Total pages in book: 190
Estimated words: 181992 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 910(@200wpm)___ 728(@250wpm)___ 607(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 181992 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 910(@200wpm)___ 728(@250wpm)___ 607(@300wpm)
Deciding to ignore him, I threw the balled-up paper towels into the trash can and then walked toward my car.
I didn’t make it there.
Blaise slipped into my path and planted his feet. His friends followed his lead, though they seemed to have no clue why he’d done it. A cold smile took hold of his lips as he cocked his head.
Don’t do it, kid, don’t do it, I silently willed. Just walk away.
“Well, if it isn’t my stepdad’s old whore,” he snarked.
I felt my lips part. That little son of a fucker.
His red-headed friend’s brows shot up in surprise. “That so?” Eyeing me from head to toe, he gave me a sleazy grin. “I can see why Grayden went there.” He elbowed the third boy. “Look at those tits, Glenn.”
“Real nice,” commented Glenn, staring at my cleavage. “Even bigger than your girl’s titties.”
God save me from hormonal teenage idiots. I met Blaise’s glare with one of my own. “Walk away.”
He didn’t. He pointed his energy drink at me in a sharp, accusing move. “Because of you, my mom lost her job. A job she’d had for years. Dax was behind it—I know he was. He did it for you.”
Huh. It wasn’t a major surprise. I’d thought it possible that he’d choose such a method of retaliation. My dad had been known to use it on occasion.
Not about to say anything that would implicate Dax, I only replied, “If he is behind it—and I’m not saying he is—she brought that on herself. You’ll bring something similar on yourself if you don’t quit this now.”
Blaise let out an ugly snicker. “I ain’t afraid of Dax.”
“I doubt that.”
“If he touches me even once, my Uncle Lowe will take his ass down,” Blaise gloated.
How typical that he’d consider himself safe to act like a shithead because he had someone who’d bail him out of trouble. I shook my head. “Lowe won’t be able to save you from Dax.” Even the sheriff himself would know that.
Glenn exchanged a nervous look with the third boy and then leaned toward Blaise. “She talking about Mercier?” he asked, a shaky note to his voice.
“Yes,” I confirmed, figuring that Blaise’s friends deserved the chance to remove themselves from the situation since all they’d really done was make inappropriate sexual comments.
Their eyes widening, the two began to back away, passing the side of my car as they did so.
I resettled my gaze on Blaise. “You should be smart like your buddies there and move. This scene here won’t impress your mom. All you’re doing is focusing Dax’s attention back on your family. She won’t want that. Neither should you.”
He sneered. “What she doesn’t want is some bitch pining after what’s hers. You want to steal Grayden from her again. Don’t know why, because he’s a piece of shit in my opinion.”
I didn’t bother pointing out that I hadn’t “stolen” Grayden from her at all; that he and Felicity had been separated back when he and I got together—Blaise knew that already. “If I wanted him, I wouldn’t have married Dax, would I?”
“How the hell did you even pull that off, anyway? Well, I’m betting he’s regretting it. Now he’s stuck with a shit-stirring skank who’s turned him against his own family.”
I almost crossed my eyes. He acted as if Dax and Felicity had been close all their lives until now. Not about to explain myself to some snotty-nosed kid, I flicked up a brow. “Are you done? Or would you like to make this even worse for yourself?”
I thought he’d probably choose the latter option, but a smirk pulled at his mouth as he held up one hand in a gesture of peace. “I guess I’m done.”
Blaise backed away, taking the exact path that his friends had. As he approached my car, he dug something out of his pocket. There was a slight screeching sound as—motherfucker—he keyed my goddamn car. He stopped near my front passenger window as something caught his attention. Shit, I’d left it open a few inches. He pocketed his keys, opened his bottle, and then tipped a good portion of his drink through the gap.
Grinding my teeth, I glared at the little shit, wishing I was close enough that I could whack him over the head with my purse.
His smirk widening, he said, “Whoops. Sorry about that.”
Oh, someone needed to tan his ass. And someone would. Because I wasn’t going to protect him from consequences this time. “Bad idea, Blaise.”
He only laughed and then jogged over to his friends. He wouldn’t be laughing for long.
Striding over to my car with angry steps, I yanked open the front passenger door and glanced inside. My mouth went so tight my lips trembled. The nearest seat was covered in orange liquid, which was also dripping down the inside of the door and soaking the carpet. Motherfucker.