Total pages in book: 162
Estimated words: 154728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 774(@200wpm)___ 619(@250wpm)___ 516(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 154728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 774(@200wpm)___ 619(@250wpm)___ 516(@300wpm)
My head snapped back to Kane, eyes narrowed. “Kane, the first time I meet your brother cannot be when I look like I’ve just been fucked in a bathroom,” I hissed, trying to smooth my hair, which was no doubt a mess.
Kane chuckled, arms around me as he walked us in the direction of the man in black. “Oh, Chef, the absolute best and only time I want you to meet my brother is when you are red from coming around my dick, and my cum is dripping out of you. Otherwise, the fuck may get some ideas about stealing you from me.”
His words were crass, but they were true. The first part, at least. My face still felt hot; therefore, it must’ve been red, and the wetness in my panties communicated our lack of condom and my lack of responsibility since we’d used one the first two times then never again.
Kane had been hovering above me, eyes locked with mine in question when he’d pressed in, bare.
“Yes,” I’d breathed at his silent request.
And that was all the permission he’d needed before rocking my world. Bare. I didn’t regret my decision, not for a moment.
Irresponsible. All of this was irresponsible.
But it was fun, and chaotic. An adventure. Meeting family, meeting someone so important to Kane, made it real. Made it much too terrifying.
“Kane,” I tried to fight against him, but he was too strong.
And he ignored me, so before long, we stopped. In front of the man in black.
Shit.
There was no escaping it now.
“Chef, this is Knox.” Kane nodded toward the man in front of us.
Knox.
His brother.
The one who’d put himself in an unimaginably horrific position to save his brother from the worst of sexual abuse when they were young. Although the man in front of us looked like he’d never been a helpless child. No, he looked like he sprouted from the ground with fully formed muscles. Everything about him seemed cold. Menacing. A primal instinct inside me told me this man was dangerous. Very dangerous.
He had the same eyes as Kane, sparkling sapphires. Though Kane’s were full of life, mischief and fire. Knox’s were flat and lifeless, like those of a predator.
He had the same angular jawbone as Kane, lips that had a similar curve but no scar, no upward tilt of a smile. I knew he was older than Kane only because Kane had told me. Whereas Kane’s face was tan and weathered with lines from laughter, smiling and the sun, Knox’s was almost porcelain, no lines to be found.
His brows were dark and heavy, his hair an inky curtain over his face.
Unlike his brother’s casual attire, he was in a suit. I could tell it was expensive by the fit of it, like it was made to fit over his slim but muscular body. There were no tattoos on him to be seen.
The two men couldn’t be more similar yet different at the same time. The sun and the moon.
“Knox, this is my Avery.” Kane’s introduction contained a possessive warmth, his finger brushing my bare arm.
“Avery Hart,” Knox said, eyes unnervingly focused on me. “I’ve eaten at your restaurant. It’s good.”
Just like his brother, the single positive word to describe my food did not come out lackluster. No, it seemed like high praise coming from him. I got the sense this man did not throw out compliments.
“Thank you.” My words felt heavy. Not just because of the compliment but for what he sacrificed for Kane. Resulting in Kane being able to smile easily, still love and have intimacy I felt certain the man in front of me wasn’t capable of.
Whether he understood the gravity of my thank you could not be seen. His face remained an impassive mask.
“I see Brax is still here,” he addressed Kane. Displeasure was evident in his tone.
Kane’s smile dimmed only somewhat, but the dim told me something. “Come on, man, he’s a good friend.”
Knox’s scowl deepened. “He’s not your friend, brother. He’s a leech.”
This was obviously not the first time they had had this conversation. It interested me. My instincts with men were usually pretty spot on. I had disliked Brax upon meeting him without anything to back that up.
Though I didn’t doubt Knox was a dangerous man, I got the sense he cared about his brother, would do and had done anything for him. That made him a good man in my book. And I trusted Kane’s judgment.
Kane laughed. It felt forced. “Leeches make good managers, doing all the blood-sucking while I keep my hands clean.”
Knox’s lips didn’t so much as twitch. This was definitely not a man who smiled often. Or ever.
Thinking of his past and about what Kane had alluded to about his present, I felt sad. Not sorry for him, since this kind of man was impossible to feel pity for, the emotion would bounce off his hardened shield. Just sadness.