Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 77718 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77718 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
How does he know I work for my dad?
“No,” I say, staring up into his face. “I’ve always been better than you. You’re a loser, and I was an idiot to ever think you weren’t.”
I go to move past him, but he grabs hold of my arm, stopping me.
“Let me go,” I firmly tell him.
He ignores me. His grip on my arm increases. “We’re not finished here, Arianna.”
“Yes, we are! Now, let me go!” I yell, hating the tremble I hear in my voice.
A second later, I see a shadow to my right, and then Kyle is moving, being pulled away from me and tossed backward where he stumbles on the lower step, falling on his ass.
Ares.
And I’ve never been so relieved to see him.
“Are you okay?” he asks, his face lit with anger.
“Yeah.” I swallow. “Yes, I’m fine.”
His eyes move to Kyle, who’s just scrambled up to his feet.
“I know who you are.” Kyle points a finger at him. “You’re that quarterback…Kincaid…who plays for her dad’s team.” Kyle looks past Ares to me. “You with this prick, Ari? Hooking up with Daddy’s players now? Being the good girl?”
“Shut up, Kyle.”
“You seriously want this guy over me?”
“Are you fucking deaf, dickhead? She told you to shut up,” Ares barks at him.
“Ari…please…I know I messed up, but I love you. So fucking much. I didn’t press charges when you smashed up my car. The cops wanted me to, but I didn’t. I wouldn’t. I told your dad when he came to see me—”
“I’m sorry, what?” I step around Ares to stand in front of Kyle.
“Your dad. He came to give me money to fix my car up.”
“And you took it?”
He looks sheepish. “I needed to fix my car up.”
“So, that’s why you didn’t press charges. Because my dad paid you not to.”
Kyle says nothing.
“How much did he give you?”
Still nothing.
“How much?” I yell.
“Ten grand.”
I almost choke. “And that’s all gone now, right? That’s why you’re back here, sitting outside my apartment. You need more money.”
“No.” He lunges toward me, grabbing me again. “I need you! I love you.”
“Get your fucking hands off her.” Ares shoves him back away from me and advances on him, looming over him. “You don’t put your hands on a woman ever, dick face. And especially not her. If I hear you’ve come near Ari again, they’ll be finding parts of you all over the city.”
Kyle tries to straighten up, lifting his chin, acting like he’s not afraid, but I know him better than that. “You threatening me, quarterback?”
Ares looks at me and lifts his shoulders. “Did you hear me threaten him, Ari?”
“Nope.” I shake my head, staring back at Kyle.
“You’re a fucking bitch,” Kyle spits at me. “And you, quarterback, you’ll get what’s coming to you.”
“What did you call her?” Ares takes a menacing step forward, his foot stomping on the ground, and Kyle takes off running.
It would be almost comedic, if it wasn’t so pathetic.
“Wow.” Ares barks out a laugh. “He can really run for a guy who’s half-cut.”
“Impressive, isn’t it?” I say as we watch Kyle leg it around the corner of my block. “Well, I think you scared him off.”
“Fucking pussy,” Ares grinds out. “He’s got no problem picking on a woman half his size, but he runs like Usain fucking Bolt when a guy fronts him.”
“Honestly, I think he was more half of your size than me being half of his.”
Ares’s eyes come down to me, the look in them softer than I’ve ever seen before, and he chuckles. “You actually used to date that prick?”
“Yeah.” I sigh. “But I was drunk for all of the relationship, if that counts for anything.” I lift my hands, palms up, giving a loose smile, and surprisingly, he laughs again.
“Come on, I’ll see you up to your apartment.”
“You don’t need to. He’s gone.”
“I know I don’t need to. I want to, okay? So, I’m walking you up, and then you can invite me in for a coffee.”
I give him a look of mock shock. My hands go to my chest. “Coffee? That’s not actually code for…coffee, is it?”
“Shit, you got me,” he deadpans. “And I’ll be wanting milk as well.”
“Jesus, you’re pushing it, Mr. Perfect. Okay, I go as far as milk. But, just so you know, you’re not getting any sugar.”
“Don’t need it. I’m sweet enough.”
“Ugh.” I wince. “It was going so well, and then you ruined it with that lame joke.”
He laughs, and the sound works through me in the best kind of way.
“Come on then, Mr. Perfect. Let’s get inside and get you your coffee with milk.”
“Here you go.” I hand Ares the cup of coffee I just finished making.
He’s standing in the middle of my living room. And the sight of Ares Kincaid standing in my apartment is not one I ever thought I’d see.