Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 109176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 546(@200wpm)___ 437(@250wpm)___ 364(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 546(@200wpm)___ 437(@250wpm)___ 364(@300wpm)
My heels click sharply against the concrete floors, and the familiar smell of ice permeates the air. Memory after memory attacks me the farther I walk into the space. If I’m lucky, I’ll be able to go in and get out without being noticed, but something tells me I won’t be so lucky. In the distance, I can hear chatter and try my best to make out who’s talking, but I can’t. Most likely, it’s not Dane. He is often a man of few words.
It’s fine. It won’t be too awkward.
Can’t be worse than some of the other embarrassing stuff I’ve lived through. Like the time I slipped and fell into a snowbank in front of my whole sixth grade class. I lived through that, so I can live through this.
This will be faster and far less painful, and I won’t inherit a nickname. It took a while to get the kids to stop calling me frosty after I stood up covered in snow.
I don’t think I’ve ever walked this fast in heels. My feet are going to kill me tonight. Well worth it if I can get out of here undetected. Of course, fate has other plans, as I see Hudson waving at me.
Great job, Hudson. Way to out me.
I take a deep breath and hope it ends with a wave, but again, no such luck on my part.
And since the Moirai sisters of Fate seem to have it out for me, Dane walks off the ice when I pass him.
My guess is he’s going to the locker room, and I’m going to the office beside the locker room.
Great.
“Josephine.”
“Sinclair.”
His eyes widen at the use of his last name, but if he’s going to call me out, he doesn’t. Instead, he stares at me for a long moment, almost like he’s memorizing me.
“Take a picture. It will last longer.”
“I didn’t expect—”
“To see me again. Yeah, I got that.”
“Look, I messed up. We both got carried away, and I let it happen. I take full responsibility. I’m the fucking adult over here.”
And I wasn’t? Good to know.
“At any rate,” he continues, “we need to keep our distance now. We got too close to getting caught, and we both have plenty to lose. Turn around and walk away, Hellfire. There’s nothing for you here.”
60
DANE
Hudson added Molly to the chat.
Hudson: Where’s your brother?
Molly: Do I look like his keeper, asshole?
Hudson: Actually, yes.
Hudson changed the name of the chat to Dane Sinclair’s Keepers
Molly has left the chat.
Hudson: Was it something I said?
Mason: …
61
DANE
I can’t believe these guys convinced me to meet them.
This is by far the last place I want to be. I trudge through the dimly lit bar, looking for my friends. After tonight, I might downgrade them back to teammates.
The music is obnoxious, and the walls practically rattle from the bass.
In the corner, in the usual spot, I find a way too happy Hudson, Mason, and, surprisingly enough, Aiden. Although I see him every day, he rarely goes out unless he’s forced to or Cassidy has convinced him it would be good for him.
I narrow my eyes as I approach, and I can tell something’s up by how tight Aiden’s jaw is. I glance over at Hudson. He’s grinning like an idiot, but his demeanor isn’t going to help me figure out what’s going on. The man is always a juvenile child.
“There he is!” Hudson leans back in his seat, a shit-eating grin spreading across his face.
“Why are you so happy?”
Hudson shrugs. “I’m always happy. I give golden retriever vibes.”
“Nah, just a horndog. And you.” I turn to Aiden, suspicious. “What are you even doing here?”
Hudson claps his hands in front of his face like an excited schoolboy, and Aiden groans.
“Why did we invite him?” Aiden asks Mason while pointing at Hudson.
“Hey! It was my idea to grab a drink.”
“He has a point.” Mason shrugs.
“Plus, you both wanted to know what’s up his ass—shit. I wasn’t supposed to say that yet.”
“Yet?” I quirk my eyebrow. What the hell did I just walk into?
“Yeah, sorry, man. Okay, let me start this again.” Hudson stands from his seat and gestures to Mason, Aiden, and himself. “We’re staging an intervention.”
“My intervention?”
“Oh, boy. Pretty Boy is slow, but he is catching up.”
“From what?” I barely drink. I don’t do drugs, and none of them know about my relationship with Hellfire.
“You being a bigger asshole than normal.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?”
“Case in point.” Hudson reaches forward, grabs the pitcher, and pours me a beer. “Listen, man, we love you, but what the hell is going on with you?”
I take the glass from him, lifting it to my mouth. “I’m fine.”
“You’re not fine.”
“Okay, I’m tired.”
Hudson swirls the napkin in front of him. “Tired? That’s the best you’ve got?”
“Is Hudson the official team leader?” I turn to look at Aiden. “And here I thought you were the captain.”