Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 36221 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 181(@200wpm)___ 145(@250wpm)___ 121(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36221 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 181(@200wpm)___ 145(@250wpm)___ 121(@300wpm)
“Will you tell me about you?” she asks quietly.
“Me?” I pause at the door.
“Yeah. I mean, I’m going to be staying right next door, and we sort of um—well, we kissed. I feel like I should know the man I kissed, the man who I’m making deals with. Right?”
I turn back to her. “Some things are better left in the dark.”
“Not this.” She shakes her head. “I don’t want to make another mistake or have another incident.”
“Another incident? What do you mean?”
Her cheeks flush pink. “Nothing. I just mean I don’t want to screw this up. Finding Xanny is the most important thing to me, okay?”
“I get it.” I soften. I have to. This little angel in front of me practically demands it. She isn’t used to me or my thorny world. “And I’ve already promised my help. Once we make our deal, we’re going to find your sister.” And the money. And the asshole who yanked Marvin right out from under me. The money I couldn’t care less about. But that guy, that utter piece of shit who could’ve killed Zoey and who practically promised he’d do so–he has to go. She and her sister won’t be safe until he’s out of the picture.
“Can I wear this downstairs? I don’t have any other clothes.”
I stare at her, at the way my shirt drapes along her shoulders and flows along her breasts, the nipples tenting the fabric. The hem teases her thighs. Every bit of her is mouthwatering, a delectable treat meant only for me. “Absolutely not.”
“Oh.” She frowns.
“I’ll have Madge–my housekeeper–bring something up. I sent a courier to do some shopping for you last night. Madge took the sizes from the things you’d been wearing.” I’d inspected her club clothes before handing them off to Madge. I may have inhaled her scent off them and gotten irrationally angry that there weren’t any panties in the pile.
“I have clothes at the trailer.”
“No.” I cross my arms over my chest. “You won’t be going back to that hell hole.”
She licks her lips, her eyes on my body.
“If you keep staring at me like that, little one, I’ll bend you over that bed and make you moan.”
“What?” She swallows hard.
It just slipped out. Truly. I need to slow down. Even so, when she licks her lips again, my cock kicks against my pajama pants.
“I’ll send Madge.” I practically growl the words and force myself away from her door. If I don’t, I’ll make good on my threat.
I run a hand through my hair and try to calm the rampaging beat of my heart. After all, I will make good on my threat.
All in good time.
8
ZOEY
I’ve woken up to another life. Bags and boxes cover the floor, and garment bags have been hung in the closet. Others are draped over the bed. While I waited for what I thought would be a few items of clothing for me to wear, a nice woman by the name of Madge came to my room with a tray of food and a robe for me to put on so that the men could deliver the boxes.
She said the robe was for the men’s safety. I’m not sure what she meant by that. If she was referring to what happened earlier between Bentley and one of the security guards, then I think a cage would have been better for the delivery peoples’ safety. But they didn’t have to worry because I held Bentley in my arms as they filled the room with enough clothes to open my own store. A girl could definitely get used to this sort of treatment.
No matter how many times I remind myself that all of this is temporary and not to get accustomed to any of it, I can’t help but feel excited. No one has ever treated me the way Leone is.
Xanny would die if she saw all this. We’re not the same size, so she wouldn’t be able to wear any of the clothes. She’s tall and thin where I’m short and curvy, but we do wear the same size shoes. If she were here, she’d steal the heels and tell me it’s for my own safety. I smile, hearing her in my head. She wouldn’t be wrong. I’m terrible in heels. Most days I’m lucky that I don’t trip over my own two feet.
Another knock sounds at the door. My stomach flutters with excitement when I think it might be Leone. When the knock sounds again, I know it’s not him. He would have walked right in after he knocked, not waiting for me to tell him to come in.
“Come in,” I say, picking Bentley up from the bed. I’m still nervous from earlier, even though I know what happened wasn’t Bentley’s fault. It’s better if I keep him close for now.