Total pages in book: 156
Estimated words: 160192 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 801(@200wpm)___ 641(@250wpm)___ 534(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 160192 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 801(@200wpm)___ 641(@250wpm)___ 534(@300wpm)
“There’s also little you could do to me that I couldn’t fight my way free of,” North told him.
He looked so unassuming. Like he should be working in a library or an office with his button-up shirt and pressed pants.
But underneath all of that he was dangerous and scary. A panther or leopard.
Stalking their prey.
Just watching and waiting.
A shiver ran through her.
“But that won’t be the same with you,” Jared told her firmly. “You’ll use the word Red if you need us to stop.”
She nodded.
“So have you thought of anything else?” North asked.
“I don’t want to be restrained.”
“Understood,” Jared said.
“Don’t slap my face or restrict my breathing or punch me or kick or pinch or burn my skin. And no belts or any kind of implement. Don’t make me bleed or scar me. And don’t tell me that I’m a slut or a bitch. Or humiliate me.”
Those came out so fast that she was shocked for a moment. She hadn’t realized she’d be able to come up with her limits so easily.
Wow.
She was kind of proud of herself.
“Anything more?” Jared asked.
If she’d been paying more attention, she likely would have heard how tense he was. Have seen the way he was holding himself tight.
And she would have noticed North stepping away, retreating. Although that would have confused her more than anything.
“Um, I’m just trying to think. No one else other than the two of you. Oh, when I say no implements, I mean weapons too. And I don’t want to crawl anywhere. Or have to beg you to hurt me.”
“Mother. Fucker. Mother. Fucker.” Jared stormed away while she looked after him in shock.
Shit. It had to have been something she’d said.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“Why are you sorry?” North asked.
What was he doing so far away? Were they walking away from her? Did she disgust them?
All of those things . . . yeah, Fergus had done them to her and now they knew.
Fuck.
“Some of those are made up. He didn’t do all those things to me,” she stated.
“Yes, he did and you diminish what you went through by trying to pretend that he didn’t,” North told her coldly.
“I didn’t mean to upset anyone.”
“This isn’t your fault. It’s his.”
“I know, but he was still Jared’s father.”
“He was no father of mine,” Jared said, storming back into the room.
Something had changed.
She ran her gaze over him and immediately zeroed in on his right hand.
“You’re bleeding.” She climbed down off the counter.
“Careful,” Jared barked.
North took a step toward her, as though he thought he might need to catch her.
“I’m fine. I wasn’t that far up,” she said. “Jared, you’re bleeding.”
“You shouldn’t get off the counter by yourself,” Jared told her with a frown as he ran his hand under the water at the tap. “And it’s nothing.”
“It’s not nothing. What happened? You were only gone a few minutes.”
“I needed to get rid of some pent-up energy,” he explained. “I’m so fucking sorry that happened to you, baby. I’m going to ensure that nothing like that ever happens to you again.”
He cupped her face between his cool hands and kissed her.
God. What a kiss.
The man was talented, that was for sure. But something felt different about this kiss. It felt like he was trying to infuse her with him. Trying to meld them together so they were never apart.
Or perhaps that’s just wishful thinking on your behalf.
Instead of asking how he intended to do that when she was leaving soon, she kissed him back just as passionately.
Wanting to keep him with her.
Always.
Drawing back, he nipped at her lip and she was shocked as that small amount of pain zinged through her body, making her pussy pulse with need.
He lifted her into the air, against his chest where he held her like a baby. Then he walked over to North.
“Come,” he said to North.
But the other man shook his head, watching her closely. “I’m going to sit this out.”
She tensed. What did he mean? He wasn’t going to be a part of this? But she thought he wanted her?
Oh, was he disgusted by her now?
She buried her face in Jared’s chest. Normally, she’d come up with some bravado comment to push North further away.
Tell him that he was a giant dick who could go suck a bag of dicks.
See, totally eloquent.
But right now she was vulnerable and raw. She’d basically just laid out the things that Fergus had done to her.
Being rejected right now was like being flayed with his whip, having her back torn to bits. She could feel each hit against her skin.
Angie gasped for breath.
“Whoa, baby. Hey, it’s all right. North isn’t rejecting you. He’s actually trying to do the right thing while doing the exact wrong thing.”
“Why is she panicking?” North asked.
“Because you’re rejecting her. She just laid herself bare and you’re running.”