Total pages in book: 169
Estimated words: 156808 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 784(@200wpm)___ 627(@250wpm)___ 523(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 156808 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 784(@200wpm)___ 627(@250wpm)___ 523(@300wpm)
Arik came to a stop about a foot away. The patrons from the club were pushing out the door to get a better view, and Arik stuck his arms out, trying to give Kellus this pivotal moment. Kellus’s actions showed him everything was changing in both those men’s worlds.
“Bu…but… Kelly,” John stammered, inching back on his hands and feet.
“You’re filth, and you did it to yourself. You stay away from me, and you better keep the fuck away from him, or so help me God, you’ll regret it. He’ll never be part of your fucked-up world. You hear me?” Kellus growled.
“Kelly. I’m sorry. Please,” John pleaded and finally scrambled to his feet. He jumped back several feet, his shifty gaze landing on Arik, then darting back to Kellus before taking a few steps forward. Out of the blue, John’s voice changed into something sickeningly soft and deadly sweet. “Why’d you turn my phone off? It was the only way I had to talk to you. I wanna come home. I miss you, Kelly.”
Arik watched as Kellus’s back stiffened, his hands tightened into a fist. Man, he wished he could see the fierceness on Kel’s face. “No, you don’t. That’s a goddamn lie. You’ve ruined everything in my life because of your drug use and your inability to keep everybody else’s dick out of your ass. I’ll say this one more time, just so you’re clear about it. Stay away from me and you sure as fuck better stay away from him.”
Kellus stared him down, bringing John’s jerky movements to a complete stop. It appeared to be a very sobering moment for the guy. John took a steady step backward, then another, eyeing only Kellus the entire time, before he turned and took off out of the parking lot and into the shrubs surrounding the building. Kellus stayed there, watching, even after John disappeared.
When the crowd started thinning out, Arik walked over the few steps to Kellus and put a hand on his back, moving it higher to squeeze his shoulder before drawing him against his body. “We should go.”
“I need to wash my hands. They smell like him,” Kellus said and lifted both hands to stare down at them. Those talented hands were completely steady; his man confident in what he’d just done.
“Come inside and go to the bathroom. I need to cash us out,” he said and urged Kellus toward the door, until Kellus turned on his own and started moving in that direction. His broad shoulders rolled, releasing tension, but his eyes stayed trained on the pavement.
At the front, Arik moved ahead to open the door, but Kellus stopped him, finally looking over at him. There was a profound sadness in his eyes. “He used to be as big as I am now. He played sports. He was the hottest guy in our school. The girls always wanted him and everyone else just wanted to be around him.”
“That’s hard to believe,” Arik replied honestly.
“I know. He can’t weigh more than a hundred pounds. I picked him up. He’s a bag of bones. He tripped trying to get through the bushes out there. I’m surprised nothing broke when he fell,” Kellus said and started to brush the hair back off his face. He stopped right before his hands made contact. A disgusted sigh escaped as he stared at his palms.
“Come inside. Get cleaned up. John weighs more than a hundred pounds. You’re just solid and strong.” Arik got to the door and then the bouncer pushed it open even farther. “He’s gotta wash his hands and I need to pay.”
When he got the nod, he allowed Kellus to go through the door first.
“I’ll meet you back here.”
Kellus stepped inside and had to raise his voice to be heard as he spoke to the bouncer. “I’m sorry about that.”
“Not a problem. You sure got my attention.” The flirty note in the bouncer’s tone caught Arik’s attention. He let Kellus have the moment without revealing his own jealous tendencies and asserting his ownership. His guy had gone caveman on just the possibility that John might try to mess with him. And the thought of Kel’s possessiveness had his dick swelling in delight.
“Go wash. You smell like your ex,” he teased and went for the bar to settle their bill.
As he waited, Arik’s heart filled with hope. They’d hit a turning point tonight. Kellus had just put him first and defended his honor. That said something, didn’t it? Not to mention Arik’s stiffy was proof he’d found all that chivalrous stuff fucking sexy as hell. John had clearly never seen that side of Kellus; the expression on his face had made that clear. Outside of that, the whole situation was exhausting, and Kellus needed some TLC.
Kellus returned, taking the seat at the bar where Arik waited for his credit card. His caveman was still breathing heavier than normal after the altercation with his ex. Kellus looked at the wallet, then back up at him. He started to open his mouth, hesitated, then shut it as though he had something to say but changed his mind. Arik leaned in and brushed his lips against Kellus’s ear.