Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 71832 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 359(@200wpm)___ 287(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71832 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 359(@200wpm)___ 287(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
“What are you doing here?” I ask, jaw tensing. I will not look at his chest or stare at his lips or think about all the very disturbingly explicit things those big hands of his could do to me. My nipples stiffen and I shift my arms, trying to cover them.
God, this is why I always hated Carson.
I have this inexplicable reaction to him, and it drives me absolutely insane.
Well, that and the fact that his whole family is made up of violent, controlling, psychopathic assholes.
I focus on his eyes, thinking that’d be safer, but even there he seems to smolder.
“I’m looking for Iain,” he says, glancing around. “Have you seen him? Or spoken to him in the last few days?”
“He’s supposed to be your guy,” I say, eyes narrowing. I shake off some of my arousal. Get it together. Carson’s just a guy. “And I haven’t spoken to my brother in years.”
This is deeply weird. I haven’t been close with Iain since he joined Carson’s organization, the Crowley family. Like my father, and my uncles, and their uncles before them, my brother decided that he wanted to be an Irish Boston thug, the most cliché of all clichés, and that’s around when I cut ties with my gangster asshole relatives. Everyone’s involved somehow, from aunts to cousins, everyone including my mother, at least until the day she died.
I’ve been better off without my family, though I miss Mom most days. It’s not easy, living with nobody in a town like this, but it’s better that than get sucked into their black-hole vortex of violence and drama.
Carson’s silent. He’s staring at me like he’s trying to search my eyes for some truth he can’t find anywhere else. It’s unnerving, like the rest of the world doesn’t exist. Like Bernie’s not right there ogling him with her mouth hanging open. Steam’s practically about to burst from her ears.
“If you hear from him, you need to call me,” he says, backing toward the door.
“I don’t talk to Iain anymore,” I say, following him. “I don’t talk to anyone in your little friend group. Why would you come here, anyway?”
“I’m checking in on you, that’s all.”
“Well, I’m not involved in your life, so keep me out of this, okay?”
Carson works his jaw like I’m an annoying bug buzzing in his ear and levels a deeply longing look in my direction. Like he wishes he could say more but can’t bring himself to do it.
If I know Carson, there’s more to this situation than he’s letting on.
“This isn’t a joke, Ash. If you hear from Iain, you call me immediately. You still have my number?”
My hands curl into fists. “Yeah. I have it.” Unfortunately, I kept all my old contacts over the years, including Carson.
“Good. If you hear from him, or if anything out of the normal happens, you call me.”
“What’s this about?” Some worry slips into my throat. “Is he okay?”
“Your brother’s a survivor. He’ll be all right.”
“That’s not even a little bit reassuring.”
Carson grunts and turns away. “Just take care, all right? Go straight home tonight.”
“Carson—”
“Straight home.”
Without another word, he stalks off into the night.
Silence follows. I stand there, feeling hollow and afraid. Carson Crowley never, ever looks rattled, but there was something strange in his expression, and the way he’s talking makes it sound like I’m in danger. Like Iain’s already in danger.
But no, this is exactly why I walked away from my family to begin with. I don’t care what trouble they got themselves into, I’m not letting Carson Crowley and his nipple-stiffening gaze drag me kicking and screaming back into that world.
I left and I’m staying gone.
“Holy shit,” Bernie finally says. “Who the hell was that Adonis? You didn’t tell me you knew a freaking underwear model. Oh my god, can you get him back here? I want him to sit on my face.”
“I thought you’re supposed to sit on his face,” I say, only half paying attention to her. I stare out into the night where Carson’s getting into a black Lexus and driving off.
“Hon, he’s so hot, I’d let him crush my skull with that tight ass. My god. What a glorious death that would be.”
“You’re gross,” I say, pulling the door shut. I turn the lock. “I’m gonna call an Uber. You want to share?”
Bernie hesitates. “All that stuff about being careful, that was serious, huh?”
“I’m not sure, but knowing my brother and Carson, it might be bad.”
“Yeah, okay, let’s split. Better safe than sorry, right? Hey, maybe your angel will guide us home tonight. Or maybe your angel will land that big devil in your bed.” She sighs dramatically. “Or in my bed, for hours, to do some extremely filthy things. Think he’s open to toys?”
I nudge her with my elbow. “Knock it off. Carson’s like family. And I’m not interested in criminal assholes like him.”