Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 109853 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 549(@200wpm)___ 439(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109853 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 549(@200wpm)___ 439(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
Jutting out his chin, Geoffrey sniffed. “I don’t have to listen to this.”
“But you will. It’s been a long time coming.” Trick tilted his head. “I don’t know why you’d link this ‘hobby’ with Christopher since, when you think about it, she probably got the sculpting skill from you and your wife. Isn’t that what you’ve always tried to do to Frankie? Shape and mold her into what you want?” Upper lip curling back in contempt, Trick loomed over him. “You’re not going to do that to her anymore. I won’t let you.”
Geoffrey sneered. “You’ve got a lot of nerve standing there, judging me, when your pack is responsible for my daughter’s death.”
“That’s a weak argument. And an attempt to shift the focus from you.”
“Your pack took my daughter from me and my family. I won’t let you take my granddaughter from us too.”
Trick growled, and his wolf snapped his teeth. “You took her from me. She’s mine. Always was.”
The raw possessiveness in his voice took Geoffrey off guard. He looked from Trick to Frankie, and realization flashed in his eyes. He shook his head in denial. “No.”
“Yes,” Trick bit out. “She’s my mate. I missed twenty-four years of her life because you wanted to punish her paternal family and pack mates for what happened to Caroline. But you didn’t only hurt us, you hurt Frankie. You won’t take her from me again.”
“See, you’re trying to steal her from us—you and your pack.”
“We don’t need to try to steal her. You’re pushing her to us with the way you’re acting. In your efforts to bring her to heel, you’re driving her away.” Trick had no idea how the guy couldn’t see it. “And you know what? We hate that. We’re not gloating. We hate that she’s hurting. If you truly love her, you’ll stop and let this be. There’s no reason why she can’t have both sides of her family in her life. Don’t make her choose.”
“You think she’ll choose you?” Geoffrey smirked, as if the idea were ridiculous.
“Yeah, I do. Don’t test that.”
The smirk on Geoffrey’s face died. He turned to Frankie, who was standing off to the side, watching the exchange with a blank expression. But Geoffrey didn’t say a word to her. He straightened the lapels of his jacket as he stormed out of the studio and then out of the house, slamming the front door behind him.
Trick rubbed a hand down his face. “I’m sorry that you had to be here for that, because it put you in an awkward position,” he told her. “But I’m not sorry for any of what I said. He needed to hear it.”
Face softening, Frankie uncrossed her arms. “Trick, I’m not going to get upset because my boyfriend stood up for me.” She wasn’t convinced that anything he’d said to Geoffrey had done any good, but Trick was right—her grandfather had needed to hear it.
Trick crossed to her and cupped her face. “I’m not your boyfriend. I’m a fuck of a lot more than that.”
She laid a hand on his chest. “It doesn’t seem fair of me to call you my mate when I haven’t let you claim me. I can’t have it both ways, can I?”
He gave her a slow grin and whispered, “Sure you can.” He kissed her, lashing her tongue with his, sipping from her mouth. He slid his hands over her, soothing and gentling her. “I’m guessing that Vance told your grandparents about us.”
“Yep. But we’d expected that.”
“Did Vance know what kind of trouble his news would cause?”
“He knew they’d be upset, but not like that.”
Maybe not, thought Trick, but still . . . “He had to know that they’d expect you to end it. And I’ll bet that’s exactly what the bastard wanted.”
“It might seem like he wants me back, Trick, but he doesn’t. What he wants is to keep his options open, to have me waiting on the sidelines in case things mess up with Layla.”
Trick clenched his jaw. “He needs to get it out of his head that you’re an option. And he should know that you have more self-respect than to pause your love life on the off chance that he might come knocking on your door.”
Liking that comment, Frankie melted against him and smoothed her hands up his back. “No one’s ever gone to bat for me before. Not that I needed them to, but still . . .” It had been kind of nice.
Trick kissed her. “Get used to it. No one gets to harm you by word or deed.”
The protective growl made her skin tingle. “My agent will like you.”
His mouth curled on one side. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.” Abigail was protective and constantly tried to set Frankie up with “good guys.” She’d very much approve of how well Trick treated Frankie.
“You know what I think would be good right now?” he asked.