Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 68538 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 343(@200wpm)___ 274(@250wpm)___ 228(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68538 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 343(@200wpm)___ 274(@250wpm)___ 228(@300wpm)
“Well, then she won’t get what she wants.” Quaid chuckled. “Mr. By the Book doesn’t fix anything for anyone.”
Garrett snorted.
I was about to reply to their banter, but a loud slam caught my attention.
Scott and Sheldon stood up and made their way over to the table that Maven, and who had to be Athena, were sitting at.
I stood up when I’d had enough of their looming. “Fuckin’ douche.”
I could feel my brothers’ gazes on my back as I made my way to their table.
In fact, I was very much aware of their full attention on the entire encounter.
The arguing started up so loud that I didn’t doubt the entire coffee shop could hear every word that was being said.
A book fell from Maven’s lap, and Scott bent down to retrieve it, giving Maven’s legs a lingering look as he did.
My stomach clenched at the sight.
Did Scott have the hots for his stepsister?
He held out his hand that was holding the book and wiggled it at her.
She reached for it, and he pulled on it when she caught hold, refusing to give it up.
I narrowed my eyes and stepped up just as Maven let go of the book, causing Scott to drop the hardback.
It came skittering across the floor toward me, and I bent down and scooped it up just as it got close.
With barely a hitch in my stride, I cleared my throat, catching the attention of both douchebags at the same time.
Sheldon turned, giving me space, and I took it. Splitting the two, I went in for the kiss.
“Why didn’t you sit with me, darlin’?” I teased as I bent down and kissed her directly on the mouth.
She gasped, giving me the opening I wanted, and I swept my tongue inside.
My dick lengthened, and I lifted my hand, cupping the side of her neck and sweeping my thumb up to brush lightly against the length of her jaw.
“Hey,” she whispered when I pulled away.
I swallowed hard before saying, “Hey.”
Her eyes were warm, and I had to forcibly stop myself from going in for another kiss.
I placed her book back in her hand, then twisted so that I could see her brother, putting Sheldon at my back.
I fucking hated the both of them, but Sheldon was the much less dangerous of the two. Plus, I knew it’d piss him off more if I dismissed him as insignificant.
“Scott,” I drawled, sounding annoyed, even to my own ears. “Can you give her some space?”
Scott’s brows went up, and I saw the hesitation in his eyes as he gave me the space I wanted. Scott immediately regretted backing down if the look on his face when he realized what he’d just done was anything to go by.
“What the fuck is going on here?” Scott snarled.
“What are you talking about?” I feigned ignorance.
“You and my sister?” he stiffened, the veins in his neck popping out with his anger.
“She’s your sister?” I batted my eyes at him.
I knew they were technically related. Even if Maven hadn’t shared quite a bit about herself to me yesterday, I would’ve known. It wasn’t hard to figure out who was family in the precinct.
Plus, he’d brought it up last night, talking about what his stepfather had done to his sister’s business because of her refusal to ‘follow directions.’
Scott puffed up his chest, ready to fight now, but Sheldon finally appeared from behind my back and said, “Who are you?”
“I’m Maven’s man. Who are you?” I challenged.
“I’m her ex-fiancé,” he said, trying to appear tough when he was anything but.
Maven rolled her eyes. “There was never a fiancé title to be an ex.”
“Amen,” Athena said. “Dodged that bullet.”
“Why the fuck are you still here? Shouldn’t you be in your high school classes still?” Sheldon snarled at her.
Maven snorted.
“How about you go back to your table with your friends, and leave us alone to finish our food?” Athena suggested. “We only have twenty more minutes left before Maven has to go visit with her lawyer.”
Scott’s anger turned to Maven again, his eyes narrowing. “What lawyer?”
“Don’t act like you don’t know why I need a lawyer. It’s beneath you.” She stood up, her body brushing along my own as she did. “You’re late.”
Unable to stop myself, I curled my hand furthest from Maven into a fist, then caught her hand with the other to keep myself from pushing Scott as he started to crowd in close again.
“Come join us,” I suggested, my hand going to hers—which also happened to be the one holding her book.
She didn’t protest as I tugged her toward our table.
“This is Maven, as you know,” I said to my brothers as I pulled a chair from the trooper’s table to squeeze between my own chair and Quaid’s. “Athena is her best friend.”
“Hi,” Athena waved.
“You’re Gavrel’s sister,” Gable said as he leaned back in the chair. “How are you doing?”