Total pages in book: 168
Estimated words: 169013 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 845(@200wpm)___ 676(@250wpm)___ 563(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 169013 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 845(@200wpm)___ 676(@250wpm)___ 563(@300wpm)
My entire heart.
His nod was slow. “I get it, but I’m going to need you to be fighting for yourself.”
“Fighting is about the only thing I know. But it makes it difficult when I don’t know who’s supposed to be the enemy.”
Every unforgiving edge of his body sharpened. “You’re safe with me.”
“Am I?”
Because nothing had ever felt so perilous as right then.
The quivering of my belly and the shivering of my soul.
He ran his knuckles under my chin. “Want to do a thousand different things to you, Brinley Webber, but hurting you isn’t one of them.”
The desire that bubbled up inside me was so distinct there was no mistaking it any longer.
And that was probably the most dangerous part of all.
“I thought you told me that I didn’t have to pay off my brother’s debt with my body?” I snarled it, looking for restraint, for a way to toss back up a wall, knowing I was teetering on a crumbling ledge.
Standing at the edge of a canyon to get a better look. But I wasn’t about to be too reckless to realize I was about to fall to my death.
A wicked smile took to his terrifyingly beautiful face. “There’s no debt to repay, remember?”
My fight or flight kicked in.
So rather than pummeling him in the chest with my fists like I had half a mind to do, I ducked away, winding myself from his trap, shaking myself off as I stared at him from three feet away.
“Then I guess this ridiculous job is no longer necessary.”
He angled back casually. Cruel satisfaction climbed to his face as he tucked his tattooed hands into his pockets.
“Nah. Seems like a fitting way for you to earn your keep. You are kind of a handful.”
Swiveling his menacing body around, he strolled back for the door that led to the shop like he hadn’t just suggested what he had.
Like he didn’t have my traitorous body coiled up in knots. Knots that both terrified and exhilarated me.
An infuriating smirk on his face as he glanced back from over his shoulder. “That’s your cue to get back to work.”
What. A. Dick.
Turning away, he dragged open the door.
It took everything I had not to hurl my mug at the back of his arrogant head.
Instead, I catapulted a shrieked, “I hate you!” at his back.
He paused to glance at me once more. “That’s good, Little Wildfire. Think it would be best if we kept it that way.”
TWELVE
SILAS
TEN YEARS OLD
The only lights in the living room were from the gold flames dancing in the fireplace and the twinkling Christmas lights on the tree.
That’s the way Silas’s momma liked it.
Cozy.
He felt that way right then. His stomach full of a mug of hot chocolate and marshmallows, his momma singing with her pretty voice as she put the last ornaments on the tree.
He sat on the couch with a big book on his lap, and his sister Elena was on her knees at his side, babbling and pointing at the pictures as he read. “I see Santa! Santa come?”
“Santa’s definitely gonna come,” he told her, excitement blustering up in his stomach the same way as the snow blustered outside.
He and his sister were both dressed in their pajamas. Elena’s a full body pink suit that had feet and zipped all the way from bottom to top, and his had long pants and a long-sleeved shirt with baseballs all over it.
Their baby brother was already asleep in his crib.
“But we gotta be extra good so we don’t get on the naughty list.”
Silas figured it was his job to help his momma teach her about all the important things in life.
The tiniest giggles rolled out of Elena, her chubby cheeks denting with her dimples that looked like the same ones their momma had. “I not naughty.”
Their momma danced over to them with her big smile.
Their momma softly poked Elena’s belly. “Are you sure my little Lena-Lou isn’t on the naughty list?”
She shook her head like crazy, her messy brown hair whipping around her face. “I am good, Momma!”
Silas grinned, warmth covering him whole.
“You are such a good girl, aren’t you, my angel?” their mother cooed before she turned that cooing on him. “And my big, strong Silas who is turning into such a good man.”
She set her palm on his cheek.
That’s what he wanted to be.
Good.
Sometimes he got into trouble at school because he talked a lot, but his momma told him that didn’t make him bad.
“Mom,” he drew out, fighting the red on his cheeks.
“What? I’m just stating the truth, and my baby is getting so big and kind and thoughtful that sometimes it makes my heart ache because I’m so proud of him.”
His chest stretched full.
“Because we’ve got love inside,” he told her.
Her laugh was a tinkle. “And he’s smart, too.”
“Only because you told me it five million times.” He shook his head with a roll of his eyes like he was annoyed.