Total pages in book: 227
Estimated words: 220940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1105(@200wpm)___ 884(@250wpm)___ 736(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 220940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1105(@200wpm)___ 884(@250wpm)___ 736(@300wpm)
He only ever did right by me.
Doesn’t stop the dormant ache inside from rising though. What the fuck is with that?
I blink, the buzz of a blender whizzing ringing in my ears. “Fuck.” I grab my overflowing cup of coffee and set it on the side, snatching a towel off the handle of the stove and mopping up my mess.
“You okay?” James asks loudly over the blender.
“Fine.” I lift my cup and take that first, amazing sip, turning as I do. My cup stills halfway down from my lips when I find Beau in front of me. Here we go. I’m about to be given an earache when she grills me or back ache when she kicks my feet out from beneath me. “Please don’t hurt me,” I say, giving her a cheesy smile. Then I register her sorrowful face. I cock my head. She pushes her bottom lip out on a pout.
“How are you?” she asks, reaching for my wounded arm and rubbing just south of the bandage beneath my clothes.
“Fine,” I say slowly, looking at James. He’s watching Beau too. Frowning. Am I missing something? The last time I saw her, she was scowling at me. Don’t tell me after sleeping on it, she realizes she was out of line. That she’s worried about my injury. And I know no one’s told her about what really went down in the alley because no one fucking knows except Pearl, Nolan, and me. Which reminds me, I must call Nolan.
“You sure?” she asks, stepping closer. Is she about to hug me? I lean back as Beau leans in, but with the counter behind me, I’m going nowhere. She flings her arms around my neck and squeezes me, forcing me to hold my coffee up and away from our bodies. What the fuck? James is shaking his head in despair as he drinks his green juice. I’m stiff as a board in her arms, not that she’s noticing how uncomfortable I am. Or confused. “I love you,” Beau says. “I just want you to know that.” She breaks away and wanders off, taking her juice as she passes James.
“Hormones,” he mutters when she’s gone.
“Right.” She’s all over the place, hating on me one second, loving me the next.
Danny walks in, wriggling the knot of his tie. I frown at his impeccable suited form. “Since when does meeting Higham warrant a full-blown three-piece?”
He goes to his cuffs and starts fiddling.
“With cufflinks,” I add, looking between him and James, who’s in his running shorts. No T-shirt. “Are you wearing a suit today with all the trimmings?”
“I never wear a suit with all the trimmings.” He throws Danny an exasperated look. “Unless I’m getting married or taking my wife to the opera.”
“You need cuffs for that too,” Danny says, getting himself a coffee.
“And an AK47,” I add, smiling when James places his glass down with a bit too much force. “Do I need to change?” I motion down my casually suited form.
“You look gorgeous, darling,” Danny quips.
I roll my eyes and take a seat opposite James, sipping my coffee and pulling my phone out, dialing Nolan.
“Anyway, it might not happen,” Danny grumbles, glancing at his watch.
“What?”
“The meeting with Higham.”
“Why?”
“Because I can’t get hold of the fucker.”
I cut the call when Nolan doesn’t answer and start texting him. “Anyone seen Nolan this morning?”
Silence.
I look up from my cell. “Well?”
Danny shakes his head. James shakes his head. “Brad!” I jump at the screech of my name, spilling my coffee on my hand.
“Fuck.” I shake off the wet just in time for Rose to pass Maggie to Danny before she dives at me. I catch her, and she hisses.
“Shit, my tits.”
My eyes widen at Danny. His jaw rolls.
Rose pulls out and takes both my cheeks in her palms, her face coming close. “Are you all right?”
“Yes,” I say through my squished lips. “Fine.” My cock’s red raw, but I’m fine.
She comes nose to nose with me, searching my eyes. Fuck me, it’s like she has a sixth sense. I feel my face flame, and all I can smell is Pearl.
Pearl, lavender, and sex.
“Are you sure?”
“Rose,” Danny warns.
“I’m sure.” It was a flesh wound. That’s all. Why all the concern? I’ve had worse.
She releases me. “I love you, I want you to know that.”
“What the fuck’s going on?” I ask, looking around the room.
“Nothing,” all three of them say in unison, and then very quickly glance at each other awkwardly.
“Right.” Fuck me, is this something to do with everyone thinking I’m on the edge over Pearl? Or are they happy because they think I’ve moved on to Allison? Jesus. I get up. “Let me know if you reach Higham.” I leave my coffee and get the fuck out of there, meeting Otto as he enters. He stops, his hairy face an unusual shade of pity. He puts a hand on my shoulder. Squeezes. “If you tell me you love me,” I say, “I’m going to rape your ass with Rose’s breast pump.”