Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 96065 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 480(@200wpm)___ 384(@250wpm)___ 320(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96065 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 480(@200wpm)___ 384(@250wpm)___ 320(@300wpm)
“You and Dad consort with them. It makes me wonder what sort of things you two are capable of.”
His face turns to ice, reminding me of Dad. “We’re not much different than them. VEIL is more than a global media conglomerate. We have a purpose.”
“Besides telling the news?”
“Sometimes the news needs to be served in portions or flavors people can handle,” he explains vaguely. “We create the menu for our viewers and spoon-feed them ourselves.”
“What does that mean—”
The ringing of his phone interrupts my question. He pulls it out and frowns. “Dad’s calling.” He swipes to answer the call. “Hey, Dad. Yep. On my way. Had to stop to grab some coffee. Be there shortly.”
He ends the call and stands abruptly.
“Where are you going?” I ask with a frown.
“To work. If Dad knew I told you all that…” He shakes his head. “Can it be our secret?”
Apparently, that’s all this family does. Keep secrets from each other.
“That’s all I get, huh?”
He nods and then bends to give me a quick hug. “For now. Maybe Dad will tell you all about the company one day. You deserve to know.”
With those cryptic words, he leaves.
Every time I feel like I have a handle on my life, more questions pop up around me, leaving me more confused than ever before.
Caius
The snowflakes landing on my face and hair aren’t enough to cool the heat that still burns like lava straight to my cock. I’m outside, for fuck’s sake, and am having trouble keeping my dick from chubbing up.
Last night was…
It was far more than a distraction. It was a repositioning of my entire world. I’m reminded of Romy’s puzzles. All the pieces were slated to be put together a certain way, but then she came into my world, rearranged them all with lightning-quick speed, and now I’m seeing a different picture.
I like this one.
A lot.
Which is frustrating in and of itself. I need to be focused, especially now when I have my sister finally within my crosshairs. Yesterday was the best lead I’ve had since I left her that fateful day.
My phone buzzes and a part of me hopes it’s Romy. I’m annoyed with how my mind seems to fixate on her and only her these days.
It’s not her.
Dad: We went ahead and ordered. I got you their special. ETA?
I quickly tap out a reply.
Me: That’s fine. Around the corner. Two minutes.
After shoving my phone back into my coat pocket, I pick up the pace. Thoughts of Romy once again flood my brain.
I couldn’t stay off her last night. Hell, I couldn’t even stay out of her last night. When I’d woken up literally fucking her, I thought it was a really good dream. But it wasn’t a dream. It was real.
You came inside her, stupid. Too many times to count.
The reminder is a harsh one, but I don’t let it ruin my good mood. Besides, it’s not like she’s going anywhere. If something happens, I’ll deal with it.
You just want a reason to keep her…
Rather than confirm or deny that thought, I fling open the door to the restaurant and head inside. I find a table in the back where Theo, Dad, and Kaitlyn are already seated. Once I pull off my coat and sit beside Dad, I reach across the table to ruffle Kaitlyn’s messy blond hair.
“What did you order?” I ask her. “Let me guess. Spinach.”
She scrunches her nose and shakes her head. “Ew, Uncle Cai. I got pancakes with chocolate chips and whipped cream.”
“But how will you grow muscles if you don’t eat your spinach?”
“I don’t want muscles,” she says with a huff. “I want chocolate.”
“Spoken like a true lady,” Theo says, turning to fist bump her.
She nearly knocks over her glass of orange juice with her other elbow, but Dad steadies it before it goes flying across the table into his lap.
I’m grateful they took the initiative to order my food because I’m starving. Turns out, spending all night fucking your girl will do that to you.
Stop. Thinking. About. It.
Theo, as if attuned to my brain, frowns and starts texting on his phone. He likes Romy. I get that. She’s smart and beautiful. But she’s mine. He may have grabbed her, creating this huge debacle, but I claimed her. Now, after last night, she’s absolutely mine. If I catch him in bed with her again, I won’t let him slip away so easily.
Kaitlyn busies herself setting her Barbie dolls in seated positions on the table and then tears a napkin to make them all bibs.
“This is the only family we have left,” Dad says lowly, leaning in close. “Cherish it, Son.”
When he calls me Son now, I don’t get pissed like I did at fifteen. He’s not my real father, but he’s spent the last twelve years fathering me. It’s difficult to think in another few years, I’ll have had Orion longer as a dad than my real one.