Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 92474 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 462(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92474 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 462(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
“Lottie, Nico, Liam, this is Gracen. Baby, my sister and her two men. Liam’s the big, blond one, and this is Nico.” Victor frowned at Nico, who looked back at him quizzically.
“Um . . . I . . . well, hello.”
Great job, Gracen. Well done on making a good first impression.
“You . . . who . . . what . . .” Lottie looked from her to Victor, then back. “I’m sorry, who are you?”
“She’s mine,” Victor said.
Lottie’s mouth dropped open in shock. Was it so unbelievable? Gracen tugged at her top, which was something Maxim had bought for her and was probably worth more than her entire wardrobe combined. But she still felt out of place with this gorgeous woman.
“Oh my God! That’s amazing!” Lottie rushed toward them, but Nico held her back.
“Whoa, baby. I don’t know that Victor is ready for you to tackle him.”
Lottie gasped, her hand coming to her mouth. “I forgot. Vicky, are you all right? Your poor head.”
“He looks fine,” Liam said, pulling her against him, so she was sandwiched between the two men.
Wow. Gracen wondered how she dealt with two men. Gracen could barely handle just Victor and his protective instincts.
“He’s got a hard head,” Nico agreed.
“Liam, why did you bring her here?” Regent grumbled. “It’s not safe, you know that.”
“She was making herself sick with worry,” the blond-haired man shot back. “Would you deny her something she needed to make her feel better?”
“I would if it kept her safe.”
“Hey, you two. I’m right here.” Lottie glared at them both.
Gracen stared at her in shock. Lottie was tiny, but she seemed to have no problem sticking up for herself.
“I’m sorry, darling,” Regent told her. “But it will be safer for you to be far away from me right now.”
“And why is that? What’s going on? Was that accident not an accident?”
“No,” Regent said quietly. “I don’t think it was. And I think things are going to get very nasty and I don’t want you here. Which is why you’re going home. Liam, you can join us in my office.”
Lottie huffed out a breath. Liam kissed the top of her head and whispered something that made her smile.
“I set up a downstairs bedroom for you, Reggie,” Lottie told him.
Regent frowned but nodded, before heading toward a door that she guessed led to his office.
“I’ve got to go put Gracen to bed,” Victor stated. “Then I’ll be in.”
She glared up at him. “If anyone should be in bed, it’s you. And Regent.”
“No time for that,” Regent called back.
“You need to rest,” Victor said.
“No, what I need is to bake.” She needed to ease some of this stress.
“You bake?” Nico asked, patting his stomach. “Do you make cinnamon rolls?”
He stared right at her, and she had to work hard to find her voice. “Yes, of course.”
“Oh, thank God. I’m starved.”
“She’s not here to feed you,” Victor growled. “And if she’s going to bake anything, it will be sticky buns.”
“Victor loves my sticky buns,” she stated.
“I’ll just bet he does,” Liam drawled.
Crap.
“Liam!” Lottie scolded, but she looked like she was about to burst into laughter.
“Are you all coming?” Regent snapped. “Nico, watch over Lottie and Gracen.”
Nico saluted Regent. “On it, boss.”
Liam eyed her suspiciously.
“Don’t worry, Liam. Gracen is family.”
She glanced over at Regent, warmed by his words.
“What’s your favorite baked item?” she asked him.
He gave her a surprised look. “I don’t eat sweet things.”
“Hmm, I’ll find something you like.”
Two hours later, she pulled a batch of cinnamon rolls from the oven for Nico, who was clapping his hands in excitement. The longer she spent with Nico, the less awed she became. Not in a bad way, but because he was so normal.
She’d had to take a moment to tell him how much she loved his music, though. To her shock, he’d blushed and started stammering until Lottie hugged him, telling Gracen that she had good taste.
They’d pestered her with questions about her and Victor. She’d told them everything about how they’d met and they seemed genuinely excited about their relationship.
Thankfully, the kitchen was amazingly stocked. She’d found a heap of frozen meals that Gerald had obviously made before he’d left. But she’d decided to cook chili.
“Wow, I can’t believe Victor was coming into your bakery for months,” Lottie said. “That’s so romantic.”
“Not exactly a word I would have used to describe Victor,” Nico said, picking up a roll and biting into it. “Oh, hot, hot.”
Lottie rolled her eyes but got him a glass of water.
“To be honest, I’m surprised he didn’t move you in here straight away,” Lottie said.
“Uh, well, I suppose we’re still getting to know each other,” she said shyly.
“Didn’t think Victor would care much about that,” Nico commented.
“Nico!” Lottie chided. “I think it’s sweet that Victor is taking his time with you.”
Well, she wasn’t sure that was true. They’d moved pretty fast in some ways. But then, it also felt like they’d known each other forever.