Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 142783 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 714(@200wpm)___ 571(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 142783 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 714(@200wpm)___ 571(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
It took a second for her to respond. My heart thudded in my chest while I waited. Nerves rattling. I could feel it, we were right there.
Taylor: No fucking way. He wouldn’t. You know that. His pride is too big for that.
Me: Jarek went at least four times this last summer.
Taylor: SHUT. UP.
Me: That’s what we’ve learned, at least.
Taylor: And you need to know why.
I could see her brain spinning.
Me: Yeah.
Taylor: And you think the why is in that bag.
She didn’t even phrase it as a question. Her mind was already adding it up and coming to the quick conclusion.
Me: I have to believe something is in there.
Taylor: Don’t worry because I think I figured out how to get inside.
Antsy anticipation slipped beneath my skin.
Me: How?
Taylor: I’m going to seduce the biker.
My heart nearly popped out of my chest when she sent a picture of the scariest guy I’d ever seen. He was outside the house I’d lived at for the last seven years, leaning against the wall with a cigarette dangling from his mouth and his motorcycle boot kicked back on the brick. Dark hair, covered in ink, the patch on his cut claiming Demon’s Day.
Taylor was right. He looked like kicking kittens was his favorite hobby.
Me: Are you insane? You cannot seduce the biker.
Anxiety clawed through my senses. I couldn’t exchange the safety of one of us for the downfall of the other. It was insanity.
A second later, her response buzzed through.
Taylor: Why can’t I have sexy times with an uber hot biker if you get to?
Me: Logan is not a biker.
Taylor: Oh, please, that boy may wear a suit, but he has biker blood all the way down in his soul. Piss him off and see what happens.
Okay, fine, she was right, but that didn’t change things.
Me: I refuse to put you in danger, Taylor. I only asked for this favor if Dominic could slip in unnoticed, not for you to go on a suicide mission.
Taylor: Death by orgasm. Sign me up.
I tried to hold back a screech of frustration.
Me: Please don’t do something stupid.
Taylor: It’s not stupid if it’s for you.
I could feel the tone of her voice soften.
Taylor: Besides, Dom’s out. This mission is on me. And this guy looks like a challenge.
I blew out a sigh, warring, unsure of what to do. She responded before I got the chance to.
Taylor: Trust me, Aster. Please.
The affection that pulled tight across my chest almost felt like pain.
Me: Just be careful. I would never forgive myself if something happened to you.
Taylor: I love you, too.
Me: You know I do.
Me: And delete this thread before Papa sees it, and he locks you away forever.
Taylor: Done, big sister. Don’t worry yourself. I have it handled. I’ll be in touch soon. Stay safe.
She finished it off with a row of blowing-kiss faces.
While I stood there terrified of what I’d gotten her into.
THIRTY-NINE
LOGAN
“Do you have any idea what you standing there looking that way does to me?”
I hovered at the doorway of the bathroom and watched Aster get ready in front of the mirror. The girl wore this floor-length white dress that shimmered in the light, a slit riding up to her right thigh, the material slinky and sliding over those lush curves.
Nothing but satin and temptation.
My Little Star that burned so bright it was blinding.
Fire-agate eyes met my gaze in the reflection. I felt her expression all the way to my guts, and my fingers itched with the need to trace the lines of her gorgeous face. She had her hair up in a twist, and a couple pieces hung loose to caress her bare shoulders exposed by the tiny straps of her dress.
She wore the same necklace she’d worn the first night in the basement, the star I’d given her years before, and her engagement ring on her finger that I’d never thought would find its rightful place.
My heart squeezed.
She was a vision.
A gift.
A treasure.
Her gaze slipped over me as I slowly edged forward, and attraction quivered in the space. A deep intensity that whispered and bound and never let go.
“You don’t look too terrible yourself.”
A rough chuckle fumbled out as I wrapped my hands around her waist and pressed my nose to the flesh behind her ear.
I inhaled.
Hyacinth and magnolias.
“I love it when you look at me like that,” I murmured.
A slip of playfulness pulled at the edge of her mouth. “Like what?”
“Like you want me to peel you out of this dress and fuck you until you can’t see.”
“Well, I was kind of hoping for that later.” Her voice was breathy, needy with a shot of a tease.
“It was on the agenda,” I rumbled as I kissed a path down the column of her neck.
“It’d better be. You wouldn’t want to go and disappoint me on New Year’s Eve, would you?”