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)
Whoa? Where the fuck did that come from?
“You are the easiest to read, even if you try the hardest to hide it.” I grin and walk back to my car. “I’ll be seeing you tomorrow.”
“Do not come,” she yells out after me.
EIGHT
ADORA
I’ve been on edge all morning. I opened the bookstore, then came here to meet Becca. She’s dressed more casually today in jeans and a leather biker jacket. When she sees me, she leans in for a kiss, but I only give her my cheek.
It’s easy to see her confusion when she pulls back.
“Sorry, it’s a crazy day.” I shake my head.
“Do you want me to go?” she asks, and I hate that I hesitate to respond.
How badly I want to tell her yes.
I glance around and don’t see him anywhere.
Hopefully, he doesn’t show.
Now that’s wishful thinking, isn’t it?
“No, it’s fine.” I pull open the door, and a lady greets us, handing us two glasses of champagne as we walk in, and tells us to take a seat while she brings out a rack of dresses.
“The notes request white,” she comments at my confusion as I look at the dresses.
“Yes, that’s correct,” a deep voice I instantly recognize says from behind us, and my heart feels like it stops before it starts racing. Joey walks in and steps around where I can see him clearly. He turns to Becca and offers his hand. “You must be the sidepiece.” I hear a loud gasp of surprise from the bridal lady as Becca offers him her hand. I watch as her cheeks pinken at the sight of him.
He’s nice to look at, there’s no doubt about that.
Joey is handsome, rugged, and downright delicious. That mixture has you wanting him to call you a good girl or spank you hard for having an attitude. And I always seem to have an attitude with him, so I guess I’m in the latter category.
But it’s the way he watches and takes everything in.
He knows your moves before you do.
He can read you better than anyone else can.
Joey is an observer.
I’m sure he’s just as dirty as his brother and cousins. He is, after all, second-in-command to his brother, Keir, and he wouldn’t have that if he wasn’t good at what he does.
And that’s as intimidating as it is deadly.
His smile is deceiving.
Conniving.
Calculating.
“I don’t want white.”
Joey grabs my glass of champagne and sits down beside me. So now I’m in the middle of Becca and him.
“I want to see you in white.”
“No.”
“I’m paying. Try the dress on, Adora.”
“Fuck you!” I snap back at him.
“Does she have this foul mouth with you as well?” Joey asks, addressing Becca.
“No,” she answers quietly.
“You don’t have to answer him,” I tell her but keep my eyes on him.
“She can answer me. Don’t control her,” Joey says, his tone taunting.
“You are the only asshole being controlling.” I get up from my seat. “I’ll try one white dress on, then you have to leave,” I tell him, my hands landing on my hips.
“Two,” he argues back.
Turning around to the bridal lady, I smile at her. “Pick me two to try on so we can pick the real dress and he can leave.”
“Is that your fiancé?” she almost whispers.
“Yes. Isn’t he an ass?”
Her eyes go wide, and she isn’t sure how to answer that. Instead, she gets busy putting two dresses into the changing room as I follow her in. The first is a tight lacy one with a small train. It’s beautiful, classic, and quintessential.
I walk out, and both sets of eyes lock on me.
“Wow!” Becca breathes out, and Joey’s eyes take me in before he turns to her. “Is this not weird for you? You’re helping a woman you are fucking pick a wedding dress for the man she’s marrying.”
For fuck’s sake, I want to walk over to him and slap him hard.
The bridal lady excuses herself and hurries away.
Who could blame her?
“Joey,” I snarl as Becca stands to leave. “Don’t leave. He’s being an ass.” She pauses, and I glare at him. “One more dress and you will leave.”
I stalk back into the changing room and start taking off the dress as the bridal lady enters and silently helps me. When I have the next one on, I walk out to Becca facing the other way and Joey watching her with a smirk.
“Last dress, now leave.”
Joey gets up, true to his word, and walks over to me. “It’s been a pleasure,” he says and nods, then walks out the door.
Becca smiles when she turns and sees me.
“Do you plan to ever get married?” I ask her.
“No, my family would not attend.”
“Would it be weird if you came to mine?” Again, I can feel the bridal lady staring at us.
“I would love to.”
“Good! Done deal.” I go back to the changing room and smile at the bridal lady, who we are providing with at least a month’s worth of gossip.