Total pages in book: 176
Estimated words: 167257 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 836(@200wpm)___ 669(@250wpm)___ 558(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 167257 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 836(@200wpm)___ 669(@250wpm)___ 558(@300wpm)
His ebon gaze bounced between us before settling on his wife. “What are you doing here?”
Jada’s manicured nails flicked toward me. “I came to take Atlas to lunch.”
As if these unexpected and disastrous events were my fault, Joren’s gaze flitted to me before narrowing suspiciously.
Of course, he thought this was my doing.
Or maybe he was afraid I’d spill the beans about the stripper he’d snuck out of his office early this morning. I guess Diamond hadn’t even been worth the thirty bucks it would have cost for a few hours at one of the motels in Hooker’s Cove.
“You know what?” he said with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “I’m feeling a little hungry myself. Mind if I tag along?”
Oh, hell no. While the two of them were occupied, I quietly grabbed my phone off the desk, ducking my head as I quickly typed out a one-word text.
Help.
I nervously tapped my foot, tuning out Joren and Jada’s bickering as I watched bubbles appear on the screen before a reply came seconds later.
Mine: Omw
I released the breath I’d been holding and pocketed my phone just as Jada said, “But, baby, I wanted it to be just us girls.”
“Fuck is going on here?” Rowdy’s booming voice barked, startling a few of the patrons lounging in the waiting room and me with his sudden appearance. I had no idea how he got over here so fast when he’d been next door overseeing operations at Harry’s.
Maybe calling him in for reinforcements hadn’t been such a great idea since I knew my baby lived on Go—his moniker wasn’t for nothing.
“Rowdy, there you are.” Jada lost what few points she had in her favor when she fluttered her lashes and smiled. “I was just inviting Atlas to lunch. Can you please tell my husband that he can’t come along? It’s a girl date. You understand.”
Ignoring Jada, Rowdy’s gaze immediately slid to me.
Whatever he saw on my face had him shaking his head a moment later. “Nah. I don’t understand shit. Tuesday is off today, and the shop is too busy to leave the desk uncovered.”
At least it wasn’t a lie.
Even now, the waiting room was full, and the phone was ringing off the hook. The Monday morning rush had yet to abate, so I’d already made plans to work through lunch.
“I need Atlas here. Maybe some other time.”
The feigned pleasantness instantly melted off Jada’s face. “Really? Are these the games you two want to play?” Her head tilted to the side, and the look in her eyes as she silently communicated something to Rowdy said she was in on a secret that only the two of them knew. “Why can’t your girlfriend have lunch with me, O—Rowdy? I’m harmless.”
Somehow, I doubted that.
“Jada, kill that noise,” Joren ordered. He stepped forward and grabbed his wife’s thin arm. “That man just told you why. Come on.” He guided her toward the door, safely out of Rowdy’s reach. “I’ll take you to lunch. My treat.”
“Of course it is, husband,” Jada snapped. “It sure as hell won’t be mine.”
Inwardly, I cringed as I watched them go, their heated argument reaching my ears from across the shop.
There wasn’t much I knew about marriage.
In fact, I knew nothing at all, including how the hell those two had stayed in it together for so long. Clearly, they were both unhappy, finding contentment only in making each other miserable.
“Wow,” I drawled as soon as the side door closed behind them. Still arguing, they headed for the employee parking lot. My gaze slid to Rowdy, who was looking everywhere but at me. “Are they always like that?”
“Pretty much,” he mumbled. He then checked the time on his watch before finally meeting my gaze. “So come on. Let’s go.”
I frowned. “Where are we going?”
Rowdy gave me an impatient look as if I should have already known the answer. “I’m taking you to lunch.”
A conspiratorial grin spread my lips despite my hesitating long enough to say, “But you said I had to stay since we’re busy.” The phone was still ringing off the hook.
“I know what I said, Dream. Fuck that phone. My only concern is you, and right now, I want to feed you.”
All the air left me, leaving me breathless. “Okay.”
Blushing, I quickly routed the phones to voicemail before grabbing my purse and leaving the desk. The current repairs wouldn’t be completed for a couple of hours anyway, so I had plenty of time to let my boyfriend take care of me.
As if reading my thoughts, Rowdy grabbed my hand, stopping me when I started to walk past him in my skintight jeans. “Hold that thought,” he murmured, kissing me when I looked at him. “I need to take care of something really quick. Go upstairs and wait for me in my office. I want to pound that pussy for a few before we go.”