Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 79749 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 399(@200wpm)___ 319(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79749 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 399(@200wpm)___ 319(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
"That suits you," Zara says with a wide smile.
"Wait," I say, my eyes darting between the two of them. "Aren't you two—"
Her head tips back, laughter bubbling out of her as if she's completely carefree and uncaring of who witnesses it.
I look over at Nolan who seems less than impressed about all of this, his lips a flat line, irritation boiling in his eyes as he watches her response to my speculation.
The other guy who was at the cabin in Massachusetts walks into the room, his eyes darting to land on everyone in it.
"What's so funny?" he asks, incapable of keeping the growl out of his voice.
I stiffen. This guy scares the living shit out of me.
"She thought Jericho and I were together," Zara explains as she opens her arms.
The mean-looking man goes right to her as if he's powerless to resist that spot right beside her.
"Why would she think that?" the man snaps, all his attention on Nolan.
For some reason, the way the man seems ready to rip Nolan's head off for my confusion of the situation makes laughter bubble out of my throat. I don't know that I've ever witnessed a more territorial interaction before in my life.
"Settle down, Hemlock," Nolan says.
Hemlock's chest seems to swell as if he's readying himself for battle, and I begin to feel bad for Nolan. Before I can explain that it was all my mistake, Zara presses her hand to his chest, and it seems to be the only thing he needs in life. His eyes cut down to hers, and the way that man looks at her leaves me breathless from across the room. She is his entire world. I have to look away because although they're just simply looking at each other, I feel like I'm intruding on an intimate moment.
I pinch off a piece of the cinnamon roll and pop it into my mouth. I can tell by the sweetness on my tongue that it's delicious, but what if Eli hasn't had anything to eat today?
"You need your energy," Nolan says, closer now than he was before. "Eat."
I look over and notice his is gone. I swear the man licked the plate clean.
"I didn't mean to cause trouble," I whisper, but the other couple in the room aren't paying us any mind currently. They're too wrapped up in each other to concern themselves with the outside world.
"It's fine. Eat, and then I can show you to a room."
Chapter 23
Jericho
"It's not much," I tell her, opening the door to my assigned room. "But it's clean and safe."
Aspen stands in the open doorway to my room, her eyes darting around it, like she needs to memorize her surroundings. I know she was feeling guilty for not being able to provide any more information on places she has traveled with Damien and even her father when she was younger, and she might be trying to make a difference. Either that or she might not trust that she's safe here. I don't know that she has accepted that we aren't her enemies. I know that has more to do with how she was raised than anything else.
I've done my best not to take that thought to heart because we all have our own hangups over shit.
"I have a meeting," I tell her, not stepping further into the room.
"This is your room?" she guesses, despite the fact that there isn't a single distinguishing thing in here to make her think that.
"What makes you ask?"
"It smells like you," she whispers, a pinkish tint lighting up her cheeks.
Her eyes dip to my mouth, making my entire body threaten to come alive, and we aren't doing that shit right now.
"The other rooms are either taken or undergoing a remodel," I tell her. "Lock the door behind me if it makes you feel safer."
I turn and walk away, hating that she's able to cause any fucking reaction from me other than irritation at this point.
I quickly make my way down the stairs and right to the conference room. I need to be around other people before my body leads me right back to her.
The room is already occupied by Casper, Ace, and Jersey. Nyx is sitting in the corner, dark eyes assessing us like we pose a threat to him somehow. Jesus, the man gives Hemlock's resting bitch face a run for its money.
"This won't be a very long meeting," Hemlock says as he comes into the room, letting the heavy door swing closed behind him.
I'm surprised he was able to pull his ass away from Zara long enough to join us.
I tilt my head, annoyed with myself and the bitterness swimming inside my head. I'm not normally such a cynical bastard.
"Our team has made its way through numerous locations," Hemlock says, the huge television behind him powering on to show pictures of five different locations. "The Reese/Gaines organization has its dirty little fingers in so many fucking pies, it sort of feels like we're looking for a needle in a haystack."