Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 85414 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85414 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
It’s a rare sunny Friday afternoon, and Jonathan is still at the office, so maybe he’ll pull another all-nighter.
I take a sip of my tea while Ethan twirls the ice in his scotch. There’s been a small smile on his lips ever since he stepped inside.
“What?” I ask from above the rim of my cup.
“I’m imagining Jonathan’s reaction. Fun.”
“You do realise that antagonising him isn’t the way to get back into his good graces, right?”
Tell that to yourself, hypocrite.
“It is. Jonathan lives for challenges instead of sappy emotions. On the day of his father’s funeral, which was only a few days after his mother’s, his older brother, James, was devastated. Guess what Jonathan did?”
I lean closer in my chair, the thought of him losing his parents so close together spreads an unusual ache through my chest. The pain I feel for him is mind-boggling, considering he has no emotions under his radar. “What?”
“He plotted how to bring down the man who caused his father’s death. That was his form of grief.”
“Alicia’s father.”
He pauses with the glass halfway to his mouth. “You know about that.”
“Jonathan told me.”
“That’s…interesting. You’re not her replacement, after all.”
“What do you mean?”
“At first, I thought he brought you in to alleviate his guilt about losing Alicia since the two of you look so much alike. Now, I’m sure that’s not the case.”
My heart picks up speed and the thing won’t slow down, no matter how much I try not to get caught in Ethan’s words. “How do you know?”
He takes a sip of his drink, his features relaxed, and he appears completely in his element, despite being in another person’s house.
But considering his history with Jonathan, he probably came by a lot in the past. The King mansion isn’t a strange place to him.
“Jonathan never opened up to Alicia. In his mind, it was unnecessary to worry her, and although he thought he was protecting her, he was only sealing himself off. The fact that he shows his emotions freely to you is, as I said, interesting.”
“He opened up to you too in the past, no?”
“Not by choice. I bugged him for it and I usually ended up getting cursed.”
An involuntary smile grazes my lips, imagining one of their bickering scenes. “I’m glad he had you.”
And I mean it. Ethan has the ability to deal with emotions, unlike Jonathan who purposefully keeps them in a vault.
“I’m the one who’s glad you are here, Aurora.”
“You’ll be less glad when I drown you in the pool.”
Both of us freeze at Jonathan’s strong voice. My hand gripping the cup trembles and I try to steady it to no avail.
Planning this was one thing, but having it become reality is entirely different.
He steps beside me, all tall and powerful in his sharp black suit. Tingles erupt all over my skin from just seeing him. Will there ever be a day when I don’t get tangled up by his presence?
“Jonathan.” Ethan smiles. “Always a pleasure to hear your threats.”
“Get out of my property.”
“I’m afraid I can’t. I’m Aurora’s guest.”
Jonathan’s jaw clenches, but he doesn’t look at me. Shit. If even this tactic doesn’t work, I’m completely lost here.
I stand in a frail attempt to dissipate the tension. One moment I’m up, the next, Jonathan wraps a hand around my throat and slams his mouth to mine.
A gasp leaves me, but he swallows the sound and everything I had to say. His lips claim mine in a possessive kiss that leaves me with no breaths, thoughts, or balance. There’s no use in trying to keep up with the powerful strokes of his tongue. They’re too fast and dominant for me to reciprocate.
A feeble whimper is the evidence of my surrender as I freely give the reins over to him. Jonathan devours me in the most passionate, deep kiss he’s ever given me.
I still can’t breathe by the time his lips leave my mouth. My nerve endings tingle on my skin with the need for more.
Jonathan doesn’t release my throat, holding it firmly but not painfully. His harsh voice is directed at Ethan as he speaks, “Aurora and I aren’t accepting guests. You know where the door is.”
I don’t get to focus on Ethan’s expression, or the fact that Jonathan has just claimed me in front of him. My whole being is focused on Jonathan’s skin on mine, the fact that he’s touching me, kissing me. It’s been only a week, but it’s felt like a decade.
Being so used to his touch, only for it to be abruptly taken away, is the worst type of torture he could’ve inflicted on me.
Jonathan releases my throat and clutches me by the waist. He practically drags me by his side to the lounge area and slams the French balcony’s doors closed.
As soon as we’re out of Ethan’s view, he backs me against the wall, his fingers finding my throat again.