Total pages in book: 14
Estimated words: 13239 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 66(@200wpm)___ 53(@250wpm)___ 44(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 13239 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 66(@200wpm)___ 53(@250wpm)___ 44(@300wpm)
“I’m sorry for disrupting your peace. I promise I never meant to barge in on you like this. My mom… She is who she is. Again, I’m sorry. I won’t bother you again.”
With a heavy sigh, she gives me a wide berth. Oh, hell no.
I don’t even think twice. No, that’s a lie. I don’t even think. Period. Because I spin on my heel and grab her arm lightly. Raven’s so close I can see the smattering of freckles on her nose and cheeks.
She smells of lavender and innocence, and it turns me savage. “You’re not going anywhere, love. You’re staying with me.”
2
RAVEN
I hate Halloween. Absolutely hate it with a passion.
I don’t understand how it’s fun to give monsters their own holiday. How is it exciting? I don’t even see the point. Adults just really need an excuse to wear costumes. Pretend like their someone else for a night.
And of course, I end up in a place where Halloween’s a big deal. Like, seriously big.
The moment I stepped foot on its cobblestone streets, I was greeted by Jack-o-Lanterns lining the sidewalks, fake cobwebs clinging to lampposts and trees, the sound of ghostly wails from huge speakers, tombstones and bloody hands reaching from under the ground in the front lawn.
Great.
It just gives me the creeps. There’s nothing fun or exciting about it. It’s straight-up macabre. It’s the same thing with voluntarily going to haunted mansions or houses of horrors. Like, why? Why would I choose to traumatize myself? Why should I pay for something that would make me lose sleep for days?
Even so, the scariest thing I find in this new town is none of those decorations.
It’s the guy standing in front of me. A massive hunk of a man, standing north of 6’2”, with wide shoulders, muscular chest, and forearms, and a look of pure anger on his face. His skin is flushed, brows furrowed, and he glares at his hand that’s touching my arm.
Is he pissed off at me? Angry that I showed up from out of nowhere?
Maybe. Maybe not.
All I know is that I burn where he touches me. I pull my arm on instinct because it’s hot, way too hot, and something clenches between my thighs at the simple contact.
His face is only inches from me, and I can hear his harsh breathing like he’s trying to control something. His temper maybe?
I don’t know. My mind is empty. I cannot think, unable to think, with him standing this close to me. I have to tilt my head back because he’s so tall, but god, how can someone look this ruggedly handsome?
Is this really my stepbrother? The one I’m supposed to be staying with?
If I stay here any minute longer, I might just launch myself at him. My body feels weird like I’m magnetically drawn to him, needing to be closer.
What the hell, Raven? This isn’t you!
He brushes a knuckle along my arm, and I think, This is it. This is it. I gasp and close my eyes, anticipation thrumming in my veins. But all he does is take the bag from me.
Huh.
Disappointment tastes bitter in my mouth, and when I open my eyes, he’s looking at me funny. His dark brown eyes narrow. “Have you been waiting long? Let’s go inside.”
“N-no. I just arrived from the bus actually.”
“You rode a bus?”
“Uhm, yeah. How else am I supposed to get here?”
“You don’t have a car?”
“No.” This conversation is making me uncomfortable. He’s clearly well-off. At least, based on what Mom told me. He’ll never understand what it’s like living way below your means.
“Why?”
“Because I can’t afford it? I just graduated a few months ago. I’m supposed to be starting a new job, but Mom got married and ordered me to move here.”
He sucks his bottom lip between his teeth as he cocks his head to the side. “Don’t get me wrong. I’d thank her for bringing you to me, but why didn’t you tell her no?”
I’m going to dissect that first part later. For now, yes. I wonder the same thing because I can never say no to her. She has a way of guilt-tripping me into doing everything she wants.
I already received a job offer, but now, I’m back to square one. I need to go job hunting again. In the meantime, I’ll go crazy without anything to do. I’ll end up stress-baking and stress-eating, and when she comes back, Mom will comment on my weight…again.
Same old. Same old.
“I-I can’t.”
He’s about to say something when my stomach rumbles…loudly and embarrassingly. God, I’ve made such a great first impression with him, haven’t I? What’s next? Me slipping on the floor in front of him? Dammit, universe. I’ve just met the hottest man I’ve ever seen. Stop embarrassing me.
He chuckles and the sound is so unexpectedly sexy that I instinctively cinch my thighs together. “I’d love to hear you explain that comment, but we need to get inside. Don’t wanna be accused of starving my stepsister now, do I?”