Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 90211 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90211 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
“I don’t want to see you right now.” She doesn’t look back, just ploughs forward, head down. “Leave me alone, Liam.”
“Hold on.” I grab her wrist and pull her back, stepping sideways to get out of the main clot of people trying to jam their way down the subway steps.
She yelps and whirls. “Get your hands off me.”
“Just listen, damn it. I can explain. It wasn’t—“
She wrenches, but I hold tight. Her lips are pulled back in a snarl. “Get your hands—“
“Hey, you okay?” A guy in a vest over a button-down dress shirt slows. His brow furrows and he takes out an earbud. “You need some help?”
I hold his gaze. “If you’re as smart as you probably think you are, I’d start walking.”
His face pales and his eyes dart to Regan.
“I’m fine,” she hisses at him. “Just leave me alone.” She rounds on me. “Both of you.”
The finance bro shakes his head and walks away. He probably had some fantasy about helping a damsel in distress, but when he got one look at an actual monster, decided it wasn’t worth the risk.
Fucking coward. I would’ve beaten him to death right here in the street, but at least I would’ve respected him.
“Come have dinner with me. I’ll explain myself. We can talk, Regan, and be reasonable about this.”
“Reasonable?! Talk?!” She laughs maniacally. “Are you out of your mind? Just leave me alone, okay?”
“We’re going to get married,” I say quickly, pulling her close. I breathe her smell and a thrill claws into my chest. Fuck, she hates me so much right now, but all I can think about is crushing her lips with my own. What the fuck is wrong with me?
“I know,” she says harshly. “You arrogant asshole.”
“One meal. That’s all I’m asking. You still want to treat me like this is my fault afterward, then fine, you can blame me all you want. But we’re still getting married and we might as well start dealing with it now. So please, would you have dinner with me?” I draw her closer, struggling against a wave of adrenaline. “We can call it our second date.”
Her expression turns appalled. God, I love that. “Second date? I didn’t know we had a first.”
“Nothing brings a couple together like arson.”
“You’re delusional, you know that?”
“I’m sure there’s a psychologist out there getting hard thinking about all my diagnoses. Have dinner with me.”
Her lips twitch. It’s not exactly a smile, more like a grudging scowl, and she casts a longing glance over her shoulder toward the subway stairs. But eventually she nods. “When we’re done, we’re not doing this again.”
“Doing what?”
“This.” She gestures between us. “We’re going to meet for the first time when my father arranges it. As far as I’m concerned, we’re strangers. Do you understand?”
“I love roleplay. Will you spank me too?”
“How about I put on heels and crush your balls?”
“Oh baby, don’t tease me. I’m trembling.”
“Sick fuck. Where are we going?”
“Right this way, my darling wife.” I release her wrist and start walking. I don’t look back because I know she’s following. Regan’s a lot of things, but she isn’t stupid.
We really do need to talk.
I take her a few blocks south to a seedier, less touristy block. A small Greek diner is tucked in the corner of an old crumbling brick building. Inside is relatively clean, though very outdated; the place is beginning to fill up, but I grab a booth in the corner. Regan slips onto the seat across from me reluctantly, placing her bag beside her.
The waitress comes over with coffee and practically drops it on the table. Some slurps over the rim. “You’re back. Great.” She puts a hand on her hip. “What do you want, Liam?”
“Hey, Hal, you look great.” I beam at her joyously. “I was thinking the usual.”
“Great, a bowl of Italian Wedding soup with some extra spit.” She cuts her eyes to Regan. “You with this idiot?”
“Um, unfortunately,” she says, bemused.
“Good luck with that. Want anything to eat? Spit free, I promise.”
“Just coffee, thanks.”
Hal storms off. I watch her go trying not to squirm with giddiness. God, I love it when people remember me.
“What’d you do to her?” Regan asks.
“Got in a fight one night when she was on duty.” I raise my eyebrows. “There was a lot of blood. It was fun.”
She rubs the bridge of her nose. “Are you always like this?”
“Charming? Yes.”
She looks like she wants to argue, but smartly decides not to. Instead, she takes out her phone and sets a ten minute timer. “When this goes off, I’m out of here, so you better start talking.” She sits back with her arms crossed.
Where the hell do I even begin? Hal returns with more coffee, which gives me a moment to think. When we’re alone again, I put my hands on the table, palms-up, in a gesture of peace.