Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 102708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 514(@200wpm)___ 411(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 514(@200wpm)___ 411(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
Julius laughed, big and throaty, hollering from behind me, “You better run faster than that, Isla. When I catch you, you’re mine!”
I ran as fast as I could, but it didn’t take long until I was ducking, dodging, and moving out of his reach as quickly as I could. Julius’s reflexes were insane, and it took a lot of effort to avoid his advances. Once we were on opposite sides of the horizontal bars in the playground, I ran to and placed my hands up in the air in a surrendering gesture.
Like a lion attacking its prey, he threw himself under the bars and tackled me onto the grass, landing right on top of me. He caught himself before he crushed my body beneath him, still managing to break my fall.
I fell into a fit of giggles, laughing so hard it hurt my sides. We both were. It truly was our first carefree moment, and I’d look back on this one day, remembering how simple it was to let myself feel happiness for the first time in my life.
Within seconds, Julius’s laughter shifted to a concentrated burning gaze. His eyes darkened, deepening while his pupils dilated.
This was new.
It was exciting.
He caged my face in with his arms, devouring me with his heated regard, consuming every last part of me. His fingers started brushing the hair away from my face until nothing was left between us.
“Don’t look at me like that,” he coaxed in a raspy tone, reading my thoughts. I think I nodded, or maybe I didn’t do anything but lie there like an idiot.
Waiting.
Anticipating.
Licking my lips for my first kiss ever.
Whatever I did made Julius groan, and when he leaned forward, I closed my eyes. My heartbeat hammered. There was no contemplating the future or how this would change things if we crossed this invisible line between us. I just never imagined it’d feel like flying and falling all at once.
Feeling him almost there…
So close…
Just one more breath.
Just one more second.
Until I felt his lips on mine.
“You have no idea how bad I want to kiss you, too.”
Was it a warning or a promise?
I didn’t have time to contemplate it because it was Kraven’s voice that sliced through the air, right through our bodies as he snapped, “Am I interrupting?”
His words clung to my skin, but Julius didn’t flinch. Instead, his mouth softly kissed mine.
He chose me.
Not in defiance, but in certainty, simply daring Kraven to stop him.
CHAPTER
TWELVE
JULIUS
“The hardest thing is not talking to someone when you used to talk to them every day.” –Positive Inspirational Quotes
Four months later.
I stood by Kraven’s door, leaning against it. “I need a favor.”
He turned to face me, eyeing me skeptically. “Sounds like a personal problem.”
Isla was at the library. It was just the two of us, so I was taking the opportunity to ask him without her around.
“Why are you asking me?” he snidely asked. “You must be desperate.”
“Kraven…” I tensed, completely hating this, and I hadn’t even asked him yet.
“Are you sure this isn’t an order?” he griped, encouraging my impatience.
“Since when do you ever listen to me? A favor is my only option.”
“Then why don’t you just ask your stray?”
In a snapped tone, I bit, “Stop calling her that.”
He smirked, shrugging. “How about a pain in the ass instead?”
“You know what?” I pushed off the door. “Forget it.”
To my surprise, he stopped me. “Say what you need, Julius. Just say it quickly so you don’t choke on your words.”
“For fuck’s sake,” I muttered under my breath. “Can you not be so condescending for a minute?”
“That’s rich, coming from you.”
I reluctantly leaned against the door again, folding my arms over my chest. Internally counting to ten. “I have to leave town this weekend.”
“So?”
“So,” I emphasized, “I need you to watch Isla while I’m gone.”
He jerked back, confused. “Watch her? I thought you were her guard dog. What?” he mocked. “You scared she’s going to run away while you’re gone?”
“No,” I firmly stated.
“Then why do I have to babysit?”
“Because I can’t be in two places at once.”
“She’s by herself when you’re not here. What’s the difference?”
“The difference is I’ll be unavailable from Friday to Sunday.”
“Unavailable,” he argued, cocking his head to the side. “What the fuck does that mean? Since when are you unavailable?”
I changed the subject. “Will you do this for me or not?”
“Once again,” he stressed, “why is this my problem?”
“It’s going to be your problem if I don’t pay the property taxes.”
His gaze tapered, and his eyebrows pinched together. “Weren’t they due last month?”
“Exactly my point. Now, are you going to help me?”
“Depends.”
“On what?”
“On what I get out of it.”
“What do you want?”
He smiled, and it reached his eyes. “I want my own street bike.”
In one breath, I snipped, “Hell no.”
“Well…” He paused for effect. “I guess she’s on her own then. I’ll make sure to leave the door wide open for her. Hopefully, she’ll get the hint and run far away.”