Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 78799 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78799 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
“And?” I’m not one to beat around the bush with him, and I don’t want to start now.
“So how do you know this chick you wanted me to look up?” he hedges.
“Does it matter?”
“I’m not sure how you got tangled up with the daughter of a mob boss but you might want to sleep with one eye open, if you catch my meaning.”
The knot that was forming in my stomach drops as I stand there completely still and listen to the rundown on Lula. She’s the daughter of Peter Guzik, the man who tried to kill Kade and then Collins. The man who was last seen in Europe, exactly where Vaughn and Berkley are right this very moment. Chills cover my body as Sam keeps telling me things I don’t want to hear, but I stand there silent as I listen to them. Once he’s finished my mind is a complete blank as I stare into space.
“Xander, you okay?”
I swallow hard and clear my throat just as the door to the office opens a little. I look up in time to see Lula standing there with a bright smile on her face. Her hair is in a messy bun and her cheeks are pink and all I can think about is how beautiful she is.
“Yeah, I’m good,” I say and hang up the phone.
“Everything all right?” She walks up to me and puts her hands around my waist, going up on her tiptoes to kiss me.
I kiss her back and don’t answer her because I don’t know if everything is all right.
CHAPTER TEN
LULA
“I’ll learn to make more things,” Xander says as I take my last bite of pancake and lick the syrup off my lips.
“I think I can live off your pancakes and you for the rest of my life.”
His hands free my messy bun and curls go everywhere as he kisses me. The change in him has been a one-eighty. Almost. I’m happy about that, but I still love the bossy side of Xander. He gets grumpy when he doesn't get his way with me, but it’s kind of adorable.
I pull back and lick the seam of his mouth. “What are we going to do for the rest of the day?”
My eyes close as I put my mouth back on his before he can answer me. I had no idea just kissing could be so intimate and it could make me feel so much.
“We can do whatever you want to do, love.” My breath hitches at the word love.
Earlier when I checked on Collins she was more than fine. I enjoyed getting to gossip with her, but more than anything the more time I spent with her, the more I realized I want what she has. Xander and his brothers are so different, but at their core they’re the same. I have no doubt Xander would cherish the woman he fell in love with, but what if he found out the woman he loves isn't the woman he thought she was?
“What if I want to go back to bed?”
Before I can finish what I’m saying, he has me out of my seat and he’s climbing the stairs to my room. He tosses me onto the bed before going back and locking the door—I’m sure so no one can walk in on us again. It reminds me of how Kade pulled him aside to have a little chat when I was checking on Collins.
“You’re back in bed.” Xander smirks as he prowls towards me. “Are you sure you’re not too sore?” He licks his lips. “We could always do other things.”
My whole body heats as I sit up, wanting him to do all of those other things. But like always, my mind rules the decisions.
“I feel fine.” I should probably be sore, but I’m not. The pleasure Xander gave me far outweighs the small amount of pain. I look down at my hands that I’m wringing together and my eyes linger on my bare left ring finger. It’s stupid to think of Xander putting a ring there. Not only is it too soon, but he has no idea who I really am and it would change everything.
He reaches out and tilts my chin up so I look him in the eyes. “What’s wrong, love?” There he goes again with that word. My heart aches every time he says it and my eyes sting as I fight tears. I won’t let them spill because then he’ll know I’m hiding something from him.
“What did Kade want?” I blurt out, pretending that was totally what I was going to say.
Xander’s hand drops from my chin and I wonder if I’ve gone too far. Whatever was said between the two of them was family business, and to the Warsaw men family always comes first. I’m not family but I think I might fall under the girlfriend category.