Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 85608 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 428(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85608 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 428(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
Not a damn addict my ass, because I’m certain I just witnessed a fucking drug deal.
A sharp pain strikes at me, and it takes a second time before I realize I’m in trouble.
Princess, the fluffy terror, is practically hanging off my ass when I stand.
She lets go before I’m to my full height, and she must be smarter than she looks because she backs up out of reach when I spin around to face her.
That little pink tongue hangs out of her mouth as she pants like it took all her energy to stealth attack me and take a chunk out of my ass.
“You little—” I snap, inching toward her, but she’s had enough of my intimidation.
As if in slow motion, she opens her mouth, and I make a run for it. I know how loud her damn bark is. I know Archer is going to be alerted to me being here, and honestly, I’m so fucking disappointed in him right now, I don’t want to face him.
I don’t allow myself to think about the discontent I feel where he’s concerned as I haul ass from the dog. Being affected in any way where that man is concerned confuses me.
I’ll explain to Deacon what happened and what I saw. Archer’s contract will go in the canceled file, and I won’t have to worry about thinking about how I felt when he pressed his lips to mine.
More importantly, I’ll never have to face that fucking demon dog again.
Princess must be very active because despite her barking following me across the expansive yard, she’s stopped at the edge of the porch.
I’m back over the fence before the front door opens, diving over the thing and hitting the ground in a roll that tears the seams in several spots in my clothing.
I have grass stains on my knees, and I’m missing a button on the front of my shirt.
Despite looking like I just went a few rounds in a game of Jumanji, I head back to the office, certain I need stitches in my ass from the dog attack.
As much as I thought I would report what I witnessed to Deacon, I don’t open my mouth about any of it. I don’t even tell Jude specifics as he’s patching up my ass.
I didn’t need stitches, and despite the jaw-clenching pain, according to Jude, Princess left behind only tiny little scrapes.
I head home filled with disappointment in Archer, rips and bloodstains on my clothes, and secrets I’m not sure why I kept.
Maybe it was the way he wrapped his arms around me in the parking lot like I was the only fucking hope he had left.
Chapter 6
Archer
I glance from my phone to Princess. With her tongue hanging out and tail wagging back and forth, she’s very proud of herself.
I’ve been laughing at the video for the last ten minutes, watching Brooks spy on me through the window as Princess executed her sneak attack on his ass.
I shove down thoughts of wanting to bite that ass myself and nibble on my lip as the man in the video yelps before standing with my dog hanging from his ass. She doesn’t stay suspended long, and I give the man all the credit he’s due because he doesn’t swat at her to get her to release him. He stares down at the tiny terror as if he just can’t believe what he’s seeing before she opens her jaw and drops flawlessly to the ground as if she bites asses all day every day.
“You could’ve hurt him,” I chastise, but there’s no real fire in my voice.
She yips at me, smiling her little puppy smile.
He didn’t call to complain after that incident yesterday, and I guess I never should’ve expected him to with how quickly he ran away. I wonder if he’ll even mention it today. Doing so would force him to admit he was spying on me. Yesterday, I was pissed that he’d do such a thing, but the more I watch the video, the more that anger fades away.
The man made me laugh, and that’s something I’ve had a hard time doing recently. I’ve been so unhappy for so long, and grinning now makes me realize I was miserable long before the pictures of Fletcher and me surfaced. My glamorous life has been sad and lonely even in the midst of dozens of people, adoring fans, and success. Maybe I’m just never satisfied. Maybe I expect too much and everything in life always falls short of my expectations.
I start the video from the beginning, watching Brooks lurk across the yard until he settles under the front living room window, but before I can get to the best part, the doorbell chimes.
Think of the devil and he will appear.
“Hungry?” I ask Princess jokingly, as I stand from the sofa and head in the direction of the front door.