Total pages in book: 148
Estimated words: 142939 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 715(@200wpm)___ 572(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 142939 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 715(@200wpm)___ 572(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
She licks her lips. “If … If that’s what you wan–”
I kiss her hard, taking our breath away with the force of how much I love her. She’s made me the happiest man on the fucking planet with her declaration. When I finally let her catch her breath, I cradle her cheeks in my hands. “Really? You’ll be mine?”
She nibbles her lip. “I mean, how could I say no to all this tech?”
I laugh and pull her into my arms, holding her tightly as Rebel rolls her eyes and leaves the room.
“We’re done here. I need to get back home, anyway.”
“About time,” a male voice comes from down the hall. “If I recall, you promised me several sexual favors in exchange for this little adventure.”
“What the fuck? You brought company?” I ask.
“Hey, Gilly!” Ocean calls from my arms.
“Hey, Ocean. Keep your nose clean, and Vane, if you fuck her over, we’ll fuck you up.” His voice fades, and I hear the front door slam.
“Yeah, what Gilly said.” Magic has the voice morph back on. “Don’t fuck this up. Magic out.” A metallic click sounds as she exits my home security.
Ocean looks up at me, her forehead wrinkling. “You’re the smartest tech guy in the world, pretty much. I know Rebel and Magic are good, but …”
I shrug. “I may have a left a few doors cracked for them in case they wanted to check on you. I didn’t want them doing anything stupid or getting hurt. I knew you’d be upset. And … I know you feel like maybe you aren’t part of that family anymore, like maybe your friends have left you behind. But that’s not true, and I wanted to show you just how much you mean to everyone around you.”
Her eyes glisten. “You mean you let my friends come rescue me to make me happy?”
“Yes.” I kiss her, more gently this time. “I’d do anything to make you happy.”
“I think … I think I love you,” she whispers against my mouth.
“I know I love you.” I reply, and then kiss the ever-loving shit out of her until the world fades and we fall back into my bed again.
EPILOGUE
OCEAN
“Wouldn’t you just hack it, Mommy?” Ariel asks from beside me.
“You don’t always have a computer or technology. It’s good to know how things work on their own.” There have been a few times I’ve gotten my ass out of a jam with only a screwdriver. I want her to be prepared for anything.
“Okay.” Ariel stares at the lock.
“Now remember last weekend when you helped Mommy build that locking mechanism?”
“The one with a hook?”
“Yep.” I tap the car door. “That’s the kind of lock you have in here.”
“There is no lock.” Her little eyebrows furrow.
“There is.” I slide my hand down the door to the underside to feel for the panel. “Give me your hand.”
Ariel leans forward to bring her hand down to mine. “Right here. You feel that?”
“Yes!” She lets out a small, excited squeal. I don’t have to instruct her any further. She pulls the end of the screwdriver off to flip it around so that it’s now a flathead.
Even though Vane had custom tools made for Ariel, her hands are still too little. If it were me, I’d just use a knife, but we’ll get to all that down the road. Right now, we’re learning the basics. Once she manages to pop off the panel, I hand her the wire.
“The lock is right here.” I tap the spot. It’s about five inches up.
“And I have to unhook it,” Ariel says before I can tell her.
“You have to remember the lock. We can’t see it. Picture it in your mind as if you’re looking through the door,” I encourage her as she tries to find the pull. “Now when-” I hear the click half a second before the alarm goes off. Ariel’s eyes go wide.
“Watch me.” This next part I’ll teach her later. She’s not at that level yet. I pull the door open. Ariel dives inside the car, scrambling to get into the passenger seat. “That wasn’t watching.” I laugh. I know the feeling. It can be a rush when you realize what you can do.
“I got excited.” She bounces up and down, watching me pop off another panel. The alarm clicks off. When it stops, Ariel lets out a squeal.
“Now what?” We both jerk our heads up to see Cass standing in front of her car.
“Uh-oh. We’re busted.”
“It’s a getaway car. We’d take off.”
“Yeah!” Ariel bounces up and down.
“Are you two done with your fun?” She arches one of her perfect brows at me.
“Are we done, Mommy?”
“We’re never done,” I tell her.
She tries to make a wicked face, pulling her brows together, her nose scrunching up. But all that makes me want to do is kiss her all over her face. I don’t get a chance. Before I know it, the passenger door swings open.