Total pages in book: 212
Estimated words: 207966 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1040(@200wpm)___ 832(@250wpm)___ 693(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 207966 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1040(@200wpm)___ 832(@250wpm)___ 693(@300wpm)
“You don’t understand what we’ve been through together. And it’s not easy to find family. I wish it was easy.”
“Does she understand what you’ve been through together? Or is it just you that’s holding onto a friendship that’s toxic?”
She didn’t answer.
She tossed and turned a while, but fortunately, it wasn’t long before her breathing evened out.
And not long later, she curled into me, cocking her leg over my thigh, resting her palm on my shoulder, her cheek on my chest.
I thought about pushing her off, but decided to leave her, since if I woke her again she’d probably continue babbling my fucking ear off.
4
I woke before dawn in an empty bed that still smelled like oranges and candy. I put my hand to the still warm sheets beside me.
After a too-long minute with that scent in my lungs and that warmth on my fingers I shook myself out of a stupor.
After I hit the can for a leak, I caught sight of a blonde braid and the long legs of my hostage on my way out.
Gianna was in the doorway of the TV room by the bathrooms and she was talking to someone, leaned casually against the wall, wearing just a long black t-shirt.
“You do Spence exclusively, or you bounce?” she asked.
I didn’t hear the reply before Gianna exclaimed, “Are you his old lady?” She sounded mortified. “My bad. Fuck, Gianna. I did it again. Do me a favor, forget you even saw me. All these confirmed bachelors droppin’ like flies. So sorry, hon.”
“Yo,” I barked and when she turned and saw me she let out a long breath with a roll of her eyes. “I didn’t know she was an old lady. Sue me. Sorry Pippa.”
She swept past me, wearing a Dominion Brotherhood t-shirt. Mine?
Pippa tried to move past me. I stopped her with, “She say stuff to piss you off?”
“Nope. Don’t worry.” She gave me a wide smile, then added, “But maybe someone should give her the lowdown on who is in a relationship, okay? She thinks you’re all single, ready to mingle, and doing all sorts of biker bunny swapping.”
Fuck.
I met my hostage at the coffee maker where she was pouring into two cups, about to suggest she not talk to any woman she doesn’t already know when instead I tugged the hem of her t-shirt.
“Is this mine?”
“It was on the dresser.”
“You don’t put on the shirt of a man who you’re not fucking,” I muttered.
“Is that a rule?” She raised her eyebrows and passed me a cup.
“It’s one of mine.” I got the cream from the fridge and poured some into the cup before I passed the cream to her. And I ignored the urge to tug on her braid. That would’ve been playful; I needed to be the opposite of playful with this girl.
“Get back in my room. Lotta wives and girlfriends here and don’t need them pullin’ on that pretty hair and tryin’ to scratch those blue eyes out.”
Her lip curled. “Yeah. I know. Wouldn’t be the first time. In fact, had one of them all but threaten that last night.”
“What?”
She shook her head. “No big deal.”
“Explain.”
She waved her hand dismissively.
“Now,” I ordered, setting the cup on the counter with a clink.
She sighed.
I leveled her with a dark gaze.
“I was at the sink, gettin’ ready for bed and minding my own business when a bombshell brunette got all up in my space ‘n said she heard about me. Then she warned me to stay away from Blow.”
“Marlena. One of the girls you saved with your tip-off. What’d you say to make her go off on you?”
“How do you know it was something I said?”
I raised my eyebrows.
“Fine. So, yeah, I put my foot in my mouth with Spencer’s girlfriend in there, and that’s kinda my thing, foot in mouth-itis, but to be fair, he’s never had someone exclusive as long as I’ve known him. He’s the one always playing musical sweet butts, so I just figured she was an Aberdeen bunny. I don’t know the girls here yet.”
“Be safer to keep your mouth shut than make assumptions.”
“I’m gettin’ that. But with that one last night, all I did was look at the chick because she came into the bathroom and her claws came out.”
I massaged my temples.
“So… you think my hair is pretty?” she asked, fluttering her eyelashes and leaning in closer.
Playing a game with me?
“Get back in my room. Go.” I gestured and pulled my hand back. I caught myself in time, stopping myself from swatting her ass.
Her eyes bounced between my hand and my face for a second before she walked ahead of me, carrying her cup. But she walked slowly. And pretty sure she was adding extra sway on purpose.
And fuck… the idea of slapping the bunny’s ass had my fingers and my dick both twitching.