Total pages in book: 188
Estimated words: 179812 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 899(@200wpm)___ 719(@250wpm)___ 599(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 179812 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 899(@200wpm)___ 719(@250wpm)___ 599(@300wpm)
By the time he finishes giving me all the hints, I’m blushing. Although I’m not sure which is the bigger factor here, all the facts that he listed about his dick or that he just called me baby. After days and days of not calling me anything. After calling me Jupiter that night when he never calls me that. Or the fact that he just implied he’d want my lipstick on his hard and big dick.
I still lift my chin and glare at him. “Thank you for explaining it to me. But it’s your fault I didn’t get it in the first place.”
“Yeah?”
“Yes. If you hadn’t barged in here while I’m changing, my mind wouldn’t be mush.”
His lips twitch again, and he throws a casual, cocky shrug. “Your mind is pretty much mush as soon as I enter the picture.”
I breathe out sharply, even though he’s right. “And you’re pretty confident about the size of your…” I wave my hand in the general area of where his dick is.
That makes him chuckle. “Only because it’s a fact.”
I keep glaring at him and he keeps staring back at me with a very slight smirk. I feel like I’ll come out of my skin and he looks cool as cucumber. I press my hand back on the tiled wall to cool myself down and he leans back against the door, as if he’s enjoying this.
Then, swallowing, “Shepard?”
“Yeah?”
“I don’t think we should talk about this,” I say with as much gravity as I can.
“No?”
“No.”
He loses his amusement a bit. “Because you want a fresh start.”
“Yeah.”
“And you don’t want any more secrets and lying.”
“No.”
“And because you want to focus on your sister and give her a stable home.”
I swallow thickly. “Yes.”
Although I’ve been thinking about it. Especially ever since the night he didn’t come home or rather came home very late. I heard the door open and sprung out of my bed, ready to go to him. But then stopped myself. Because what if me going to him made things worse? He pretty much told me—has told me multiple times—what he wanted from me and I told him I couldn’t. So there wasn’t really any point in going there and potentially agitating him further?
But there has to be a way, right? That I could do both. Protect this new fragile family I’ve built, not stress Snow out and also be with him.
“All noble causes,” he murmurs.
“I’m—”
“Good causes,” he keeps going. “But then again, you’re such a good girl, aren’t you?”
Holy shit. He should not have said that. He should not have called me a good girl because it’s like a flip has been switched. My heart is racing. My palms are sweating. And it’s hard to stand up straight.
In a flash, he’s across the space and on me. Not that this space was very large to begin with. But still, it takes my breath away that he moves so fast. He moves like an animal, a predator with sharp teeth pouncing, and suddenly his fingers are around my neck.
Like they used to be. Before.
And then I have no chance of an escape because it’s an even bigger trigger. I instantly go both alert and soft. My back arches. My pussy clenches and I gasp both with the threat of his touch and anticipation of what he’ll do with it. Before I can speak, he goes, “But I can turn you into a bad girl, if I want, can’t I?”
I nod, or try to, but he doesn’t let up his grip. “Y-yes.”
“Yeah, I can.” Satisfaction flickers through his features. “I can turn you from my sweet Little Strawberry to my good Little Whore.”
I jerk, my muscles spasming. God, it’s been so long. So, so long since he called me that. Since I’ve felt this. This deep sense of belonging, surrender. This deep, deep sense of rightness. That he’ll take care of me no matter what. It’s been so long since I’ve felt safe all because he chose to wrap his fingers around my neck and give me a choking necklace.
“Anytime,” he continues, squeezing his fingers around my neck. “Anywhere.” Another squeeze. “In front of my family. Your family. The whole world.”
Fear skitters down my spine and I grip his t-shirt. “No.”
He leans closer and squeezes my throat harder. “Fuck yes.”
I dig my knuckles into his waist as my core buzzes. “No, you c-can’t.”
“That’s what you’re afraid of, aren’t you? That we’re family now.” He squeezes my throat again, making me whimper and gasp. “That it’s so fucking complicated. And God fucking forbid, we have to sneak around and lie and keep secrets. And what if they find out that you’re going to pieces just because you’ve got your big brother’s fingers wrapped around your throat like a choking necklace.”
He’s right. I am going to pieces. I’m shaking. I’m shivering. I’m fucking floating above the ground, because what is this? What is this feeling? How can he do this to me? This isn’t love, is it? This is more. This is love on goddamn crack. His words, his touch. His scent. Everything is turning me on and turning me inside out.