Total pages in book: 160
Estimated words: 151097 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 755(@200wpm)___ 604(@250wpm)___ 504(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 151097 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 755(@200wpm)___ 604(@250wpm)___ 504(@300wpm)
It’s been two years, and I still haven’t learned the scowling bodyguard’s name. He was rougher around the edges than Ocean’s polished, almost aristocratic presence, but he was handsome with a closely shaven beard, a long jagged scar over his left eye, and dark eyes. I didn’t notice much else about him, though. I only had eyes for his charge.
Fury rode Ocean’s thick brows and the sculpted line of his jaw while he reviewed the paperwork in front of him before barking something to his head of security. The man nodded and swiftly departed, only to return moments later with a familiar face frozen in terror.
It was the exact opposite of how I usually felt, being the sole focus of Ocean Kilpatrick’s attention.
Ocean and I wore twin expressions, but for different reasons, as I watched him question Brandon, who answered quickly. What the hell could Ocean want with my brother’s club manager?
Their exchange went on for a while before Ocean suddenly looked my way as if he had just remembered I was here. Before I could feel some type of way or pretend I wasn’t attempting to eavesdrop, he turned his head to bark an order.
Immediately, Brandon was seized and dragged away by two of his guards. As soon as he was gone, Ocean calmly took one last sip of his drink as if nothing was amiss before rising to his feet. He was so goddamn tall that my kitty purred at the sight of him. Ocean’s dark gaze flicked toward me in that moment—too fast for me to erase the desire from my expression and I stopped breathing when he actually paused. For the first time in two years, we stared openly at each other rather than the covert glances we exchanged when we thought the other wasn’t paying attention.
He looked…
Fuck.
He looked like he wanted to snatch me up and drag me away like Brandon before he shook his head and spat a vicious curse, abruptly severing the moment and departing with a twitching jaw.
It was the first time he’d ever left the club before me.
I was still reeling from seeing Ocean casually kidnap someone with hundreds of witnesses around when a shadow fell over me, and I looked up to see the head of Ocean’s security standing there.
“Coby Perry,” he greeted, as if it were a fact and not a question. He knew who I was, and I knew who he worked for. There was no sense in pretending.
“Yes?”
“Mr. Kilpatrick would like you to know that it’s time for you to go home now.”
My belly immediately sank. “Excuse me?” All I could do was blink in befuddlement since this wasn’t our usual game.
Ocean and I never acknowledged one another, even though we both knew I had a crush. He and my brother did business together, but I didn’t know the extent of it. Roshaun refused to tell me, only ever saying it was safer if I didn’t know. Either way, getting involved with my brother’s business partner and a made member of the Fola would have been a mistake for many reasons.
“Ocean’s retired for the night and requests that you do the same.” When I didn’t move and only stared, the grump lifted an impatient brow. “We can escort you home if you’d like?”
What the actual fuck? “No. No, that’s okay. Um…thanks for letting me know.” Rolling my eyes, I turned away and considered ordering another drink.
Who the fuck did Ocean think he was ordering me around like that?
Expecting the guard dog to leave now that his message had been relayed, I scrolled on my phone for a few minutes, but he continued to stand there until it became more than clear that he wasn’t moving until I did. Feeling like every eye in the club was on me in that moment, I reluctantly left my seat with a grumble and gritted my teeth when Ocean’s bodyguard trailed me out of the club.
Outside, I immediately looked around for Ocean, but he and poor Brandon were nowhere to be found. The walk to my car felt long, and by the time we reached it, I was feeling reckless, so I spun around to address the silent bodyguard. “Where did your boss take Brandon?” I demanded.
The man didn’t react other than to slide his hands into his pockets and answer vaguely. “Somewhere quiet to talk.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
The bodyguard shook his head. “It’s best if you don’t know.”
“What does Ocean want with him?”
“It’s best if you don’t know,” he echoed.
Realizing that I wasn’t going to get any real answers out of the man, I shook my head while the past two years played by in my mind like a shameful PowerPoint highlighting all my terrible decisions. “What’s your name?” I softly requested while staring at but not truly seeing the passing traffic.