Total pages in book: 215
Estimated words: 217988 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1090(@200wpm)___ 872(@250wpm)___ 727(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 217988 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1090(@200wpm)___ 872(@250wpm)___ 727(@300wpm)
“Brody, no!”
“I know,” he said quietly as she tightened her hold on him. “I was young so I don’t really remember him. But my sisters do. There are monsters in the world, but what I’ve learned is that there are good people too.”
“I’m so sorry you ever went through that.”
“My momma is a strong woman. She held us all together. Kept us going.”
“I should get off your lap. I’m probably getting heavy.”
Brody snorted. “Hardly. Stay where you are. Just for a bit. I like this.”
Oh, he didn’t have to tell her twice.
She leaned against him. She was so exhausted.
“You’re really tired, aren’t you?”
She nodded.
He ran his fingers through her hair. “Want me to go? So, you can go to bed?”
Without saying a word, she wrapped her arms around Brody’s neck, clinging to him.
His chest moved as he laughed silently. “Guessing that’s a no. Want to watch a movie?”
She nodded again. She didn’t much feel like talking right now. That happened sometimes. Especially when she was feeling very young. Although, she wasn’t completely in Little space. But close. She was drained. Her well was empty and she needed cuddles and quiet time to refill it.
“Okay. I’ll order some food. You choose a movie. We can snuggle on the couch and eat pizza, yeah?”
She gave him a small smile.
“Not feeling very verbal right now, huh?” He eyed her.
She shook her head.
He brushed her hair back gently before kissing her again. “That’s all right. When you need me to, I’ll be your voice.”
Damn.
Just damn.
She didn’t need to talk anymore. Tears slid down her cheeks and he brushed them away. “Happy tears?”
She nodded.
“Good. Because I know just how you feel.”
He should just kill the boy and take his Bunny away.
He’d kissed her!
Sure, it had just been a light kiss. But they’d professed feelings for each other.
And she belonged to him.
He’d let the boy hang around because they were friends. Because his Bunny seemed happier. She was eating better. Sleeping a bit more. He’d thought the boy was good for her.
Now, he realized that he wanted the Fox’s girl.
Yep. He was going to murder him.
He stepped forward just as Autumn let out a small whimper. She pushed off the covers and he sucked in a breath as he saw they were holding hands. Then she rolled into him and her whimpering stopped.
It was a blow to his gut.
Would she be better off without him?
But no . . . that was just stupid talk. Her life would be far better with him in it, once he found the right time to tell her that he was going to be in her life.
His life wasn’t safe or easy. It would be an adjustment for his Bunny.
No matter how much good karma he accumulated, he would always have enemies.
There would always be a darkness in him.
It wouldn’t be fair to let that darkness stain her . . .
He didn’t know how to look after her properly. Not yet. Hell, he’d killed the cactus he’d owned. He wasn’t home enough at the moment to take care of her the way she needed.
He wasn’t even meant to be here now. He had to deal with another lead on Mr. X, but he’d needed to see her.
Perhaps he shouldn’t murder the boy . . . maybe he could use him?
Brody might be useful. And he was pleasant to look at. He seemed to really care about Autumn and she felt the same about him.
He had often considered taking on two Littles . . . was he interested in the boy? He was attractive. Funny. Sweet.
Hmm . . . that had a possibility.
Although, the boy wasn’t much of a bodyguard. Neither of them had sensed that he was here.
But he was the best of the best. He excelled at sneaking into places undetected. Normally, he would be there to murder someone. Or gather data. This was a different sort of reconnaissance.
So, of course, they hadn’t sensed that he was here.
See? He could be understanding. And generous.
He was really growing and no one around to bask in his magnificence.
That was a damn shame.
He thought about waking them up so they could applaud him, but his Bunny needed her sleep.
He was killing this Daddy Dom stuff. Look at him putting her needs ahead of his.
He didn’t know why he hadn’t done this already.
Being in a relationship was going to be so easy.
8
Autumn startled as the doorbell rang. She looked down at the item she was creating for Brody. It was an orager. A burger with an orange. It was actually quite genius. She’d chopped the orange in half, and that formed the two buns. Then you put the pattie and fixings in the middle. Of course, now there was the problem of the orange skin.
Hmm. Easy, all she’d do is peel it next time. Brody liked oranges and he liked burgers. Now, he could get both at once.