Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 69472 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 347(@200wpm)___ 278(@250wpm)___ 232(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69472 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 347(@200wpm)___ 278(@250wpm)___ 232(@300wpm)
28
Lucius
“This is a bad idea.” Evie fidgets in the passenger seat.
“It’s a great idea.” I take her hand and kiss it.
“I don’t know how I let you talk me into this.”
“I do. How many orgasms was it? Five or six?”
“Exactly. You waited until I was incapacitated.”
“I’m nothing if not a scoundrel.” I shrug. “But maybe that’s why you find me so lovable.”
“Your sweet talking doesn’t change the fact that your entire family hates me.”
“They don’t hate you.”
She gives me a deadpan stare.
“Okay, maybe they don’t understand you. They see you as an enemy.”
“I am an enemy. I mean, I’m not giving up on Magnolia. Maybe I won’t destroy it like I originally planned, but I’m going to streamline it whether you like it or not.”
“So, don’t lead with that.” I glance at her. “Just table that for a while, and we can come back to it. You don’t have to do a takeover to work your magic on the company. I can be persuaded to work with you in exchange for certain favors.”
“I don’t do sex work.”
“You won’t have to. I make sex more like a vacation than work.” I lick between her fingers.
“You’re the worst.” She laughs.
“Agreed. But, like I said, might not want to bring Magnolia up tonight. A little more time and massaging are needed there.”
“They’re going to doubt me. They’ll say this is too fast—because it is. I mean, I just tried to kill you, and now we’re what? Dating?”
“We’re in love.” I nibble her knuckles.
“That sounds absolutely absurd.”
“Doesn’t mean it’s not true.”
“Okay, so what about …” She takes a deep breath as we enter the Vinemont gate. “What about Red?”
“You can talk as much or as little about that as you want. But just know, Stella suffered at his hands.” Even now, I remember the hell he put her through. Tonight won’t be easy, but it has to happen. Evie is part of my life now. A huge part. “She’s not going to remember him fondly. None of us are.”
“I know.” She squeezes my hand. “I won’t bring him up. Or, at least I’ll try not to.”
“I think that’s all you can do. He’s part of your life, and for good or ill, he was your brother. Nothing we can do to change it.”
“When did you become so level-headed?”
“Don’t worry. It’ll pass. I’ll be back to reckless in no time.”
“I’d expect nothing less.”
“There’s only one thing I need you to remember for this entire evening.”
“What’s that?” She stares ahead as the house comes into view.
“That I’ve got your back.”
“Against your family?” She doesn’t sound convinced.
“You’re part of that family now.” I know it sounds so fucking insane and sudden. Or maybe it’s neither of those. Maybe our stars have been aligned from the moment we came screaming into this world. I don’t know. I just want her to trust me, to have faith that I’ll protect her.
She takes a deep breath. “I can hold my own.”
“Are you listening to my thoughts?” I pull up near the front porch.
“Maybe. I thought I heard some static back there at the gate.” She shoots me a wicked glance.
“There’s the spirit.” I kiss her palm then kill the engine and step from the car. As I walk around to help her out, little Teddy runs onto the porch.
“Hey!” He jumps from the top step, lands in a hunch, and does a forward roll to his feet.
“Wow.” Evie takes my hand and steps out.
Teddy freezes, his eyes on Evie. I don’t blame him. She’s wearing a yellow sundress, the kind with those thin straps at the top. She’s a bombshell.
“Teddy, this is my girlfriend Evie.”
“Girlfriend?” She shoots me a look.
“What?” I pull her closer and wrap my arm around her waist.
“You have a girlfriend?” Teddy looks aghast.
“Yep.”
“Does Mommy know?”
“She’s about to find out.”
“Okay.” He turns to run inside, then stops. “Hey. Didn’t you say a girl named Evie shot you?” His wide eyes go back to her.
“Sure did, champ. Isn’t she something?” I kiss her cheek.
“I’m telling Mommy.” He runs off as Evie groans.
We walk up the front steps.
“I’ve been here before.”
“You have?” I stop on the porch, the sunset sending dappled rays through the trees at the edge of the lawn.
“When I was a kid, yeah. Red and I came over for some ceremonial thing. Maybe when your mom was Sovereign. I’m not sure.”
“Was I here?”
“Yes.” She looks down, her cheeks turning a light shade of pink.
“I wish I could remember it.”
“You were already a teenager, way too cool for a little girl like me. But we did talk.”
“We did?” I face her and run my fingers down a lock of her soft hair. “I bet I was charming.”
“You were larger than life for me. The evil smile, bright eyes, and sarcastic wit.” She sighs. “I never had a chance not to fall in love with you.”