Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 107376 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 537(@200wpm)___ 430(@250wpm)___ 358(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107376 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 537(@200wpm)___ 430(@250wpm)___ 358(@300wpm)
Maddox grins. “Well, we are professionals after all.”
I roll my eyes and brace myself against the porch pillar. “So, are we done lying to each other?” I ask, holding her stare. “No more stealing my hits.”
She grins. “I mean, if you can’t take the shot before I do, then that’s on you.”
“Oh, so it’s gonna be like that?”
“It’s already been like that, and I have no intention of stopping.”
Maddox laughs. “Fuck, this is going to be fun.”
Lyra grins and leans into his chest, and he presses a kiss to her temple. He really is falling in love with her. But honestly, I think I am too.
“Come on,” I say, stepping past them and reaching for the door. “Let’s get your ass inside before Maddox tries to fuck you here on the porch.”
“I have no problems with that,” she laughs.
They follow me through the door, and as Smooch lets loose and races toward Lyra, desperate for her attention, Maddox laughs. “Fuck, so when you invited the killer to target that woman next . . .”
“Oh, that was all for me.”
25
LYRA
The sun shines through the bedroom window, and I have to squint against the brightness as the mattress beneath me gently shakes.
“Mmmmm. What the fuck?” I murmur to myself, dragging my hand down my face.
When I sit up on my elbows, I find Smooch lying horizontally across Maddox’s pillow, staring directly into my soul.
His tongue lolls out, and as he breathes right in my face, I realize he’s the one gently shaking the bed with nothing more than the pure weight of his body as he sucks oxygen into his lungs.
“Good morning my little Smoochy-pie,” I say, adopting my best baby voice, but I quickly realize my mistake. Smooch gets so excited that he jumps to his feet and immediately crowds me, having absolutely no concept of personal space.
“Smoooooch!” I groan, trying to shove him away, but it’s no use. I’ve woken up in this bed enough times to know there’s nothing I can do about it. I have to let it run its course. Maddox usually rushes in to save me from the onslaught of his dog’s foul morning breath, but this morning, it appears I’m all alone.
When Smooch has finally decided that I’ve been thoroughly welcomed to a new day, I trudge out of bed and help myself to a warm shower and get ready for my day. I’ve got a meeting with my old landlord and his lawyer this afternoon before I’m due to start my shift at Black Velvet, so something tells me today isn’t going to be my day.
I think it’s fair to say that after a proper investigation, my dark room has been discovered. And while I know Maddox offered to cover all the expenses involved with this, I don’t think it’s fair to expect that of him. I was the one who illegally created a space in my home I wasn’t entitled to, and I was the one who housed a shitload of flammable chemicals that generally shouldn’t mix. An explosion was imminent. It was only a matter of time. And unlucky for me, it only took one single overly-curious sex-beast to unravel it all.
Not gonna lie, I’ve been enjoying living here though. It’s definitely an adjustment going from having nothing but peace and quiet, while surrounded by all my beautiful things with pretty bedsheets and quilts, to living with two moronic asshats, an oversized dog, and mismatched pillow cases, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Not to mention, the constant mind-blowing sex definitely has its bonuses.
After making myself a coffee, I go in search of the boys, starting with the home gym before checking out back, but I’m well and truly alone, and I pause, my brain frantically searching for any sign that they could be out on a job that I’ve missed, but I come up blank.
My heart races.
They can’t beat me to a hit, especially not after spending the night bragging about how much better I am. They naturally didn’t believe me, but with egos that big, I didn’t expect them to. Doesn’t make it any less true though. I am better. Faster. Stealthier. Quicker on a trigger. And that’s not my ego talking. I’m just that good. But I won’t lie, Maddox and Hunter are incredible. Seeing them in action at the DeLuca compound last week was an eye-opener . . . and a turn on.
Spinning on my heel, I stalk back to the bedroom, my pulse quickening with nerves. “Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck,” I chant. How could I be so stupid? I let my guard down, they caught me in the act, and now they’re slipping out in the night to take a hit.
This is going to come back to bite me. I can only imagine the bragging that’s going to rain down over me.