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)
With a sigh, he added, “I have to tell you something.”
My heart dropped, and I suddenly felt afraid for a whole different reason.
“I have to go out of town for the weekend.”
Immediately concerned, I mouthed, “I’ll go with you.”
He shook his head, expressing, “It’s not that kind of trip. I leave tomorrow morning, and I’ll be back on Sunday.”
Question after question tore through my mind at rapid speed. I hated the thought of being by myself for the weekend. I’d gotten used to his presence, his company, his affection, and his voice. It kept me at peace.
I mouthed, “Is everything okay?”
Little did I know, he’d rock my world with four simple words that weren’t so simple at all.
Never in a million years did I expect him to declare, “You’ll be with Kraven.”
I jerked back, trying to find my bearings for a second.
Did he really just say that?
For a moment, I thought my ears were playing tricks on me.
“Don’t look so surprised.” He smiled, once again reading my mind. “He’ll keep you company, that’s all.”
I was beyond lost.
It was hard to keep up.
Inhaling a deep, refined breath, I sat there in a state of shock.
Did Kraven agree to this?
Julius reminded, “Trust me, okay? You’re safe with him.”
What can I say to that?
It was his brother…
What if I wasn’t safe with him?
Kraven didn’t even seem like he was safe on his own.
Julius was the only person I ever trusted, and I had no plans on changing that.
I grabbed my phone, texting him.
Where are you going?
He read it, answering, “Don’t worry about me. It’s just a job.”
Something in his tone told me this one was different. If I couldn’t hide from him, then he couldn’t hide from me either.
I texted again.
Is it safe?
He arched an eyebrow, peering up at me through the slits of his eyes. I waited on pins and needles for his reply when all of a sudden, Kraven made his presence known by knocking on his bedroom door.
This put an end to our conversation.
It was merely the beginning of mine with Kraven.
JULIUS
“Yeah?” I hollered as Kraven opened the door.
We must have been quite a sight because it was obvious he was caught off guard by our proximity.
“Am I interrupting?” he repeated the same thing from the park.
“Your timing is impeccable as always,” I mused.
He smiled, and I wanted to wipe it off his face.
Nodding to Isla, he asked me, “Did you tell her?” Unable to resist, he taunted, glaring right at her, “Hey, Kitty, weekend custody belongs to me now.”
A quick, smoldering heat brewed in the space between us, heightening in a matter of seconds. The walls caved in, and little by little, his words took up space. Where there once was smoke, now there was fire.
And his statement just lit a match.
Simply igniting flames that none of us could ever put out.
Bigger and bigger, it engulfed us until we lost ourselves in the pit of hell. It burned us all alive instead.
Leaving ashes in its wake.
CHAPTER
FIFTEEN
ISLA
After Julius left Friday afternoon, Kraven made his way into Julius’s bedroom. Julius didn’t say much to me that morning. I could tell he was lost in his own mind, which only worried me more, as I thought he was getting into something illegal. I wasn’t naive enough to think otherwise, and I knew he was aware of that, too.
It was probably why he was quiet. He didn’t want to lie to me and was aware I would know if he did. I was sitting at Julius’s desk, working on some trigonometry homework. To say I was avoiding Kraven would be an understatement, especially when I had no clue what to expect from this nightmare of a scenario that I unwillingly found myself in.
The choices were made for me.
Kraven didn’t waver, ordering, “Be ready in an hour and try not to dress like you’re attending a burial.”
I scoffed, glancing down at my clothes. I was wearing black sweats.
What the hell?
Without missing a beat, he cut right to the point. “Listen, if this is going to work”—he gestured back and forth between us—“then you’re going to have to be on your best behavior, and by that, I mean, black cat is going to have to retract her claws. Understood?”
I glared at him, and he laughed at me.
He gestured to my expression. “Case in point.”
I couldn’t help it. I softly chuckled.
“Now nod your pretty little head if we’re on the same page?”
Of course, my stomach decided to flip-flop the second it heard the word “pretty” out of his mouth.
I gave a slight nod, mostly because I wanted to see where this was going.
“Great.” He grinned with a flicker in his gaze. “Since we have that out of the way, the next order of business is that you’re going to have to follow my orders. Are we clear?”