Total pages in book: 178
Estimated words: 170884 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 854(@200wpm)___ 684(@250wpm)___ 570(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 170884 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 854(@200wpm)___ 684(@250wpm)___ 570(@300wpm)
I don’t know who Aslan saw, but it wasn’t Twitch. It couldn’t be. He was dead. I went to the fucking funeral. I spent months mourning until Julius took pity on me and gave me a job, a home, and a new life.
No.
It wasn’t Twitch.
Az was confused.
Yes, that was it.
He was confused, or at least I thought he was, until he went on. “I swear to God, Ling. It was Twitch.” His eyes implored and he let out a humorless laugh. “I’m not crazy. He was with a woman about this tall.” He put his hand up at a certain height. “A pretty one in that girl next door kind of way. She had long, wavy brown hair, big blue eyes, a little curvy body with a nice rack on her.”
My heart jolted.
That sounded like Alexa Ballentine.
But what he said next confirmed my beautiful Turk wasn’t as crazy as I hoped he was. “And he was holding a little boy,” he stated sincerely. “A little boy who looked just like him.”
No.
I shook my head and Aslan sighed, rolling his eyes. “Baby. I know what I saw.” He implored patiently, “Ling, please. Would I lie to you?”
I didn’t think he would, but people closer to me had betrayed me before, so I wouldn’t discount the idea.
There was only one way to find out.
My stomach clenched.
I would hunt down Lexi.
***
Lexi
I was nervous.
Oh, God, was I nervous.
Alone in the house, I sat on the edge of my bed and looked over at the light switch. A moment passed and I huffed out a breath, standing then moving toward it, but I faltered in the dark, turning away and covering my mouth with shaking hands.
Was this really a good idea?
I thought about it a second.
No, said my heart.
My brain agreed, shaking its head.
I shouldn’t be doing this, but I really, really wanted to. It had been too long. I needed it so badly that I disregarded every good sense I had and strode across the room.
And when I did what I did, I sat on the vanity stool in my silken kimono and waited.
***
Twitch
As I passed the window, I blinked over at the house and frowned.
That frown deepened when I lifted my wrist to check my watch.
11:51 p.m.
I looked back at the house, holding onto my frown, but then a small smile cut into the darkness.
My voice was low. “I’ll be damned.”
She left a light on.
***
Lexi
The window rattled then opened, and when he climbed in, shutting it behind him, he stood tall, watching me carefully through his perpetually hooded gaze. He looked good in black jeans, a gunmetal gray long-sleeved tee, and his sneakers.
I was ashamed for wanting this, wanting him so badly that I left myself open to be hurt again. But this was Twitch, and I always seemed to do irresponsible, insane things when it came to this man.
What had Manda once said?
That’s what love will do to a sane woman.
Right now, I felt that in my fucking bones.
So when I stood on shaky legs and made the few steps over, barefoot, I held the item in my hands out to him and he looked down in puzzlement, taking it without a word. When he unfurled it, I saw the recognition dawn and he blinked at me, his brow lowered in confusion. “You kept it?”
Yes.
I kept the belt. The same belt he’d used on me so long ago. The now bloodstained reminder of his death.
I kept it.
He looked momentarily overwhelmed, but he hid it well. He took in a deep breath before letting it out slowly, shakily, and then he settled his eyes on me. “You ready for this?”
Taking the hair-tie off my wrist, I gathered my hair into a low ponytail and secured it. Then I nodded, and whispered, “Yes.”
Twitch took a menacing step toward me. “You need to be sure.”
“I am.” As sure as I could be.
Another looming step. “I won’t stop, baby.”
“I know.” I was counting on it.
Until, finally, he stood in front of me, reaching up to cup my cheek lovingly, his tone low, rough. “Turn the light off. Soon as you do that, it’s on.”
My nipples tightened.
Turning, I made it to the light switch and raised my hand but hesitated, asking the question I dreaded to hear the answer to. “Are you clean?”
His brow furrowed. “Of course.”
I nodded, clearing my throat. “I’m not on birth control.” Of course I wasn’t. There was no need. I wasn’t sleeping around. Most nights, I wasn’t sleeping at all.
And when Twitch heard my quiet statement, his eyes heated with pleasure. “Noted.” He let out a short breath. “You remember how this goes?”
“Yes.” My voice was breathy.
How could I forget?
Only speak when spoken to. Beg and be rewarded. Disobey and pay.
His eyes held mine, and without a word spoken, I hit the switch, showering the room in darkness, leaving us both awash in the delicate moonlight streaming in through the window. And even though I couldn’t see his face anymore, I heard the tenseness in his voice, and all of my fantasies over the past six years came to life.