Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 110360 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 552(@200wpm)___ 441(@250wpm)___ 368(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110360 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 552(@200wpm)___ 441(@250wpm)___ 368(@300wpm)
However, in the very next blink, he straightened, my hand on his chest falling away as his carefully built walls slid back into place, shutting me out all over again.
The loss was staggering, but an unlikely smile tipped my lips.
Oh, yes. Devon and I were on exactly the same page with our attraction to each other. He was just a little more reluctant to open the book. I could work with that.
He was still close, so before he had the chance to back away, I rested my hands on his shoulders and hopped off the counter, my breasts raking down his front until my feet hit the floor.
“Fuck,” he hissed, immediately turning away. Mumbling under his breath, he gripped the back of his neck and walked to the door. It was as far as he could get from me without actually leaving the room.
A wide, victorious grin split my mouth. “So, what did you need to talk to me about?”
He looked everywhere but at me. “You want to talk first or feed?”
If I had the choice, I wanted to strip him naked and ride him into the sunset.
“Can we do both?”
“Not a both kind of conversation. I need your attention.”
My smile fell as nerves took flight in my stomach. “I guess we’re talking then.”
Nodding, he propped his shoulder against the doorjamb, his thick biceps crossing his chest. “If I have my way about it, this will be the last time we have to talk about your ex, but Leo called this morning, and we were right about people seeing him yesterday. Seems he was so worried about you, he stopped and had lunch at the café before comin’ here. People snapped some pics and shared ‘em online. Word’s spreading, and news outlets are connecting the dots back to you. Would have been nice if he’d given us a heads-up, especially after I laid the situation out to him, but there's not much we can do about it now.”
My vision tunneled as the breath was stolen from my lungs. I swung my hand out, propping it on the counter to keep my balance.
Two years. Two fucking years I hadn’t seen Sebastian. And suddenly, he was ruining my life all over again. The man never missed an opportunity to slay me. Truly, it was uncanny.
He was a terrible husband who flew through life using his dick as a moral compass. But he’d lived a life in the spotlight as long as I had. He wouldn’t have purposely led a stalker to my door. Though he was a narcissist who would absolutely throw me under a bus rather than perform the herculean task of taking responsibility for his actions and the ramifications they might cause.
Who cared if it got me killed as long as he didn’t have to admit he’d been reckless or wrong.
All this trouble to keep me safe, and Sebastian fucking Cristobal waltzes into town feeding me to the wolves while signing autographs.
My nose stung, tears welling in my eyes as reality overwhelmed me.
What would I tell my dad? Or Jenn? How long would I be gone this time?
What happened if the LAPD never caught this guy and Daddy got worse? Would I even be able to come back now that the farm had been compromised?
And worst of all, what if I lost him and, just like with Marty, all I got was a quiet goodbye in an empty funeral home?
“Oh God,” I croaked, slapping a hand over my mouth before the sob could escape.
Devon pushed off the doorframe with a quiet exhale, closing the space between us. His large palm slipped under my hair and wrapped around the back of my neck. With a gentle squeeze, he guided me into his chest.
An avalanche of emotions consumed me, tears streaming from my eyes.
“Hey,” he murmured, soothing his palm up and down my back. “It’s okay. I’ve got you.”
My arms circled his hips, bringing us flush. “What the hell did I do to deserve this?”
“Nothing. This is not something you did.”
“He genuinely just doesn’t care who he hurts.” My shoulders shook, fighting another round of sobs. “Do you have any idea how many years I’ve spent covering for him? Protecting his image? People still hate me for divorcing him, because I refuse to air his dirty laundry.”
A low growl rumbled in his chest. “Guys like him don’t change. They just keep finding new ways to disappoint.”
“This is more than disappointing. He’s robbing me of the only time I have left with my dad. I can’t get that back!”
His whole body locked up. Solid as a statue. “Wait, what?”
“Everyone’s going to know where I’ve been hiding now,” I whispered.
When he didn’t reply, I tilted my head back to catch his gaze.
Confusion colored his features, his long dark lashes working overtime. “You think you’re in hiding?”