Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 105665 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 528(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 352(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105665 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 528(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 352(@300wpm)
“No. You don’t. But you belong with me.” He released her jaw and sauntered into the bathroom.
Ian took a quick shower. Returning to an empty bedroom, he grabbed his suitcase and carried it toward the stairs just as Chris stepped out of the guest bedroom. They sized up each other before Ian cleared his throat.
“If you have any questions about your job, have Jersey contact me. If you want to go back to Newark when she joins me abroad, Max will arrange your transportation.”
Chris returned an easy nod, and his lips curled into a tiny smirk. “I think I’ll wait here for Jersey. She might need me. Besides, we don’t know if her passport will get approved. It might just be the two of us here for a while.”
Ian narrowed his eyes, tipping his chin up a fraction to look down at Chris. “She sleeps in my room. You stay in yours. You keep your hands to yourself. Understood?”
Chris shrugged, sliding his hands into the pockets of his sweatpants. “She crawls into my bed because she likes my body next to hers and the comfort of my arms. I’m here to give her whatever she needs, including a tissue to wipe her watery eyes and drips of vomit from her chin after she lets you fuck her mouth like all the pricks before you.”
Ian saw red, so much red. His hands clenched into tight fists. Taking a step forward, he forced Chris into the wall, his right hand taking a firm hold on Chris’s neck. “Touch her. I kill you. It’s that simple.”
Chris took a hard swallow, his cocky grin quivered for a second before he took a full breath. “I’ll keep that in mind, rock star.”
Ian’s eye twitched. It took superhuman power not to crush his airway and wait for him to turn blue or drop him on his ass and kick it to the curb. Ian released Chris, leaving him gasping and rubbing his neck. Then he grabbed his suitcase and descended the stairs.
“Hey.” Shane smiled, waiting by the front door. It faded when he saw Ian’s murderous expression. “What’s up, buddy?”
Ian set his suitcase on the ground by Shane. “I’ll be out in a few minutes. There’s something I need to do first.”
“Sure you don’t need me to stay?”
Ian didn’t answer as he took long strides to the kitchen. Jersey tore her attention away from surveying the contents of the fridge to give him the once-over with a cautious expression.
“Pantry. Now.” He pointed toward the tall cabinet doors.
She paused for a moment as if to let him know she would do her thing on her own time.
“Now, Jersey. Don’t fuck with me. I need to leave.”
She followed him, crossing her arms over her chest as Ian turned toward her in the corner of the pantry, and the door eased shut behind her.
“You’re not a whore.” His jaw muscles pulsed. “You’re not a victim anymore. You’re not even homeless, or starving, or at anyone’s mercy. So why the fuck did you suck my dick, vomit, and tell your friend about it? I didn’t ask you to do it. If it’s some trigger for you, then why? Why would you do that?” A stomach-turning mix of anger and pain gripped him, torturing him with regret.
Jersey clenched her jaw as well, controlling her response with a few seconds of silence as he scowled, demanding an answer.
Ian waited.
No response.
She stared at his chest.
He wanted to shake the truth from her, but that would make him a hypocrite. So … he gave her time. But when she didn’t move or speak, time ran out.
On a painful sigh, he brushed past her, grabbed a bottle of water, and headed toward the front door.
“Coop?”
He stopped with his hand on the doorknob, his back to her voice. Her feet padded toward him, and she wedged herself between him and the door, sliding her hands around his neck. When she tugged on him, he leaned down, resting his forehead on hers and closing his eyes.
“I … I wanted to do that. And I wanted to like it. I didn’t want it to be a trigger. I didn’t want anyone to see me running to the bathroom to vomit.”
“Jersey …” he whispered, lazily rolling his forehead against hers. “Don’t let him touch you.”
Her head moved into a barely detectable nod, but he felt it, and it felt like hope. She pecked at his lips, but he didn’t want to give in so easily. A stubborn part of him wanted to stay pissed off at her. But he couldn’t put half a world between them without making things right. So he kissed her until the only thing holding her upright was his arms around her body.
She rubbed her lips together, letting a small grin slip. He smiled, feeling it in his veins like the ultimate high.