Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 104185 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 521(@200wpm)___ 417(@250wpm)___ 347(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104185 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 521(@200wpm)___ 417(@250wpm)___ 347(@300wpm)
But I was burning through a pair of pointe shoes nearly every week, and these wouldn’t last much longer. It’d be better to wait for him, rather than risk breaking a shank or ripping the stitches on the elastic and ribbons keeping my shoes in place.
The air changed and shifted abruptly, and it made my stomach flip and twist. It caused the fine hairs on my arm to rise with alarm.
I wasn’t alone anymore.
I’d stopped dancing, so now I could hear the steady breathing of someone behind me.
“You’re a beautiful dancer,” said the deep, unfamiliar voice that was colored with a European accent.
27
LAUREL
The temperature in the room plummeted and stiffened my muscles until I was immobile. He hadn’t used the front door. Maybe the garage? But how had I not heard him come in?
A strangled cry died in my throat. This man had to have a gun, and if I screamed for Jason, he’d get shot coming to save me.
My voice was flat. “Are you going to kill me?”
“For breaking into my house? That seems a little extreme. I was thinking more along the lines of calling the police.”
My whole body shuddered with relief. “Shawn.”
He stood in the living room, just outside the wide doorframe of the dining room, wearing a suit and tie, and there was no doubt he was Jason’s brother. He had a good three inches on Jason, but he was more narrow and less imposing.
This man was polished and professional. He didn’t have the edge of danger that his younger brother did.
“I should tell you,” he said, “if there’s an award for most creative seduction attempt, they should name it after you.”
“I’m sorry?”
“Breaking into my house so you can dance in your underwear? That’s a new one. I assume this is because of the Forbes list? It’s not even out yet.”
“What?”
It triggered an alert that I was standing in front of Jason’s brother without pants on. I scanned around for something to cover up with, but that was abandoned when I spotted Jason. His hair was damp, and he wore only jeans and a focused look as he barreled toward me.
“Jason—” I tried to warn, but he came too fast, not noticing we weren’t alone.
“I’m not sure I’ll be able to keep my hands off of you.” He slid one hand inside the back of my panties and squeezed while he kissed me, silencing my protest.
“Oh, I see,” Shawn said.
Jason’s embrace was gone as he whirled to face the voice he assumed was a threat and then blinked with recognition. He stepped in front of me, trying to shield me from view.
“What the fuck are you doing here?”
“Me?” Shawn made a face. “This is my place. I’d ask you what the fuck are you doing here, but I think I know the answer.”
“It’s not like that.”
“If you and your girlfriend want to hang out here, that’s fine. But you could have let me know. Or asked.”
“She’s not my—”
Oh, wow. How was he going to explain what we were, especially when we had no idea ourselves?
“You’re right,” Jason said. “I should have asked.”
Shawn’s face softened like his irritation was gone. He said something, a long sentence in a language I didn’t know, and it took a moment to place. German. It sounded like he’d asked Jason a question.
Jason sighed and answered in the same language.
“You speak German?” I asked.
“He is German.” Shawn was dubious and maybe a little offended. “She doesn’t know?”
Annoyance rolled off the younger man. “No,” he said. “You’re German. I’m American.”
Then Shawn said something else in German which got him even more worked up.
“I’m not embarrassed about it.” Jason’s tone was clipped. “But people act differently when they know. You wouldn’t understand.”
“Yes, because I don’t understand anything you do.” The taller, older Dunn didn’t say it like he was trying to be mean. It came out sounding like he was indifferent about it.
“What are we talking about?” I asked, giving both men a hard look.
Jason rubbed a hand on the back of his neck. “Maybe you should put some clothes on first.”
“You don’t have to do that on my account,” Shawn quipped, drawing a glare from his brother.
I wanted to know what was going on, but the desire to be decent was stronger. I turned and started toward the bedroom—
“Wait a minute.” Shawn’s face went dark and authoritative, a scary version that showed he could, in fact, look just as dangerous as his brother when needed. “What the hell happened to you?”
Because he’d noticed all the bruises. “Oh,” I said, looking for an explanation. “I . . . got mugged.”
“Are you all right?”
“She’s okay,” Jason said.
“Did you catch the guy who did it?”
His expression was as serious and cold as his tone. “Not yet.”
I hurried away into the laundry room and yanked my jeans on before pulling the sweater over my head. When I came back to them, they were speaking again in German, and it sounded like they were arguing. I put a hand on the table for balance as I worked to undo the ribbons at my ankle.