Total pages in book: 30
Estimated words: 28145 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 141(@200wpm)___ 113(@250wpm)___ 94(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 28145 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 141(@200wpm)___ 113(@250wpm)___ 94(@300wpm)
"Professional tennis player from Netherlands, two-time cover model for Sports Illustrated, Instagram influencer..." Since it was Vixen reading the woman's Wikipedia entry, she missed seeing the way Leighton blanch at the other girl's list of accomplishments. "Has been going out for four years with Ja—-" Vixen quickly stopped speaking, but it was too late.
Leighton could only summon a wan smile. "Four years, huh?"
Vixen, realizing how she had so dreadfully put her foot in her mouth, said right away, "It doesn't matter how long they've been together. She did mention he broke up with her, remember? That's what I was actually wondering earlier. If they've already broken up, then doesn't that mean you and James are..."
"I g-get what you're saying," the other girl interrupted Vixen jerkily, "but don't you think...if he could break up with his girlfriend just like that...and that's his girlfriend for four years - don't you think he could do the same thing to me? He could even choose to ghost me, since I'm nothing but a fling—-"
"I'm sure it's not like that—-"
"Harlene Thompson is practically perfect," Leighton pointed out painfully, "and he could just get rid of her like...like she meant nothing. How can I possibly let myself believe I'm the type of girl who can..."
When Leighton looked as if she was about to cry again, Vixen, at a complete loss this time, turned to Christopher in silent panic. What do I do now?
JAMES WAS WORRIED AS fuck. Harlene had practically turned into a fucking animal earlier, and since he couldn't very well knock Harlene unconscious, all James had been able to do was pin his ex-girlfriend down while a silently crying Leighton stumbled off the bed and began picking her clothes off the floor.
He had tried talking to Leighton, of course, but with Harlene shouting obscenities at the both of them, Leighton hadn't probably heard a thing he said.
Or maybe she had, James thought grimly, but at that point she had simply felt too hurt and betrayed to listen to him.
The thought of losing Leighton for good had James feeling a desperate kind of urgency and terror he had never known, and it was only when he was about to make a call to Leighton's boss and ask for the favor of a lifetime—-
It was at that moment he received a text message that gave James his first glimmer of hope.
Maybe...maybe there was still a chance to salvage his future from a lifetime of emptiness.
FEELING RATHER FIERCELY protective at the unusual look of helplessness on Vixen's face, Christopher racked his brains for a solution even though playing the love guru wasn't really his thing.
Sure, there was that time he had done a bit of purposeful meddling to get Lucian Stanhope and the guy's then-former-student Audra together, but that had been more a lark than anything, as well as Christopher's way of thanking Lucian for performing a career-saving injury on his knee.
Other than that, however...
Ah!
He fired off a quick text and afterwards took Vixen's hand to press a quick kiss of assurance on her knuckles. I got you, m'dear.
Vixen's eyes widened. How?
He showed her his iPhone. I texted James to come here and explain himself.
"You what?"
Both Leighton and Christopher jerked in their seats when Vixen suddenly shrieked the words like they were a magical spell (or curse) that could win (or lose) her the lottery in an instant.
"Vixen?" Leighton's tone was one of anxious concern. "Are you okay?"
Vixen didn't know how to answer. Did she tell Leighton what Christopher had done or was it better to wait—-
The sound of the doorbell ringing interrupted her thoughts, and with it Vixen had her answer. She nodded at Christopher, who then rose to his feet to answer the door.
Leighton froze in shock when she saw James striding in.
"We'll leave you two talking for now," Christopher said immediately, and hearing this, Vixen jumped to her feet and hurried away before Leighton could do anything to keep her from leaving.
"Sorry, Leighton. We, er, have something to, um, anyway...see you later."
Leighton finally recovered from shock and burst to her feet as well. "Wait—-" But it was too late, and as soon as the door closed behind the couple she found herself suddenly alone in a room once again...with James.
IT HURT JAMES TO SEE Leighton so scared of him in this manner. The only time he liked to see fear in her lovely blue eyes was when they were fucking. But other than that, her pain was his hell, and James could not fucking bear seeing it for another second.
Leighton had no time to react when James suddenly moved in a burst of speed. By the time she drew her next breath, her stiff, tense body was already enclosed within his steely embrace, and James was all that she could see and breathe.
She tried escaping, of course. She tried her very hardest, but he was just too strong while she...she was weak, the tears that were now blurring her eyes draining Leighton of strength.