Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 117510 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 588(@200wpm)___ 470(@250wpm)___ 392(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 117510 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 588(@200wpm)___ 470(@250wpm)___ 392(@300wpm)
“Don’t work too hard.” She smoothed a hand down his tie. “See you soon.”
He gave her nape a little squeeze. “Stay safe.”
“Right back at you, Thorne.” With that, she slid into the car.
Tanner and Keenan both gave him reassuring looks that said they’d keep her and Asher safe, and then the sentinels hopped into the Audi.
Only when the car was no more than a dot in his vision did Knox then head back inside the club, where Ciaran then teleported them all back to Jolene’s kitchen. She was waiting there, body tight, fists clenched.
“Is he still alive?” she asked.
“I told you I’d give you an opportunity to deal with it yourself, and I will,” Knox told her. “Make the most of that opportunity, Jolene, because I won’t give you another. No one gets to covet what belongs to me.” He and Levi then exited the house and headed to the Bentley.
Inside the car, Levi clicked on his seat belt and said, “Didn’t you mention the tattoo to Drew?” He tapped his temple to indicate he meant telepathically.
“No,” said Knox. “I’ll leave Jolene to deal with that problem. Clarke was careful to keep his mind blank, but it didn’t take telepathy to sense his jealousy or bitterness.”
Pulling onto the road to merge into the traffic, Levi smirked. “No, it didn’t. I couldn’t help but enjoy it. Did you notice that Asher doesn’t like him?”
Knox smiled. “As I told Harper, kids sense evil.”
“Are you going to tell her about Drew’s tattoo?”
“Yes.” Knox didn’t particularly want her to know. Not that he worried she would be so moved by the news that she would try leaving Knox to be with the hellcat or something equally unrealistic. But he got the feeling that the situation was awkward enough for her as it was. Knowing about the tattoo would only make it worse for her. Still … “If she found out about it some other way and then realized I already knew, she’d be pissed that I didn’t tell her.”
“And you want to see her reaction.”
Knox felt his brow crease. “I don’t worry that she cares for him.”
“No, but you still want to see her reaction. I think she’ll be shocked.”
Probably. Despite knowing her inside out, Knox could never predict her responses. Never. She continued to surprise and astound him. His demon loved that about her.
“What Clarke did was no little thing,” Levi went on. “She knows him better than we do, but I don’t think she even sees just how much jealousy is eating him up inside right now.”
In agreement with that, Knox nodded. “Harper is very astute, but the insecurities that she carries make it easy for her to miss when someone is attracted to her.” Being discarded by both parents had left her with what she called “textbook abandonment issues”. Though Lucian, at Jolene’s insistence, had later taken Harper to live with him, he’d never given her stability or been a true father to her. She had been the parent.
Harper persistently reassured Knox that, in spite of all that, she’d had a good childhood. It was clear to Knox that Lucian did care for her. He also seemed to adore Asher, but he could go for up to six months at a time before even making contact to ask about their welfare. Moreover, Lucian didn’t find anything whatsoever wrong with that. Knox would never like or trust him.
“Personally,” began Levi, “I don’t think she’ll be flattered to know that Clarke sort of had her on reserve.”
“No, that won’t flatter her,” Knox agreed. “If anything, she’ll be furious to hear that he thought she’d be waiting in the wings.” For humans, it might seem odd that someone would spend years away from someone they cared for. But to creatures with extensive lifetimes, years were more like months. “And her demon will be outraged to hear that he marked himself on its behalf.”
“Still, I don’t think Harper will want him dead, considering he’s her friend’s brother, which is understandable.”
“If he wants to live, he’ll get rid of the tattoo. I’d be happy to do it for him. A little hellfire would burn it right off.” The idea made his demon bare his teeth in a feral grin.
Levi’s lips twitched. “Envisioning that shouldn’t make me smile, but I’m a bloodthirsty son of a bitch.” He paused as he turned a sharp corner. “Do you think Clarke will put up a fight? It would be a singularly stupid thing to do, but he’ll probably feel that he chose her first; that he has rights to her.”
Frowning thoughtfully, Knox licked his front teeth. “Maybe. Time will tell, I suppose.” Hearing his cell beep, Knox fished it out of his pocket and answered the long-winded email from his business associate. Which led to yet another email. And another. And a—