Total pages in book: 145
Estimated words: 146666 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 733(@200wpm)___ 587(@250wpm)___ 489(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 146666 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 733(@200wpm)___ 587(@250wpm)___ 489(@300wpm)
“But who is Emme?” She couldn’t stop the demand from bleeding into her voice.
“Reyes’s fiancée. They’re actually getting married soon. You haven’t heard of Emme? Or Reyes?”
Actually . . . now that she thought about it . . .
“Aidan’s definitely mentioned Reyes. He’s the President of the Iron Shadows, right?”
“Yep. Emme is his Little. And she’s soon gonna have a red bottom once I tell him about this prank.”
“You can’t do that!” She reached for him as he picked up his phone off the nightstand.
“Why not?”
“Because it’s not very nice to get her into trouble for a harmless prank.”
She didn’t know Emme, but she figured that as a fellow Little, they had to stick together and support one another.
“A harmless prank?” he asked. “There’s glitter everywhere! I’m going to be finding glitter for weeks. Not to mention the housekeeping bill.”
There was such a grumpy look on his face. But it was kind of adorable.
Or maybe she just thought that because he was covered in glitter.
“You can just shower it off. And ask housekeeping for a vacuum.”
He grumbled under his breath but put his phone down. Emme owed her. Big time.
Could she sneak a photo of him covered in glitter and somehow send it to Emme?
“Is the treasure still in there?” she asked.
She hoped Emme hadn’t stolen it. Then all bets were off. She deserved to have her butt spanked.
“Yes, your treasure is still here.” He brushed the glitter off his face. She reached up to help him. Only . . . she was pretty sure they were both making it worse because there was glitter going all through his beard.
Maybe it would be best not to tell him that. At least, not until after she had her treasure.
He searched through the box and laid some things on the bed. One was a ring with a giant, sparkly diamond.
Ooh.
She liked that.
Well, the diamond was fake, of course. But she still liked it. Definitely a possibility.
Next were actual pieces of gold.
Well, bits of chocolate wrapped in gold foil and made to look like gold.
Then there was a necklace, which was made up of translucent pearls.
So. Tempting.
There was also a bracelet made of green and gold gems and some glittery stick-on nails.
The last bit of treasure he put out was a piece of rose quartz.
Oh, darn.
She liked that.
She picked it up and ran her finger over it. She wondered if he knew the meaning of rose quartz.
Love and compassion.
“So what do you like? I also have this pretty hair tie.” He drew it out.
Ooh. Pretty. It had a big pink pom-pom attached to it. Tempting.
“Do you want to keep the crystal as your treasure?” he asked.
She nodded. “And the hair tie.”
He laughed. “I’m afraid not. Only one piece of treasure at a time.”
“Oh. But I want two. Please?” she begged.
“You ask so sweetly. But that’s not the way it works, Sweet Potato.”
“That doesn’t seem fair. What if I get hurt again? Do I get another piece of treasure?”
“If you’re a brave girl. However,” he grasped hold of her chin and gave her a stern look, “do not think of deliberately hurting yourself to get a piece of treasure.”
Shit.
Those words punched her in the gut.
She wasn’t thinking of doing that . . . was she? She took a moment to take stock.
She didn’t want to spiral.
A piece of treasure was not worth getting hurt.
Even if the hair tie was super cute and she really, really wanted it.
“Greer?” Hack asked with concern. “Are you all right?” He packed everything else away as she held on to the rose quartz.
“Yep. I’m good.”
“Well, I need to go deglitter myself.”
“Is deglitter a word?” she asked.
“I feel like it should be,” he said as he walked into the bathroom. “It’s all through my beard! Damn it, I haven’t had a chance to get to the barber and it’s all through my hair as well.”
She couldn’t stop the giggle that escaped as he stomped back into her room. He pointed at her. “Do not. Do not giggle, you brat.”
She gasped. “Greer is a good girl.”
He huffed out a breath, but his eyes were twinkling so she knew he wasn’t really upset. “Seems I now need another shower. Then it’s bedtime. Get ready for bed and I’ll come say good night once I’m out.”
13
Her cries woke him.
They weren’t particularly loud, but he wasn’t a deep sleeper. Sort of came with the territory of being a doctor. He reached for the knife under the pillow beside him as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. There was a glow of light coming from the adjoining room. He’d left the door between their rooms partially open.
He wished he’d had a reason to insist she sleep with him.
That would have been too much, man.
Getting to his feet, he crept toward the door with the knife in his hand. He was pretty certain that there wasn’t a threat. But he wanted to make sure.