Total pages in book: 64
Estimated words: 61905 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 310(@200wpm)___ 248(@250wpm)___ 206(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61905 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 310(@200wpm)___ 248(@250wpm)___ 206(@300wpm)
I didn’t expect that from him. Not that I thought he was nice, but he’s been so easy-going about this.
“Adora.” Troy opens the door and steps in, then closes it behind him. “You really pissed him off. What did you do?”
I shrug my shoulders.
“Seems we both don’t want this,” I say, sighing.
“Yeah, well, that much is obvious. He’s been tense all night while you sat there drinking yourself to sleep.” I manage a tight smile. “Come on, you need to make amends. At least find some common ground.”
“He wants to share a bed.”
“Is that such a bad thing? You have seen him, right?” He waves his hand in front of my face, and I push it away. “Just making sure you ain’t blind or anything.”
“I have eyes. I can see he’s good-looking.”
“Okay, just checking. He didn’t go back into the wedding reception area. Instead, he went out back.” Troy opens the door and nods for me to follow him. I pick up the front of my dress and make my way down the hall. We get to a back door, and Troy pulls it open. Cold wind assaults my body, and I shiver. I see Joey straightaway, a cigarette to his lips and a dog at his side. Why on earth is a dog there?
He glances back at us and leans down to pet the dog.
“Maybe if you’re a good girl, he’ll pet you too, if you know what I mean.” Troy winks at my scowl before he turns and goes back inside.
“What do you want, Adora?” The dog starts growling, and Joey pets it some more. “Good boy.”
“So, we both hate the situation.”
“You sure as shit ain’t making it easy…” He scratches the dog behind the ear, then stands, putting the cigarette to his lips and taking a draw.
“I hate smokers,” I say as a trail of smoke drifts over me.
“I don’t give two shits.” He smirks, and it’s a big fuck-you smirk.
“You can fuck who you want, we’ve established this,” I remind him, albeit hesitantly.
“I believe in marriage,” he replies, surprising me. “Maybe not the conventional type, but I do.”
“Okaaay…” And here I thought this couldn’t get any more confusing.
“You want to fuck your little blonde. I heard how she made you come. Have you thought for just a second I could do the same thing?”
I haven’t, have I?
I’ve been with a few men, and some were okay lovers. But none knew how to please a woman correctly, the way another woman can with her mouth. Not that they can’t, it just seems to take them a shitload longer.
We stand there in silence while he continues to pet the dog, unsure of what to say to each other. He glances my way, a puff of smoke leaving his lips that I remember kissing. And I can see the appeal. I mean, it’s not just because I’ve drunk several glasses of champagne. Joey is a good-looking man.
“Okay, let’s fuck, then.” I can’t believe those words just left my mouth.
I don’t think he can either because his hand leaves the dog, and he stands tall. He shakes his head and drops his cigarette, putting it out with his boot.
“You’re drunk. We aren’t having this conversation. You need to go to bed. And I need bourbon… a lot of it.” He goes to walk past me, but my hand shoots out and stops him.
“Will you not even kiss me?” The question leaves my lips as more of a plea. And I instantly hate it. Why am I even stopping him? Why not just let him leave and get away with sleeping in my own bed for one more night?
We didn’t kiss after our vows. I turned my head at the last minute, and his lips brushed the side of my mouth. He didn’t make a sound, just kissed me, then pulled away.
“I will kiss you.” He pauses, leaning closer so he’s only a hair’s breadth away. “When you actually want it.” Then he moves around me and walks to the door, pulls it open, and looks back. “You can go where you want, I’m going out. Happy fucking wedding day.”
Once he disappears, I stand there in my red dress, alone, the dog having run away, and the alcohol I drank earlier seems to have left my system like a traitor.
This is what I wanted, right? For him to not want me. I’m getting my way. So why is there a dull ache at the thought of him not wanting me?
“So, it seems we have to talk.” I spin at the sound of Keir’s voice as he shuts the door behind him.
My hands squeeze shut as I wait for him to speak.
Is he out here to kill me?
He is known to take a life as easy as he takes one breath.
“Joey left.” I nod solemnly, already knowing this. “He is a good man, and he will follow orders. It’s one of the reasons he is my second-in-command. Not because he is my brother, but because he is loyal. Extremely loyal…” He pauses, then steps closer to me, and my heart stutters. “You may not agree with our ways, and I may not even agree with them much of the time, but he does. He trusts in the old ways, and he expects this marriage to work. So why are you fighting him at every turn? Is it because you want that woman?”