Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 74270 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 297(@250wpm)___ 248(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74270 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 297(@250wpm)___ 248(@300wpm)
Mad Dog’s grin is so wide I bet his face hurts. “Get good.”
Riptide, meanwhile, has lapped us twice.
Winning is no longer an option, so I switch tactics to just being as absolutely annoying as possible. It takes them a few laps to notice, but eventually the three of them put down their controllers and look at me.
“What?”
Riptide stands up first. Something about the look in his eye triggers an instinctual response. I leap to my feet and back away from the couch.
Mad Dog and Rebel take notice. They turn, watching.
“Why are you all looking at me like that?”
Riptide pounces. He swings me off my feet and dumps me right onto the bed, pinning me to the mattress. Blue, blue eyes look down into mine. “You’re a little troublemaker, you know that?”
“Me? Never.”
“Fuck, you have a pretty smile,” he says, reaching out and stroking the back of his fingers over my cheek and down to my neck. “The bruising is getting better.”
I put my hand over where I know there’s a yellowing mark. “More colorful at least.”
Rebel sits down on the bed next to us. “By the time you can leave, you won’t even notice it anymore.”
By the time I leave.
I want to leave. I do, right? I’m not sure anymore. I don’t want to be trapped in here forever, but the idea of leaving and never coming back feels like ripping my arm off.
“Honey, what’s wrong?” Rebel asks. He puts his hand on my hip.
“Can we help?” Mad Dog asks. “Point us at whoever the problem is and we’ll fucking break him.”
I shake my head. “N-no. It’s not that. I’m fine. I just—” I can’t even find the words.
“Mel, you’re safe. You’ve got us with you, and we’re gonna make sure nothing happens to you, okay? We’re on your side.” Rebel’s hand gives me a squeeze, and it fills me with comfort.
Gripping Riptide’s T-shirt, I cling to him like he might just float away if I don’t. But I nod. “I know.”
“But do you believe it?” Mad Dog sits on the opposite side from Rebel.
It’s hard to mourn losing something when it’s sitting right in front of you. The three of them are such unlikely protectors. There are times when I can feel the violence inside them, and times when I’ve seen it, but they’ve never turned it on me, even when they thought I had betrayed them.
I know they aren’t mine forever, but they’re mine for now. I bet even a year from now, I could call them in the middle of the night and they’d come. I didn’t know how much I missed having that until I got it back.
“You guys have been so amazing. I’m going to miss you when it’s over,” I admit.
Rebel cocks his head. His eyes are so dark, nearly black, but when I look, I can see the shades of rich brown inside. “Why do you have to go anywhere?”
“I don’t know. When the drama is over, I’ll be all that’s left, and I’m just me. A little small, a little naïve, always a little something, and never enough for anyone to stick around.” God, that sounds pathetic. “Sorry, I’m fine. Maybe we can play something else.” I try to get up.
Riptide doesn’t let me. “Fuck that.”
He kisses me, gently at first, soft pecks on my lips until I open up to him, his short beard tickling my cheeks. Even in my rattled state, it feels nice. Comforting. Maybe I just like the attention, but he seems more than willing to give it to me. It doesn’t take long before we’re making out properly, him pulling me up on my knees so I can wrap my arms around his strong neck. His tongue finds mine and I close my eyes so I can just feel.
Mad Dog’s hand cups my ass. “Is this a private party?”
“Three is better than two. And four is even better than three.” Riptide’s soft growl is dripping with a promise that has my core heating up like he just flicked a switch. “Is that still private enough?”
I wet my lips, still feeling the press of Riptide’s mouth. The sudden burst of loneliness isn’t gone, but it feels a lot more distant now. Instead of being in the room with me, it’s now outside the house, probably looking for a way in, but the guys are helping me lock the door.
And offering to help me forget for a while
I press my ass back into Mad Dog’s hands and reach for Rebel, my hand landing on his narrow hip.
“I think four sounds pretty good right now.”
Rebel leans in again, a confident smirk on his lips. “That was the answer I was hoping for.”
His lips taste just as sweet as last time.
21
MELODY
Riptide pulls me back to center, his hand cupping the back of my head. “You’re sure? Today’s been a lot.”