows shoot up. “Was there a reason you missed the knives right next to it?”
His gaze points toward the knives literally inches from where the dish towel had hung.
I would die in war.
Enki unloads the cinnamon rolls onto a plate. “Oh well, I’m just going to bring these delicious rolls into Sin then. Can I catch a ride?”
I swear Cyrus’s entire face tightens to the point of teeth cracking from how hard his jaw clenches. “What are you doing?”
“What I always do, brother.” He slaps Cyrus on the shoulder and squeezes. “Give people a way out. It is, after all, my sole purpose.”
“Yes, well last time you did that we had orgies in the streets for two straight days.”
Enki puts a hand over his heart. “Those were some of my favorite moments. Besides, it was Valentine’s Day. If you ask me, it was a gift from the gods. I’m hurt you didn’t have fun.”
“Someone had to fix it,” Cyrus snaps.
Enki winks then runs a finger down Cyrus’s broad chest. “Admit it, you enjoyed yourself.”
Cyrus jerks away. “Cleo, get ready, and I’m serious, don’t eat anything this monster throws at you.”
Enki just grins and holds out a roll, his eyes practically glowing. “You sure you don’t want a taste?”
Cyrus moves in front of him.
I peek around him as Enki waves at me with his free hand, rolls his eyes, and puts the roll back on the plate then licks his fingers. “Fine, I’ll stop, but I really do need that ride, I took the boat, and Ken’s still pissed.”
“When is he not pissed?”
I raise my hand. “Who’s Ken?”
“A lovely pet you’ll hopefully never meet,” Enki says as he makes eye contact with me again. “It bites. Then again, so do I—”
Cyrus grabs him by the neck. What is with him and pets?
“Cleo,” His voice is too calm, I think I prefer the raised one. “Go change, we need to go.”
I don’t think I’ve ever changed so fast in my entire life. I don’t even realize I’m wearing a black turtleneck with jeans and Converse until I look down while I’m in the car.
I just grabbed the first few things from my suitcase, snatched my black leather backpack and bolted out of my room and outside to a waiting and still bickering Cyrus and Enki.
I think I prefer the bickering to the sudden tense silence in the BMW as Cyrus drives it down the busy downtown street. As promised, Enki brought the cinnamon rolls and has them in the back seat next to him.
Does he poison people? Drug them? Is he on drugs? And are they really brothers?
I don’t ask.
“Do you guys mind if we play some music?” I have no clue how I find the strength to even open my mouth.
When I look over at Cyrus he’s actually smiling like it’s a funny joke, and in the rearview mirror Enki is doing the same.
Maybe I’m funnier here in here than home.
“What do you listen to?” Cyrus asks as his massive hands move across the screen. “Country? Classic? Folk? Pop?”
“Um…” I hadn’t really thought past the silence in the car. “I’m good with anything. How about something local? An indie band or a…I don’t know…folk.”
“Daggon used to be in a band,” Enki pipes up. “I think he was the lead singer. Memory’s kind of fuzzy. It’s been a while.”
“He can sing?”
Cyrus snorts. “He used to be able to sing.”
I frown as the town comes into view. “Did he damage his vocal cords?”