Total pages in book: 168
Estimated words: 164910 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 825(@200wpm)___ 660(@250wpm)___ 550(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 164910 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 825(@200wpm)___ 660(@250wpm)___ 550(@300wpm)
Plus, my father wanted her out of sight.
My stepmother kept an apartment in West Palm Beach to be close to her daughter’s hospital as often as possible, but the prenuptial agreement kept her married to him. If she left him, she wouldn’t have the money for her daughter’s care, but her daughter wouldn’t have needed care if her mother had never married my father in the first place. I learned very early that life is one cruel joke after another.
I lie next to Sophia, my arm tucked under the pillow.
She’s the only person who likes me.
And I’m failing her. The curfew isn’t working, I’m not any closer to paralyzing the Bay, and the only time I got hard tonight in the Wolfe Room was when he was looking at me.
I clench my teeth, swallowing the needles in my throat. I can take being weak. I can face my proclivities. I can swallow my pride.
I can’t let her see that I’m not her knight. I’d rather lose my legs.
My eyes fill, and I roll off the bed, grabbing my shoes and socks off the floor. Walking out of her room, I close her door, leaving it open a crack, and make my way down the dim hallway to my room. Flame bulbs flicker in the lanterns on the wall, and it hurts to breathe, the weight on my chest heavy.
She’s all I have.
My marriage someday will be a lie. My friends are lies.
I don’t own anything that I can’t live without.
There’s nothing else but her.
“Is she okay?” a voice pierces my thoughts.
I suck in a breath, jerking my eyes to my bathroom.
Dallas stands there with my towel wrapped around his waist as he rubs another one over his wet hair.
What the fuck? I wet my dry throat, blinking as I take in the droplets of water covering his chest and stomach. My cold skin floods with warmth, the steam from my shower floating across my face.
Did he use my shower?
How the hell…?
My eyes sting, my head hurts, and I drop my things, looking around for anyone else.
But it’s just him.
What—
He tosses the towel down and combs his hand through his dark hair as he steps out of the bathroom.
I tense every muscle in my body. The longer hair on top of his head falls straight over his temples and curtains his green eyes. My heart pumps so hard, everything shifts to the desire I feel.
“You look like you needed to fuck,” he tells me in a gentle voice. “Me, too.”
I would think he was antagonizing me, but he says it so sincerely.
I need sex? Is that what he thinks? We’ll just call a truce to get it on for a few hours, and then he can walk out the door knowing he can have whatever he wants?
What a fucking dick.
But I drop my eyes, knowing he’s naked under the towel.
It’s wrapped so tightly around his ass, I can see the curves where it hugs just below his waist.
Jesus…
My body stirs, my fingers aching to touch him. It’s been so long.
Too bad I fucking hate him. Reaching into my pocket, I pull out my phone, quickly dialing Grady.
Dallas grabs the old football on my dresser and tosses it. It hits my hand, the phone tumbling out of my grasp.
I steel my spine, lifting my chin as he stalks toward me. “Like you’re not gonna slit my throat,” I spit out.
There’s no way in hell I’m falling asleep with him in bed.
But he just fixes an amused look on his face. “I don’t want to drain your blood, Golden Boy,” he says softly. “I just want to drain your cock.”
My dick swells, remembering his mouth.
He closes the distance between us. “Let’s stop fighting until the sun comes up,” he coos. “Get in bed.”
I laugh at him. “Go back to your shithole, Mr. Jaeger.” I swipe up my phone and set it on the small table next to me. “There are plenty of warm bodies there for you.”
I start to walk away, but he shoves me into the wall. I hit hard, the wind knocked out of me. He presses his body into mine, his breath landing on my cheek. “I’m feeling more aggressive tonight.” He stares at me, unblinking and unfazed. “Aren’t you?”
The hard ridge of his cock presses into me, and I almost smile. His attention still feels good. I’m gonna enjoy this, after all.
Pushing him away, I grab his neck with one hand and throw my other fist. I hit him, sending his head flying to his right.
He doesn’t stumble, but he definitely fucking blinks.
“I’m not a kid anymore,” I growl, getting in his face. “I’m not impressed with your temper and your truck and the grease on your hands. I’ve had more and better since you.”
A smile spreads across his mouth, and he wipes his lip with the back of his hand. “I don’t think you have.”