Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 80261 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 401(@200wpm)___ 321(@250wpm)___ 268(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80261 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 401(@200wpm)___ 321(@250wpm)___ 268(@300wpm)
We often found each other there in the middle of the night. All my brothers had their own places they lived at, but they crashed at our home a lot too. Daddy still kept their old bedrooms they grew up in. Nothing had changed in our seven thousand square foot ranch style home that dad built after they got married.
“You want some tea?” I asked, walking into the kitchen.
“That shit doesn’t work.”
“Not with that attitude it won’t.” I smiled, making him chuckle.
After I finished making mine, I sat down next to him. Bumping my shoulder into his.
“You okay?” I asked, knowing he wasn’t.
“Always,” he lied. “How about you?”
I shrugged. “I’m getting by.”
“How’s school?”
“It’s school.”
“And cheer? Dad said your captain? Congratulations.”
“I should be thanking you. You’re the reason I feel so comfortable being thrown into the air.”
He chuckled again.
We used to play in the pool, and he’d throw me around in the water. Out of all of my brothers, I was closest to Troy. Our ages weren’t too far apart from one another, and we bonded over that.
Since Troy was the youngest of the boys, sometimes it felt like he had to make up for it. Everything he did was to the extreme, having no fear of the consequences whatsoever. While we were growing up, he got in trouble a lot. Probably the most out of all of us.
“How’s class for you?”
He scoffed. “You mean when I show up?”
“Troy… Daddy’s going to be pissed if you flunk out again.”
“What else is new?”
“Come on, don’t be that way. He just wants what’s best for you.”
“If I don’t know what that is? How the hell does he?”
“I don’t know. He’s our father. Maybe he has like magical powers or something.”
He didn’t laugh at my joke. Instead, he stood, adding, “I hate to break it to you, Haven. But the parent who had the magical powers isn’t so magical anymore.”
Unable to help myself, I questioned, “What was your dream about?”
“They’re not dreams, Teeny. We both know they’re nightmares.”
I didn’t say a word, feeling the weight of his.
“Try to get some sleep with your shitty ass tea.”
I softly chuckled, despite the sadness in the air.
I watched him leave and then went about my morning. By the time I walked into the bar, it was a little after seven A.M. I wasn’t supposed to be there until eight A.M., but I figured I could finish stocking the bar earlier than I planned.
If there was one thing I learned in the last few weeks since I began working there, was that Hayes practically lived at the bar. For the most part, he was always there when I was working. Especially if I was serving my own tables. On top of that, I was in charge of the bar staying stocked at all times.
Although, in between those moments, Hayes played his part of the overprotective boyfriend to the extreme.
Openly kissing me.
Grabbing my ass.
Sitting me on his lap.
From an outsider looking in, we were a couple. Nobody would think that he didn’t lay a hand on me when we were alone. He could switch it on and off as if it was the easiest thing in the world for him to do. Every time I thought about his hot and cold demeanor, it’d piss me off. Who would’ve thought he’d be such a great liar.
It was getting harder to pretend like his touch didn’t affect me. It was a very thin line I was walking with him. Except we were on opposite sides, and I was just waiting to fall over the edge and crash.
Every time he kissed me.
Caressed me.
Put on a show for everyone to see.
I was losing myself a little more each time, unable to decipher was what real or fake between us. I wanted to hate him, and in a way, I did, but in another…
I was falling for him.
I never had a boyfriend. I didn’t know how to play these games. My defenses were low, and they were starting to take their toll on me. The way I wanted to be his. Even if it was only for a moment.
I craved it.
His attention.
His devotion.
His love?
I couldn’t understand why he was so hellbent on protecting me if he didn’t have feelings for me.
What was the point?
The more I thought about it, the further I’d spiral into the unknown abyss.
Taz on the other hand, had no problem approaching me when Hayes wasn’t around. It didn’t matter how many times I advised him Hayes was going to find out, he didn’t care. On my last shift, he had the balls to ask me for my number. He was playing with fire, and I knew it was only a matter of time before Hayes found out he wasn’t listening to his threats about staying away from me.
I just never thought it’d happen that morning.