Total pages in book: 51
Estimated words: 48412 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 242(@200wpm)___ 194(@250wpm)___ 161(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 48412 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 242(@200wpm)___ 194(@250wpm)___ 161(@300wpm)
Making her cry was probably my first mistake.
What the hell is wrong with me?
I should go apologize again. I should—
“There is no freshman named Xavier,” Calder snorts. “You’re not even listening, man.”
Shawn chimes in. “He’s got something on the brain and it’s not lacrosse.”
“Hint,” Calder whispers. “It’s that sweet lower-class pussy.”
I snap out of my daze instantly, anger rendering me temporarily mute. “What the fuck did you just say?” I grab Calder by the lapels of his shirt, getting in his face. “That’s my girlfriend you’re talking about. Speak about her with respect or you won’t be able to speak at all.”
Calder has the good sense to look embarrassed.
Briefly.
But apparently not enough to apologize.
“Respect, you say?” Calder laughs, shoving his way out of my grip, lowering his voice for my ears alone. “Does she know you’re only dating her because of a bet?”
That statement is the equivalent of an uppercut to the jaw.
I haven’t spared a single thought to the bet since we made it in the gym.
Did I shake on it? Yes.
Did I only take the bet so this fucker would stay away from her? Also, yes.
But I shouldn’t have. I feel sick to have gambled on something so precious.
My Vida.
“The bet is off,” I rasp. “There’s no fucking bet.”
Calder chuckles, but the sound is bitter. “What’s wrong, worried you’re going to lose?”
Here’s the thing. I wish I would lose. I wish Vida would ask me for anything of value. I wish she’d let me spoil her rotten. But she won’t.
“Do you really want to call the bet off?” Calder asks near my ear. “Because I think that makes her fair game.”
“I don’t think you heard me. Vida is my girlfriend.”
“Sure. As if that’s realistic. Is she going to clean your mansions for you?”
I deck him clean across his smug face. He goes down hard and in disbelief, clutching his nose while blood seeps down the side of his face. I’m not done, though. I’m seeing bright, murderous red. No one is going to talk about Vida like that. Not now. Not ever. I throw myself down on top of him and land a vicious right cross before I’m hauled off by several of my friends.
“Deep breath, Sterling.”
“He had that coming, but let’s stop before we do too much damage.”
“Go ahead, say one more stupid thing, motherfucker,” I bellow down at Calder. “So I can finish you off.”
Wisely, he says nothing. And then Vida appears in front of me, splaying her fingers on my chest, her beautiful eyes brimming with concern.
“Are you okay?” she asks me, stroking my hair.
Her worry is centered solely on me. There’s no shock or judgment or curiosity.
Just her expression that says I’m here for you.
“I’m in love with you,” I say. Right there. In front of all my friends as one of them screams into his phone, demanding someone fly in his personal doctor from Boston. “It happened overnight. Or maybe it was instant. I can’t help it, Vida. I fucking love you. It just is.”
She looks up at me, so still, but moisture is gathering in her eyes.
“I love you, too,” she whispers, blinking rapidly. “It just is.”
“It just is,” I repeat on a ragged exhale, so relieved and grateful and happy, I don’t know what else to do but scoop my girlfriend up into my arms, holding her like the survivor of a shipwreck. Cradling her and rocking her, resenting every second of my life I’ve been forced to live without my angel. “Everyone, get off my goddamn boat.”
With that, I turn on a heel and carry Vida downstairs, into the living area of the yacht, nodding at my security guards as I go. Without saying a word, they know I want everyone gone.
Everyone but her.
She stays.
She stays forever.
TWELVE
Tripp
I watch Vida’s face as we enter the bedroom. Since she works at Reserve, she’s accustomed to being around luxury, but I instantly know she’s never seen anything like this.
The room is sleek, masculine, ultra-modern extravagance. Dark wood, nearly black. Pops of burgundy and white. A fireplace sizzles with a blue flame near the window that overlooks the surface of the Atlantic. There is a built-in bookshelf backlit with a light that casts the room in a gentle glow, so I don’t bother turning on any more lights.
Overcome with gratitude to have Vida here, to know she loves me back, I sit down on the edge of the bed with her in my arms, memorizing her awed expression as she looks around, absorbing the opulence with parted lips. I don’t know if it’s normal to get sexual pleasure at the thought of steeping her in luxury, but fuck it, I do. I want to take her on a tour of villas along Lake Como, buy her the one she loves most, and eat her pussy on every piece of furniture she buys to decorate the place. I want her to sit on my dick while she shops online for overpriced French purses. I want to feed her oysters while she sunbathes naked in the Maldives.