Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 35017 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 175(@200wpm)___ 140(@250wpm)___ 117(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 35017 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 175(@200wpm)___ 140(@250wpm)___ 117(@300wpm)
Not happening is my hidden thought. A jealousy I don’t understand is gripping me. "We don't know much," Willa answers as I try to get my shit under control. Everyone wants to help, and that isn't a bad thing, but I don't want anyone near her. She’s mine.
"All right." Teddy looks at me. "You tell me what, if anything, you need, and I'll handle it."
"Thanks," I respond but don't ask for anything. Teddy glances between all of us.
"Willa, why don't you and I go heat up some soup and get a few drinks?" I’m silently thanking Teddy for suggesting it, knowing she’s trying to give me some alone time with my girl.
"I'm not allowed to cook," my sister responds. Yeah, because she'll hurt herself or burn the place down. Teddy gives her a look. "Oh," she huffs. "Fine, I'll go." Teddy grabs her arm, pulling her out of the room. There are whispers drifting down the hallway as they get farther away, leaving me with King and West.
"I have Anton sniffing around to see what information he can get. I didn't alert any of my other men about what was going on at the docks," King informs me. Anton is his right-hand. I get along with him pretty well and have trained with him a few times before. "With us knowing nothing, I trust no one." King's words aren't surprising, and I'm thankful in the moment that he's a paranoid bastard. Not that I blame him. It's not as though everything at the docks is on the up and up.
"I got the place on lockdown," West adds. I’m sure his ass does with the tech he has at his fingertips. Most of the equipment he uses is his own creation. I’m grateful to them. Neither of them should be helping me, really. I’ve been at odds with both of them.
“Thanks,” I tell them.
“That’s what family is for,” West says.
“I’ll put soft feelers out, but you might want to get her to talk. The sooner the better so we know exactly what we’re dealing with. When you start poking around, things start crawling out,” King tells me, and I know he’s right, but I’m not going to push her.
Right now, my girl trusts me. I’m not going to shake that.
“I’ll see what I can do.” I’m not making any promises. I don’t know how I know this, but deep in my gut, my instincts that have kept me undeterred in my loyalty belong to the girl in my bed over anyone else.
If anyone could understand that, I know it’s the two men standing in front of me.
Chapter Five
FALLON
The weight is heavy, pulling me under. No matter how hard I fight, I can’t break free. I open my mouth to scream, but nothing comes out, not even air. I gasp, shooting up. My surroundings are unfamiliar. Panic begins to set in.
“Hey.” Warm hands cup my face. I grab them and try to pull them away. I kick and slap, my feet tangled in something heavy, but oxygen fills my lungs. I blink, trying to see through the darkness, light slowly bleeding in, but I don’t stop hitting. “You’re safe.”
Safe.
The word pierces through the panic, and my vision begins to clear. Shadowy familiar eyes come into focus, reminding me where I am.
“Rich,” I whisper before flinging myself at him, my legs still trapped, but he pulls the blanket free, scooping me into his arms.
“I got you.” His hand runs up and down my back, trying to soothe me. My heart pounds in my chest, threatening to break free. “Breathe for me, doll face.” He starts to rock back and forth to calm me. I bury my face in his neck, breathing him in. The smell of him is so calming. It shouldn’t be. I don’t know this man, but he has this effect on me. Somehow I trust him more than I’ve ever trusted any other male in my life, and that’s saying a lot for the short amount of time I’ve known him.
“There you go,” he whispers, his voice gruff. “Just match your breaths with mine.” Rich keeps running one hand up and down my back, still rocking with me in his lap. I’m not sure how long we’re like that, but everything inside me starts to calm. “You said my name.” I swear I can hear a smile in his voice. I want to look, but embarrassment starts to settle in as everything starts to come back, the dream of drowning and being pulled under the water.
Oh God. I hit him in my moment of panic. My hands have a slight ache to them. I’ve never hit anything in my life. I jerk back to stare at him, and I see a reddening scratch mark on his face. I touch it, a small gasp leaving me.