Total pages in book: 63
Estimated words: 62569 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 313(@200wpm)___ 250(@250wpm)___ 209(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62569 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 313(@200wpm)___ 250(@250wpm)___ 209(@300wpm)
I nearly stopped breathing. “I’d cut the scars from my body if I could, then.”
"I’d help you if I didn’t get queasy,” she said in an honest voice while my stomach sank to the ground. Would I never get rid of her? Of the memories. “There’s always tattoos, Ace.”
I almost laughed. “Yes, I’ll just get a giant De Lange crest across my chest like everyone else in my family to cover up the scars from the person who promised me forever.”
I’d said too much.
I couldn’t take it back.
I tried to turn away but Raven stopped me, not with her hand, or her face, but with her words. “Nobody has the power to promise forever.”
Instantly, I felt stupid. “Right.”
"But a moment?” Raven sighed. “That’s a promise kept.”
“How so?”
She turned onto her back and looked up at the ceiling. A tear ran down her cheek colliding with the pillow. “Try it.”
“Try what?”
"Promising me a moment.”
I turned onto my back and stared up at the ceiling with her then reached across the mattress and gripped her hand. “I’ll hold your hand for five seconds and try to stay awake so you can sleep.”
"See?” She squeezed my hand. “Was it that hard?”
This moment? Yes.
Because for a brief second, she tempted me…
To promise her more.
12
RAVEN
The one with the annoying noise machine or lack thereof.
Ifell asleep pretty fast, only to wake up around five a.m. with Ace still sleeping, and me wide awake. I went to make coffee and because the bed was so warm, I came back and turned on Friends.
For a person who said they had trouble sleeping with noise he was sleeping pretty damn hard.
I thought back to the night before.
He’d been almost…nice.
Tame.
Maybe seeing me on the ground nearly knocked out did something to him, or maybe he was faking it. Either way, I had a good night’s sleep where I didn’t spend the time crying over Louis, my birthday, or my upcoming appointment, so things were at least looking kind of up.
I’d been born to deal with death.
I wasn’t prepared for it to happen so soon.
Or to someone I loved.
Love.
I chewed on the word. I did love him. I loved his personality, the things he’d shared with me, our stolen heated moments. He’d never opened up a lot about his family. Then again, he’d been a bodyguard, so already he had been overstepping.
Right?
I exhaled and lifted the cup of coffee to my lips.
"Can’t. Sleep. With. Noise,” Ace’s muffled voice said into the pillow. “Why was your first instinct to turn on Friends? I don’t share food. I don’t like noise—”
“Aw, it’s like Joey but has no personality. Wait, does that mean your blood sugar dropped? Do you need a protein bar to feed all those muscles this early? Should I keep them by the bed?”
"Are we bed partners now?” He groaned. “Say it isn’t so.”
"Oh, please, I’m a lovely bed partner.”
“Noise,” he repeated. “And you kick in your sleep.”
I smirked into my coffee mug. “Maybe I just wanted to make sure you were still breathing. Think of it as concern for my bodyguard.”
“Be concerned elsewhere.” He sat up and looked over at me.
I tried not to gasp but it was impossible to keep it in. His long hair was a mess all over his face, his green eyes penetrated mine in a way that made me feel naked, and his lips were slightly swollen like he’d sucked on them all night, and damn those cheekbones for cutting ice and doing hard work all night.
A knock sounded downstairs followed by the doorbell. I frowned and looked over at my phone.
Ten missed texts.
I’d had my phone on silent.
I quickly opened them.
Ivan
Your mom went on the trip, your dad stayed, he wants to come over and chat.
Ivan
Why aren’t you picking up? Where’s Ace?
Ivan
I know it’s early, I’ll show up first and brief you, I know the code to get in though I’ll give you a warning knock and loudly hit the doorbell so you aren’t naked.
I kept reading the texts, my head spinning, when I looked up and saw Ivan standing in the doorway staring us down, eyes wide. “Well that didn’t take long.”
Ace practically levitated away from the bed. “It’s not what you think. After the attack last night she got scared, I stayed on my side—”
"He threatened to cut off my toes,” I said cheerfully. “As if I’m not already depressed as shit. I found it really conducive for a peaceful sleep.”
Ivan looked between us. “I’m honestly surprised you both survived.”
"Me too,” Ace grumbled.
"Heard that.” I threw a pillow toward him. “Put some clothes on. Not all of us have six packs. No need to show off, right Ivan?”
“I have a six pack.”
“Sure you do,” I teased.
He glared. “Last year you were so much easier to deal with.”
“Last year you were blissfully unaware of your purpose in life. Now look at you, mob boss to the De Lange family and almost married.” I grinned. “You’re proposing soon right?”