Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 90721 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 454(@200wpm)___ 363(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90721 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 454(@200wpm)___ 363(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
He shrugged and sat up with me, gathering me close so my back was to his front.
When I looked at him in surprise, he leaned forward and whispered, “Your ass isn’t for every male in Benton to see. It’s mine.”
I rolled my eyes, and leaned into him as he explained.
“We had another arson, but we got there before it was fully engulfed. The arsonist didn’t like that and decided to throw a gas can through the back window when we were inside. I was the last one out before it blew; I was thrown down some stairs. I might have a couple of broken ribs.” Sebastian said hesitantly.
Kettle snorted, bringing my gaze to him. I hadn’t realized it before, but he’d been there since I’d entered the room.
He was dressed much the same as Sebastian, only he still had his shirt on.
He was smudged with dirt, his hair was plastered to his head from sweat, and he had a gash under his cheek that needed stitches.
“Of course, going down over the second floor balcony isn’t really the same as being thrown down stairs.” Kettle said dryly.
I gasped, knowing Sebastian had to be in extreme pain when I’d thrown myself at him, but he hadn’t complained even once. “Oh, Sebastian. I’m sorry.”
Instead of saying anything, Sebastian gathered me close, holding me tightly, much to the consternation of the grizzled old man that was taking up a silent vigil across the room.
Kettle, on the other hand, didn’t seem to mind in the least.
He was wearing a smile that practically lit up the room.
“Stop looking at her shorts.” Sebastian suddenly growled from behind me, making me jolt.
I looked in between the two in confusion. “What’s wrong with my shorts? They’re not really that bad.” I said hesitantly.
Sebastian snorted while Kettle decided to put in his two cents. “You’re wearing black panties with pink hearts.”
I gasped, and looked down at my legs.
Okay, they were a little short, but they really weren’t that bad!
Instead of arguing, I crossed my arms and glared at the man.
He laughed.
The bastard.
Wanting to change the subject, I turned in Sebastian’s arms and looked at his dirty, smudged face. “Do you want a drink or something? Do you need anything?”
Sebastian shook his head.
“You’re not leaving my side. Especially not in those shorts.” He growled, sending shivers down my spine.
“Who’s the man that’s glaring a whole in my chest?” I whispered into Sebastian’s ear.
He snorted. “That’s my boss.”
His lips moved over my skin as he spoke, and I really started to feel the heat.
My nipples puckered, and I was supremely happy that I was wearing the leather vest. It concealed my nipples quite nicely.
Just as I was about to say something else, Trance, in his black BPD uniform, came through the door with a notebook in hand. “Hey, brother. How ya doin’?”
Sebastian’s boss growled and left the room, a trail of aggravation trailing in his wake.
Stepping out of Sebastian’s arms, I went to the doorway and watched as the man stomped down the hallway. Turning back around, I placed my arms on my hips. “What’s his problem?” I asked the three men.
They hadn’t been surprised at his abrupt departure, but I was. Didn’t he need to answer just as much as Sebastian did? Wasn’t he there? Wasn’t he concerned about his employee?
Three sets of Warden eyes turned to me, all three assessing.
Kettle was the one to answer, though. “He’s mad that he got reprimanded in front of the whole department. Not to mention demoted. Sebastian’s the new Captain.”
My mouth fell open, and I smiled widely. “Really?” I asked excitedly, bouncing on my toes.
Sebastian shrugged. “We’ll see. The Chief got wind of all the fires, finally, and he had a lot of questions; ones The Captain didn’t have the answers to. I did, and it made him look bad. When he reacted badly, The Chief told him to he needed to speak with him in private. The Chief showed up here about twenty minutes ago, telling me I was the new acting Captain.”
“Well...” I said, trying valiantly to control the smile that I had no hope of containing. “That’s just fucking awesome!”
“What’s fucking awesome? That you finally got your head out of your ass?” Silas growled from behind her.
I spun and glared at him.
I crossed my arms across my chest, planted my feet, and said, “What kind of woman would take on a man like Sebastian without a little hesitation? He’s vice president of a prominent motorcycle club that nearly dominates the area below the Mason-Dixon Line. I’m not stupid. I didn’t want to jump into this without having my feet firmly planted on both sides. Not to mention the fact that I only got the full picture three days ago. I think I did remarkably well, if you want the truth. You can just...suck it.”
My hand flew to my mouth, covering it, while my eyes went wide in surprise. I hadn’t meant to say that, and by the look on Silas’ face, he hadn’t expected me to speak to him like that, either. But he also looked a little...proud.
“You’re lucky we don’t beat our women.” Silas muttered as he walked fully into the room and held up the wall beside Kettle.
I turned, and was surprised to see the worried looks on the other three faces in the room. “What?” I asked.
Trance came unstuck first, glancing from me to Silas and back again. Sebastian did the same, only a little more wide eyed.
What? Had no one ever said ‘suck it’ before? What was the big deal?
***
I learned later that night, as I started cooking dinner, what the big deal was.
“Hey,” Sebastian said, walking up next to me and leaning his hips against the counter. “My dad’s old fashioned. He doesn’t like when women speak so...strongly. He also hates change. He was trying to make you feel bad, yes, but he was also worried about me. So try not to say ‘suck it’ to him anymore, okay?”
I snorted, poured one of the cheese packets into the cooked noodles, and began to stir.