Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 115388 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 577(@200wpm)___ 462(@250wpm)___ 385(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115388 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 577(@200wpm)___ 462(@250wpm)___ 385(@300wpm)
More than I wanted blood.
More than I wanted victory with my father.
She sighed, dreamy and soft. "I love the book, Kenji. A lot."
My grip on the phone tightened.
Pleasure.
Real pleasure vibrated through me. "Tell me what part you’re on."
"Korin was in his human form but then he shifted back into a dragon and took her away. He’s fucking scary, but so. . .sexy."
"His kidnapping Sol is one of my favorite parts."
"Of course it would be." This time, she gave a soft, throaty laugh. "Korin is terrifying."
“But you love that about him?”
“I do.”
I let the silence draw long and low between us. “And Sol? What do you think about her—the mysterious woman that stopped a dragon?”
“Sol.” Something in Nyomi’s voice had changed. She let out a long sigh. “For some insane reason. . .I relate to Sol.”
I smirked.
“And I know I sound crazy. She’s a magic woman with cold powers who got born out of a blue egg and chased through a forest by a shapeshifting god, but. . .that’s now my ride-or-die. I feel for her. I want her to win. I want her to know her powers and history and. . .I want Korin to be her little bitch. I want her to have power over him in the end.”
It was my turn to laugh.
“I’m being serious.”
“I know you are, Tora.”
“Will Korin be her little bitch?”
“I’m not going to spoil the book. That is a crime in my family.”
“He’s taken her away and I am just freaking out. I had to get some admin things done today, but the whole time I had the damn story in my head.”
She really loves it.
My heart warmed.
“And I have so many freaking questions, Kenji. What is she? Does Korin know? You can tell me that part. Right?”
“I’m not telling you that part.”
“Oh, come on. And the ice flowers. I feel like that means something. She created them by accident near his feet, but does that mean that her magic is attracted to his magic?”
I grinned.
“And when Korin melted the ice rose, everything got dripping wet and I thought. . .one day she is going to be dripping wet too.” She chuckled. “Are they going to have sex?”
“I’m not telling you.”
“Kenji, you better not have given me a book where they don’t have sex.”
I laughed some more.
God, I wanted to be with her.
Not in silk sheets or gilded suites.
Not even in control.
Just there.
Even on that stupid futon.
I would trade this opera house—every crystal chandelier and velvet-wrapped box, every ounce of bloody mafia capital—for a night lying on that creaky futon beside her.
No power.
No guards.
No weapons.
Just us, tangled up in limbs and words.
I closed my eyes and tipped my head back against the wall, letting her voice keep me afloat.
“I can see why you love this book, Kenji. There’s mystery, magic, and the possibility of love. Thank you for sharing it with me.”
“Tora. . .you know what I want right now?”
“What?”
“To hold you,” I swallowed. “To curl behind you and read the next chapter of the book out loud. Right into your ear.”
Her breath hitched.
“I’d trace the words along your skin with my fingers. Make them yours before they were hers. Pause in the good parts to ask you how it made you feel. Make you read your favorite line back to me. Let it settle in the space between us.”
“That sounds dangerously cozy and absolutely addictive.”
“Does it?”
“Reading books with a sexy man next to me. . .that’s my love language.”
I grinned and opened my eyes. The statue of Tristan and Isolde stared back, lips still reaching. Tristan had killed kings for Isolde. I was realizing right now that I would do worse for Nyomi.
Her voice went low. "When are you coming back to Tokyo?"
"Tomorrow evening, for you."
“That was my second reason for calling.”
“To know when I would return?”
“To schedule our next date. I’m hosting it.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m setting up the place for our date, organizing everything, and putting it all together.”
“You?”
“Yes.”
“I always take control of dates.”
“Well, guess what. I’m in control of our second date, so. . .get used to that fact.”
“Reo would want to talk to you about that.”
“Your Fang?”
“No. My Roar.”
“Oh. Sorry about that. Your Roar. Why will I need to talk to him about the date?”
“Security details.”
“Because I’m a dangerous Tiger?” She chuckled. “I totally get it.”
My heart didn’t race. It prowled. It stretched out like something ancient waking from sleep. “You are going to plan our date?”
“Yes.”
“What sort of date will we have, Tora?”
“You’ll see.”
“I want to know now.”
“Too bad. It’s a surprise. Don’t you like surprises?”
“It’s been a long time since I was surprised.”
“Who did it last?”
“My brother. For my birthday.”
“That sounds awesome. See. Surprises are fun, and. . .I think you will like this one. At least. . .I hope so.”
“Will we at least be in your suite when you surprise me for this date?”