Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 135955 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 680(@200wpm)___ 544(@250wpm)___ 453(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 135955 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 680(@200wpm)___ 544(@250wpm)___ 453(@300wpm)
Harley’s soft voice cuts through the roaring in my ears.
“No, he’s not.”
I want to argue, but Jewls isn’t stopping this. She leans into him, framing his face and tilting to his kiss.
My legs wobble, my heart racing at breakneck speed. “Explain.”
“She’s with him. They’re on a date.”
At the term ‘date’, my hands clench, ready to punch something. I swing my eyes to her, and she has the nerve to smile sweetly before plopping back into Ace’s lap.
“A date? Since when does she date?”
“Since she was asked.”
“When?” The sharp demand earns me a warning look from Ace.
“Yesterday when they met at Clyde’s.”
“The formal wear store is now Tender?”
“No, he came in for a fitting with a group of men.”
Her explanation is way too simple. I wait for more but am met with silence. “Jay, don’t play games with me.”
“What game? He saw her in her dress and complimented her. She did the same when he tried on his tux. While each of them waited for the rest of the parties to go through the fittings, they struck up a conversation and he asked for her number.”
“She’s sucking face on national television with a tool she met yesterday at a bridal fitting.”
“Yeah,” she breathes out dreamily. “Isn’t is romantic?”
Romantic? She thinks this shit is romantic?
“Name?” I whip out my phone.
“It’s spelled n-o-n-e space o-f space y-o-u-r-b-u-s-i-n-e-s-s.”
My finger flies across the keyboard and it isn’t until I see the phrase spelled out that it hits. “It is my damn business!”
“Not exactly.”
I look to Ace for help, and the dick is grinning.
“You want to help me out here? This guy makes it further than one date, he’ll most likely be around Harley.”
This should do it. The mention of a complete stranger near Jay would usually put him right into crazy mode. But he sits coolly, shrugging. “This goes past one date, we’ll be around each other, and I can feel him out.”
My blood scorches as I squeeze the phone in my hand so hard the glass cracks at the edge.
“What’s wrong, Major? Aren’t you happy for your friend, who’s on a date tonight?”
I fight the urge to punch the self-righteousness off his face. I used a similar tactic when he was holding back with Harley.
Now I get it.
A familiar tell flickers in his eyes. A silent statement.
He’s full of shit. He totally checked this guy out and his background is solid. Otherwise, Jewls wouldn’t be with him.
“I’m going to the arena.”
Harley scrambles over Ace and catches me by the belt buckle as I pass. “You can’t do that.”
My eyes drop to her fingers in a death grip on the metal. “Why not?”
“Because you’re angry and jealous. But why?”
I crook an eyebrow.
“Unless you’re ready to talk to her, it’s not fair.”
Her words hit me straight in the chest. The anger subsides, but the jealousy remains high. She’s right.
My fingers loop around hers and squeeze, removing them gently. I leer back at the screen and see it’s now on the game. Jewls’ face, her lips on that tool fill my mind and I’m done.
Smart.
Caring.
Saucy.
Wild.
Beyond gorgeous.
In my experience, wild and gorgeous are a dangerous combination. But I’m done holding back.
Harley picks up on my struggle and hops over the side of the sofa, going to the bar. She grabs a bottle of Jack, four glasses, and nods for me to sit.
“We playing or what?” My attention goes to Talon, who’s grinning coyly.
“Yeah.”
“That private entrance made it easier for me to come and go,” Harley sing-songs, setting the glasses on the table and pouring.
Fuck me.
I throw the drink back in one swallow. “Ace’s room is back on the table.”
“Shit,” he hisses, knowing he’s already been beat.
I have no idea what the fuck I’m doing or how to explain why I’ve denied my feelings for Jewls. But it starts tomorrow.
On instinct, my palm goes to my gun at the sound of shouting on the other side of the door. The words are muffled, but Jewls is definitely fired up. I look back to the parking lot, wondering if the SUV parked beside her car belongs to the tool from last night.
Ace told me she messaged Harley when she got home from her date. But she didn’t say if she was alone.
My blood boils and a sour taste fills my mouth at the thought. Knowing that if he is here, he won’t be for long eases the burn.
I pound on the door, listening for signs of trouble. Her voice gets louder as she approaches.
“And now one of my neighbors is at my door at this hour with a noise complaint, you ass!”
The door swings open, and the fire in Jewls’ eyes blazes. She has her phone to her ear, and whomever she’s talking to is ranting nearly as loud.
“Nope, not my neighbor. It’s the police. Are you happy with yourself now? It’s not even seven in the morning, and I have to sort out my shit with the cops because you have me madder than a hornet and making a ruckus.”