Total pages in book: 146
Estimated words: 137004 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 685(@200wpm)___ 548(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 137004 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 685(@200wpm)___ 548(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
When he gestured to the others with a tip of his head for them to leave him alone with Jaime, they completely ignored him. Great. His own female was being protected from him.
“Out.”
The command got their attention and, grumbling and scowling, each member of the pack slowly left the room. A few of them shot him warning looks that said, “Don’t upset her again.”
“Finished sulking, have you,” Jaime said flatly before sinking each of the balls that remained on the pool table. How was it that she could want to gut him and kiss him at the same time? Oh she was royally pissed, just like her wolf. But damn it, he was wearing that soft, vulnerable expression again. As much as she deeply suspected he did it on purpose, it got to her every time.
His voice was soft and beseeching. “You have to see why I don’t want you challenging anyone.”
“Well, you needn’t worry about it.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means that I called Nick, I told him I wanted to issue a challenge on Glory, and he informed me that she’s missing.” Spineless bitch. Her wolf was in full agreement with that assessment.
“You called Nick? You did that without discussing it with me?”
“I did discuss it with you. You made your stance clear.”
As he sensed the depth of her anger, he shook his head disbelievingly. “You have no idea just how much it scared me when I realized you should be dead right now, do you? You just don’t get what that would have done to me. Nothing would have gotten me through it. Nothing, Jaime. I’d have been exactly like my mother was at the end: going through the motions, existing, but not living. Is it really that awful that I don’t want anything to happen to you?” If he thought that talented mouth was getting him out of this one, he was so wrong. “You, you, you—that’s all I hear. Let’s revisit the facts, big guy. I was the one this happened to. I was the one who should have died yesterday. And I’m the one who’s been getting called Limp-A-Lot all damn morning. But wait, no, you’re the victim here, aren’t you? So sad. Well, I hope that pity plane you’re on malfunctions and hits the ground like a goddamn dart!”
He caught her just as she was about to leave the room and curled both arms around her, keeping her back to his chest. “You’re right.”
“I know that.”
He sighed and kissed her hair. “Believe it or not, I came in here to tell you that I’d support you if that’s what you need. But then I saw you pale and limping…I’m used to being the protector. I want to protect you, and I don’t want you to have to protect yourself even though I know you can.” She gave him a sideways glance as, surprised, she said, “So you’re not disputing that I can?”
“No. Definitely not. I know how capable you are.” He turned her around and cupped her neck with his hands, using his thumbs to lift her face to his. “I know I made this about me. I’m just not used to having someone else who I have to think about. I’ve been on my own for so long that I sometimes don’t even realize how self-centered I’m being.”
“I can totally help you with that with some well-aimed bitch slaps if you want. You’d soon learn.”
He couldn’t help grinning. “I did tell you I’d need the room to mess up a little. Overprotective and controlling is a real bad combination, huh?”
She nodded, feeling her mood calm at his self-recriminating tone. He was a perfectionist who was forced to face that there was something he was far from perfect at, and it was getting to him. She wanted to smack the shit out of his ex for making him cower from relationships for so long. Not that she liked the idea of him with other females, but she liked the idea of him all confused and self-doubting even less. “But so is bitchy and stubborn. When you think about it, we shouldn’t match at all, should we?”
“Yes, we should.” He kissed her lightly and let his hands slide down her body until they were locked at the small of her back. “As much as I like control, it’s not healthy for me to have it all the time. Your rebellious streak takes care of that. If you weren’t so bitchy, you’d probably let me steamroll you and wrap you in cotton wool.”
“I guess.”
“My overprotectiveness makes up for your appalling lack of a flight response, and my controlling ways give you a way to exercise your bitchy streak. I mean, you have to admit that yours runs so deep it’s more like a muscle. I give you a way to flex and stretch it when you need to.” She fought a smile, but it was hopeless. “Jerk.”