Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 69517 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 348(@200wpm)___ 278(@250wpm)___ 232(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69517 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 348(@200wpm)___ 278(@250wpm)___ 232(@300wpm)
Swallowing hard, I shrug. “I’m fine.”
“Hmm.”
An unexpected laugh tumbles out of me, slightly shrill and a bit crazed. “You’re turning into him.”
His smile is boyish and wide. “New York can’t handle two of us. They’re barely keeping their shit together with just Winny at the helm.” He studies me for a beat, growing serious once more. “He really kicked you and the bird out? What a dick.”
“Shrimp is not impressed,” I agree, “but I guess I had it coming.”
“No, my brother is just an idiot. Don’t worry. He’ll come back around.” He winks at me. “You didn’t really give him a choice in that.” His hand gestures at my outfit.
“I had to pull out the big guns.”
“That you did.” He crosses his arms over his chest and lifts a brow. “Tell me about this boy.”
Boy?
“Tate?”
His nostrils flare as though the name disgusts him. “Your ex. Yeah. What the fuck, Ash? How is this helping?”
The elevator doors open and it gives me an opportunity to escape his probing. There’s still a crowd outside the building. My stomach does an anxious flip.
“Don’t answer any questions,” he grits out, motioning at the chaos just beyond the doors. “Pumpkin Pie will be here soon.”
“Oh God. You named it,” I groan. “Your mother is going to die when she sees your car plastered all over the news.”
He laughs as he opens the glass door to usher me outside. “I can’t always be the favorite child. It’s unfair for the others and Winny cries.”
Our conversation gets trampled by cameras flashing and reporters demanding answers. Someone asks if I’m making my way through the entire Constantine family tree. It takes everything in me to refrain from flipping that asshole off. Perry gives the crowd an arrogant head nod of acknowledgment Keaton would be proud of—like, hey, groupies—as he guides me to his orange eyesore that someone has pulled up to the curb.
“Do you think we’ll make it to Torino’s in time for lunch with Winston?” Perry asks, his voice carrying loud enough to be picked up by a few close cameramen.
“Hope so,” I lie.
He opens the passenger door for me, and once I’m secured inside, he fist-bumps a security guy who brought his car up front, before climbing inside. His engine roars obnoxiously loud as he burns rubber, flying away from the waiting crowd without so much as a wave goodbye.
“Torino’s?” I ask, arching a brow at him.
“Five bucks says Winny and Mother eat there after their meeting. They’ll be thrilled with their visitors.”
“You’re evil, Perry Constantine.”
“I learned from the best.”
Not sure if he means Win or Caroline or both. They’re turning my sweet boy into a monster. This makes me smile.
“You can’t avoid this forever,” he says, weaving in and out of cars, trying to give me a freaking heart attack.
“What? Early death?”
“No, dumbass, Tate.” He says Tate like it’s soured milk he accidently took a swallow of. “How is this helping you and Shrimp win my brother back over?”
Since Perry is driving around aimlessly, I plug in the address to the gyro restaurant in his GPS, before sitting back, picking at one of the leather roses on my purse. “I lost all my friends. The triplets ran them all off. Even Tate.”
“Even more reason for me to hate the guy.”
“You can’t hate him because you’ve never met him,” I grumble.
“I hate him on principle. He’s my brother’s competition.”
An unladylike snort escapes me. “Tate and Winston are in two totally different leagues. Hell, two different planes of existence. Tate is like a tiny blinking star. Winston is a giant black hole sucking everything into his void including the sun and the planets and the whole damn solar system.”
“But you slept with him.”
“I’m not talking to you about this.” I shoot him a fiery look. “You don’t get to be jealous on Win’s behalf.”
“I’m protecting his interests.”
“Now you sound just like him, Perry. Not cute.”
We stew in silence. I kind of wish he’d drop me off.
“I’m sorry,” Perry grumbles. “It’s just been a fucked-up day. I want Winston to be happy. This Tate,” he says sourly again, “is a threat to the only happiness my brother has ever had in his life.”
My heart flutters and a silly smile tugs at my lips. “Win would die if he heard you say I make him happy.”
“Tell him I said it and I’ll kill you.” His smile is teasing and warm. “Tell me Tate isn’t going to be a problem.”
“Tate and I should have been friends and only friends. He’s sweet and funny but a little shy. Awkward even. I don’t want Tate. He was fine for a high school boyfriend, but after being with Win, I realize we weren’t just missing some passion, we were missing all of it.”
“Hmm.”
I roll my eyes because he’s still not convinced, though it is a little sweet how dedicated he is at backing up his big brother. It makes me wonder if Winston knows how much Perry adores him.