Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 90252 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90252 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
I take a deep breath as I contemplate her words. I’m not even the one she’s investigating, and I’m scared of her. Then she gives me a bright smile. In a snap, she goes from wanting revenge to being happy. All in the blink of an eye. She’s going to fit in well with the men around here.
“Diego is mine,” I blurt out. It’s best that I clear that up for her.
“Noted.” She wiggles her brows at me while giving me a knowing smirk. I peek over my shoulder to see Diego finally has a shirt on now. I didn’t even bother to ask what happened when he’d come back covered in blood. I knew he’d taken care of whatever threat he needed to make sure I was safe. Is it terrible that I was turned on by the fact that he’d gone out to protect me and came back to claim his prize? Well, if it is, I don’t really care. Whoever was out there had the intent to hurt me, so I have a right to protection and everything that comes along with it. Especially when it includes orgasms.
“Can we do this in the kitchen?” I ask. I’m a little smitten with how much everybody enjoyed my cake. I’m going to try to make another one.
“Clearly, I would go anywhere to ask you questions.”
I laugh and pull the door open to leave. I don’t even step foot out of our bedroom before Diego grabs me and turns me around to claim my mouth.
Without a word, he turns me back around and smacks me on the ass as if giving me the approval to go now. I let out another laugh. I’m sure many would find Diego’s caveman tendencies too much, but I know he’s only teasing with those little actions. Something I don’t think he’s ever really done in his life. I’m all too happy to be a part of it. I enjoy the fact that he can let his guard down around me.
“Is the world going to be losing Aurora Davenport? This place feels like people come here to stay,” she says as we make our way toward the kitchen.
I notice she’s looking around at everything. I stop walking immediately. “This place is off the record. It’s not to be disclosed in anything you write about me. The men here are off the record, also.”
“I got the memo about that one already.”
I’m guessing one of the men told her that they’d be showing up at her doorstep if she uttered a word about this place. I’d be right there with them. I’m quickly feeling like this is my home too. That these people are becoming my family. I’ve been catching myself already calling Diego’s bedroom mine or ours.
When we make it to the kitchen, I notice she’s still looking all around and not asking me anything yet. Or maybe she’s looking for someone rather than taking in the lodge.
“Tiernan looks familiar, but I can’t place him.” That wasn’t a question at all. It wasn’t even a statement about me. “Is he always so on edge and growly?”
I pop back out of the pantry I just entered with my hands full of ingredients. Daphne is now sitting on the counter with her legs swinging.
“He’s actually the funny one around here.” If we’re picking titles for each of the men, he’s definitely class clown.
“I’d help, but everything I make in the kitchen usually ends up tasting terrible. I’ve even been known to ruin that noodle in a cup thing.”
“How about I make the cake, and you ask your questions?” If she wants to bring Kingston down, I’m all for it. As much as I love that my Diego would do anything for me, I don’t want him to get hurt because of me. I don’t want anyone else here to get hurt either, for that matter.
On that note, I decide to respond to the statement she said earlier. I don’t have plans to go anywhere. I’m already home.
12
DIEGO
When Aurora is gone, I get itchy. So I stride out of our room and force myself to keep walking past the kitchen where Aurora and Daphne are chatting and laughing.
I need to check the perimeter. Though we took care of the threats that were encroaching, I can still feel that something isn’t right. Someone else is out there. Or maybe I’m just being extra cautious. Either way, I need to walk the grounds and check for intruders.
I grab my coat and boots and slide my knit cap over my hair. With my rifle slung over my shoulder, I make my way out into the snowy wonderland.
Snow isn’t my favorite. Mostly because it can hinder getting a kill shot. The glare and the weird things the sunlight does on snow’s surface can really screw with a marksman like me. But I’ve managed before. If I need to make a kill shot, I can still get it done even if the snow is practically blinding.