Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 101872 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 340(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101872 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 340(@300wpm)
Instinct. Or maybe habit.
Because she wouldn’t be in an enclosed space if she thought he might hurt her.
Then again, maybe she was being a dumbass because Renard had a reputation for being temperamental.
“Did you . . . did you think I was going to hit you?” he whispered.
There was a starkness to his voice.
As though he felt ill.
“No,” she scoffed. “You just startled me.”
He stared at her for a long moment and she forced her gaze onto his chin.
“Look at me, then.”
“I am,” she countered. “If you don’t want to drive me home anymore—”
“Look at me, Opal. Didn’t take you for a coward.”
Anger flooded her and she snapped her gaze to his. “I’m not a coward!”
“I know you’re not, Gem,” he told her in a soft voice. “I bet you’ve got more courage in your little toe than the rest of this town put together.”
“Not sure that’s true, but I’m no coward. And if you know I’m not then why did you say that?”
“Because I wanted you to look at me. And see that I mean every word when I tell you that I would never hit or harm you. I would cut off my arm before I did that to you, to any woman or child, for that matter. I know I’ve got my problems, my demons. I know I have a temper. I can’t stand idiots. But you’re not an idiot, Opal. And if I ever laid a hand on you in anger, ever hurt you, you go straight to Jake and tell him to shoot me dead.”
She sucked in one breath, then another, slowly putting herself back together. She still couldn’t believe she’d flinched like that.
“I won’t be worrying Jake, I’d shoot you myself.”
“Good girl,” he praised her. “Good fucking girl. You do that. Because no man who touches a woman like that deserves to live.”
She felt a surge of pleasure at his praise which instantly made her uncomfortable. Because she shouldn’t feel that.
Because she definitely wasn’t ‘good.’
“I’m nobody’s good girl. Some of the subs at the club might like that shit, but not me.”
Such a liar.
The truth was that she wanted to be a good girl. She wanted to give in to a Top who would take care of her, look after her.
Spank her when she needed it. Yeah, she liked a bit of pain sometimes.
She’d just never found someone who could give her that.
Or someone she trusted to do that.
“We going or what?” she asked.
“Will once you put your seatbelt on,” he told her.
Oh. Right.
“Stickler for the rules, huh?”
“Not usually, no,” he said. “But this is about your safety and I take that seriously.”
It was hard not to take his words to heart, not to let them build a wall around the hurt inside her.
But she knew that those words weren’t really directed at her. This was how he would act toward any woman in Haven.
You aren’t special, Opal.
And you never have been.
There’s only one thing men ever wanted from her. Not that she was ashamed of having sex, of wanting it.
But she was sick of it being a transaction.
Of it meaning nothing.
However, she didn’t let any of that show on her face, instead she clicked her seatbelt into place.
Only he still didn’t start driving.
“I didn’t mean to snap at you before,” he said gruffly. “I haven’t got much of a filter. Don’t really know how to be anything but what I am, and most people would call me an asshole. Just wanted you to know, it wasn’t deliberate or aimed at you. I just . . . didn’t want you to walk behind me because I needed to see you. And I don’t like the idea of you being out here alone at night because I hate the idea of you being hurt. Hate the idea of any woman being hurt. And while people around here might think this town is safe, it isn’t always. As wrong as it is, walking around at night on your own just ain’t safe for a woman.”
Right.
Now she felt awful. Why was it so hard for her to accept that someone might be concerned about her?
Opal let out a deep breath. “I get that, but you don’t have to worry about me. I’ve been taking care of myself a long time and I’ve gotten this far.”
Battered, bruised, and sometimes beaten down.
But she was still here. She still got up every morning.
That was what counted, right?
“And I’ve got Zappy.” She patted her handbag. It was an enormous pink monstrosity that basically held her life.
“Your bag?” Renard asked.
“My Taser.”
“You’ve got a Taser in there?”
“Yep. And as well as Zappy, I’ve got Stingy.”
“I don’t think I wanna ask,” he muttered.
“That’s my pepper spray. As well as that, I’ve got Bangy.”
“Bangy? Please don’t tell me that’s a gun.”
“Nah, I wanted a gun, but Lilac and Ryleigh got upset with me when I suggested it. No, Bangy is my small wooden bat.”