Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 154037 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 770(@200wpm)___ 616(@250wpm)___ 513(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 154037 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 770(@200wpm)___ 616(@250wpm)___ 513(@300wpm)
“I will,” I told her, then asked, “I’ll see you at Otto’s party, right?”
Sienna’s brow lifted. “Is it still on?”
“Um, yes, it is still on. No chance we’re letting whoever this asshole is get in our way of a good time.” My voice was emphatic. Then I grinned. “Tell me you ordered something hot to wear.”
Her eyes widened in excitement, and she lifted her index finger. “Oh, good call. I’ll get right on it.”
“Your girl will always look out for you,” I teased.
Otto grunted, annoyed that I’d turned to happy topics rather than the one he looked like he was going to go ballistic over.
“We don’t need to be thinkin’ about my birthday right now, Raven,” he grunted low.
“Sure we do…how else am I going to remind Sienna that she has someone to seduce?” I said it completely innocent.
Sienna giggled a scandalous sound. “That I do. Okay, gotta go!”
She gave a tiny wave before she looked both ways then jogged back across the street. I watched her go, trying to ignore the heat wave that blasted me from the side.
When she disappeared into the café, there was nothing I could do but turn my attention back to Otto.
Otto who was nothing but a ball of hostility. Rays of sunlight blazed around him, making him appear an orb of fire.
That unease spun in my belly, but I tried to hide it behind an easy grin.
“This isn’t a big deal, Otto. People get vandalized all the time. You don’t need to get all surly and grumpy.”
“Oh, I can assure you I’m a whole lot more than grumpy, Raven.”
I rolled my eyes as I started for the door. “I’m sure it was some thirteen-year-old boy going around tagging things.”
Little bitches bleed red.
Okay, maybe it wasn’t a typical tag.
But I couldn’t believe it was anything else. Couldn’t believe Tanner would be so petty.
I tossed open the door and stepped inside.
Moonflower was my happy place. The place where I could be completely me. A place that was mine and only mine. A place where my brother and his friends didn’t get to intervene.
Only there was Otto stalking in behind me, radiating anger, his big body a hurricane that swept into the space.
Apparently, my claim that the second someone stepped inside their aggression would go poof was completely incorrect.
“Bet you a million bucks it was that fucker Tanner. Saw exactly what he was thinking at Kane’s. He thinks you owe him somethin’.”
“Tanner is harmless.”
He had to be.
“No man is harmless, Raven. You know that.”
I blew out a sigh. “I don’t want to start laying blame on anyone when there is absolutely no proof against them. For now, I’m going to chalk it up to vandals, clean the mess, and get back to business.”
I rounded the counter, and Otto followed, his enormous frame covering me from behind.
Energy surged and shook. Darker than normal. “Don’t like this, Raven.”
I turned to him. He was so close, it ripped the breath from my lungs. I played off the reaction like I was only frustrated. “I get that you worry about me, Otto. That you all worry about me. But I refuse to be that girl who caves or shutters. I won’t be the girl who hides behind my fears. This is my store. The thing that brings me joy. And I won’t let anyone stand in the way of that.”
Worry pulled tight through Otto’s features. “I get that. Just—”
“There’s no just. I mean it. I won’t cower. Especially when it’s probably some random kid running the streets.”
He sighed before I felt him give. “Stubborn girl.”
“Burly Bear,” I retorted.
He grinned at his nickname. I called it a win.
“I’m just looking out for my favorite person,” he muttered before he scrubbed a hand over his face then dropped it. “Gonna need to look at that footage on the camera.”
I nodded and moved over to the computer, brought it to life. There was nothing all night until there was the ghosting of movement just after 4:00 a.m. A figure dressed all in black and completely concealed that was barely captured. His features hidden. The only thing we could make out was that he was medium height and slim. Way too thin to be Tanner.
“Fuck,” Otto grumbled.
Unease rolled through me, but I forced it down and clicked out of the program. “I need to get to work.”
Otto let go of a pained sigh, then said, “Fine. Then I guess we’d better get this mess cleaned up.” He turned on his heel and moved into the back of the shop, going directly to the big basin. He grabbed a bucket and set it inside, turning the water to high as he squeezed a giant stream of soap into the container.
He tossed in a sponge and started for the front door.
“You don’t need to do that. I’ll take care of it,” I told him as I attempted to catch up to his long strides.