Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 114936 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 575(@200wpm)___ 460(@250wpm)___ 383(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 114936 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 575(@200wpm)___ 460(@250wpm)___ 383(@300wpm)
Gripping on to the handrail for dear life before the room tilts, I bang on Jordan and Christopher’s door.
Chris opens it. “You okay?” He’s wearing briefs and no shirt. He looks good. They always do. Too bad they don’t know that I know they’re sleeping together. I’m waiting for one of them to tell me, so I can elevate our friendship to the next level.
“I ordered us all burgers and fries. I’ll go wait for them down—”
“—No. I will go.” Chris disappears to grab a hoodie and jeans. “You wait in here with Jordan.”
I smile up at him. “You’re my—” High-pitched laughter distracts me from down the long concrete corridor. The Castle is old as fuck. We’ve upgraded what was necessary, but as far as decor goes, it remains very much intact to our great whatever ancestors and their royal family blood.
“What—” It sounds out again, and I turn to follow the sound when a hand is on my wrist, keeping me at the door.
“No. What are we not going to do?” Kenan isn’t who I was expecting. He’s showered and dressed in cotton pajamas with space rockets printed all over, and has a green facemask on.
“How are you alive?” The distraction works. “But I’m glad you’re here because I think I ordered too many burgers.”
Kenan massages his temples as we both make our way into Chris and Jordan’s room. “The snow counteracts the alcohol, so it kicks me out faster.” He looks around the room. “How come this is nicer than my room?” Chris and Jordan have the room directly below mine, so their front window overlooks the driveway. There are two double beds and a bathroom that opens out to the room. No privacy at all and appropriate for the time it was built.
I jump up onto the other double bed. “Keaton has a girl in his room.”
Kenan is silent for a moment, even though both he and I know that I’m talking to him. “I know, baby girl. I saw them.”
I thought that Keaton would have been the grumpy one storming down the stairs tonight to ask where I had been. I expected him to, not that I wanted him to.
Squeezing my eyes closed, I let out a soft laugh. “Where did this go wrong?”
“Probably around where you dragged me off the plane and got drunk?”
The door opens and Jordan carries in brown paper bags filled with food. Grease and meat fill the air and my mouth waters. He places a bag onto my bed. “You know, I don’t think what’s happening down there has anything to do with you.”
I reach into the bag and take out a burger, sliding beneath the covers. “Well, it kind of feels like it does.”
I haven’t seen him at all since the plane, and I know that has to do with me staying upstairs all day to ignore him. I don’t know what I’d do if I saw him, and who the hell is the girl who was in his room last night? I know it isn’t Candi, so I’m guessing she’s from Kiznitch.
My phone dings, and I roll onto my stomach to take it off the charger.
He’s going to be here in thirty.
I blow out a deep breath and swing my legs over the bed. Choosing a leather short skirt, Doc Martens, black socks that come over my knees, and a simple tight white V-cut crop top, I throw everything on and brush my teeth, scrubbing my face with hot water and applying minimal makeup. My hair is getting way too long, and as much as I’d rather just leave it out to do its own thing because I’m too lazy, I pull out my makeup bag and grab some rubber bands before working it into a part and French braiding both sides. At least like this, they won’t be in the way. Opening my phone, I hit play on Chase Atlantic and hum my way through the final braid. Once it’s all done, I swipe my lips with blood-red lip stain and scoop up my black blazer before finally leaving my room. It’s the first time I’ve been outside of it since last night, and it has a lot to do with my brother and less to do with Keaton getting his dick wet the second he was back on home soil.
I make my way down my stairs, flying down as fast as I can. The chatter of people talking in the family room directs me, so I round the corner, my shoulders back and chin up. I’ve been around these men all of my life. I know how to handle them. Or I pretend to.
King stops talking, and I don’t have time to assess who all is in the room because everyone turns to face me. I can’t see them, but I can feel them staring at me. Bishop didn’t come alone.