Total pages in book: 139
Estimated words: 134133 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 671(@200wpm)___ 537(@250wpm)___ 447(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 134133 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 671(@200wpm)___ 537(@250wpm)___ 447(@300wpm)
"Thank you." I try swallowing, but my mouth is dry. “Can I also get some privacy?”
"Privacy?" he questions, his gaze flickering as Dylan approaches.
"Yes, can you... leave us for just a moment?"
He straightens, directing his gaze forward. “I’m afraid not, Miss Bradwell. I’m under strict orders to ensure your safety while you’re out with me this evening. One can reasonably surmise that precludes leaving you alone with strange men.”
I shoot him a look, doubtful that his orders to keep me away from strange men has anything to do with my protection and everything to do with Silvan’s ridiculous and utterly baseless possessiveness over me.
There’s no time to argue, though.
“Nice ride,” Dylan says, his gaze sliding down the gleaming black stretch limo.
A grudging, polite ‘thanks’ tries to escape, but I bite the word back just before it can slip past my lips.
“Certainly an upgrade since last time I saw you,” he says, his gaze flicking to me. “I thought you were a scholarship student.”
And I thought you were a decent human being.
One of us was wrong.
“My financial situation is none of your business,” I inform him. “In fact, everything to do with me is none of your business, so if we ever encounter one another in public again, I would very much like for you to keep walking and pretend you didn’t see me. I’ll offer the same courtesy to you.”
The corners of his mouth tip up. “Yeah, you’re already being real courteous to me, aren’t you? Like telling my girlfriend I’m an attempted rapist?”
My heart stalls and my gaze jumps to the window. They’re tinted so I can’t see inside, but panic swells up at the thought of my mom overhearing.
Grabbing his arm, I pull him away from the car. “We both know that wasn’t a lie.”
He glances back at the limo. Ignoring my comment, he brags, “Yeah. My financial circumstances have improved since last time we met, too, that’s why Elle and I can have little getaways like this. Got a good job working for my uncle’s company, 80k to start, benefits and tuition reimbursement while I’m in school.” He waits for me to be impressed, and when I’m not, malice flickers through his eyes. “There was some fucking specialty chocolate shop over here Elle wanted to come to. Expensive as fuck, but I’m a nice guy,” he says, smiling cruelly. “I take my woman’s wants into consideration.”
“Unless what she wants is not to fuck you, right?” I ask innocently.
“Eh, you were never really mine, were you? Could’ve been if you hadn’t been such a headcase after we hooked up.”
God, he is disgusting.
“We did not hook up,” I say carefully.
“That’s how I remember it.” His gaze drifts down my body, lingering on my breasts as he reaches for my arm. “It was hot, too.”
“Fuck off,” I snap, jerking my arm out of his grasp. “I haven’t even been the same person since that happened and you have the fucking audacity to say that to me? Fuck off, Dylan.”
“You don’t have to be so pissed.” He tries to grab me as I turn away, and his hand on my arm makes my skin crawl. “What’s the story with the limo, anyway?”
“It’s my boyfriend’s,” I snap, the words bottoming out my stomach even though I know I don’t mean it and I’m only saying it to get at him. “He’s out of town on family business tonight, but he takes his woman into consideration,” I say scathingly, echoing his own words back at him, “so he gave me the car and his credit card and told me to have a good time.”
Rather than feel like an itty-bitty inferior man like he should, he smirks like an asshole. “Sounds desperate.”
“Desperately in love,” I bite back. “And very possessive, so if my desires aren’t enough for you—and we both know they’re not—next time you see me out in public and think about approaching, consider that he might be with me, and if I told him what a fucking creep you’ve been to me, he would break you in half.”
His smirk widens. “Aw. Yeah, I’m real afraid of your big bad boyfriend. So insecure he has to buy you with limos and shopping sprees. See, I know Elle isn’t going anywhere simply because she doesn’t want to, Sophie. Sad that you’re with some fucking dork living on daddy’s dime and treating you like some whore he has to pay for.”
Blood surges through my veins so violently, I hear buzzing in my ears. Heat rushes my body, a mix of anger and embarrassment heating my cheeks.
I wanted the last word, but right now, I want to get away from him much more.
“Goodbye, Dylan.”
“Hey.” He grabs my arm again to stop me, and anxiety surges as I try to tug it free.
A second later, he releases my arm. I jump when I hear him slammed up against the car door beside me, and stumble back a couple of steps when I see Mr. Proper Hugh standing behind Dylan with his arm locked at an agonizing angle that has Dylan’s face twisted with pain.