Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 46081 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 230(@200wpm)___ 184(@250wpm)___ 154(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46081 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 230(@200wpm)___ 184(@250wpm)___ 154(@300wpm)
Both men lost their teasing attitudes in a flash.
“This have to do with why she freaked the fuck out the other night?” Jinx asked. “Why she’s so nervous around me?”
“It does.”
“And it’s bad, huh?”
Frost met Jinx’s serious gaze. A man he respected and one day hoped to call brother. “It’s fucking bad.”
Spec held out a handgun, handle first. “No better way to sort out your shit than to shoot it out of your fucking head.”
Spec would know. That guy spent years as an Army Ranger, including a devastating period as a captive behind enemy lines. He’d been tortured both mentally and physically in ways he’d never fully recover from. If shooting shit worked to help settle some of his demons, Frost was more than willing to try.
“Thanks,” he said as he accepted the gun then grabbed a set of ear protection. Just before he slipped them down over his ears, Spec called out to him.
“There’s something else that helps with all the shit in your head.”
“Yeah?” With the ear protection poised above his ears, he raised an eyebrow. “What’s that?”
“Pussy!” Jinx yelled out.
Spec rolled his eyes. “You kiss your mother with that mouth, asshole?”
Jinx roared with laughter. “No, but I sure as fuck kiss yours.”
They had the humor level of a group of middle school boys.
“Just shoot your fucking target,” Spec said.
Still laughing, Jinx covered his ears then went to town on his target.
Spec turned back to Frost. “I wasn’t gonna be so crude, mostly because if it got back to Liv, she’d rip off my balls, but he’s right in a sense. Not just any pussy, but the one attached to your woman.”
Frost huffed a laugh. “You suck at this pep-talk shit.”
“Yeah, I fucking know. But I’m serious. If you like this chick, lean into it. Go for it. If her story fucked with your head, let her know. Bet she’ll be okay with it. Just saying if you want something with this girl, don’t be afraid to show her when you’re feeling fucked up. I got way more fucked up in my head than most, and nothing settles it better than Liv. Rachel trusted you with her story, trust her with your reaction in return.”
Trust. Right. “Yeah, trust isn’t exactly my, uh… well, I suck at trust.”
Spec snorted. “And you think I’m good? Christ, you think Curly doesn’t have trust issues coming out his ass?”
The man had a point.
Something to think about. “It’s good?”
Spec tilted his head.
“Having an ol’ lady.”
“Never thought I’d be the one to say this, but it’s everything. Liv is everything. There isn’t a goddamn thing in the world I wouldn’t do to keep her. It’s good shit, man.”
“Oh, look at me. I’m Spec, and I get laid all the fucking time.”
Frost bit back a laugh as he turned to find Jinx flailing his hands around as he mocked Spec.
“Aww, what’sa matter, Jinxy? You jealous your own hand is the only one willing to touch your dick?”
Jinx flipped him off and then went back to his target.
After winking at Frost, Spec put his own ear protection on and went to work shooting. He was a fantastic shot thanks to years of military training, but Frost wasn’t too bad for someone who’d learned within the last year.
He faced his target. Instead of paper with a human outline, the target transformed into the image of a mountainous man. The one who’d hurt Rachel. Though he had no idea what the man looked like, he could imagine it easily enough. Sloppy beard, beer gut, stained wife-beater. He knew the type.
He set up the shot, inhaled, and unloaded the clip in the fucker.
And it felt damn good to imagine himself slaying Rachel’s dragons.
Maybe that meant he was the man to do it in reality as well.
RACHEL HAD THE sneaking suspicion Curly asked Brooke, Olivia, and Jo to keep her busy because exactly one hour after Frost walked out of the kitchen, the ladies swooped in, snapped her up, and hadn’t let her take a breath in the twenty-four hours since.
They’d gotten their nails done, Christmas shopped for everyone in the club, checked out two new coffee shops, worked out at the gym, and volunteered to serve food at a local shelter.
Granted, Rachel had enjoyed each activity, especially the time at the shelter, but she couldn’t keep her mind off Frost.
Had he asked Curly to keep her away?
Was he disgusted by her story?
Did he want to end whatever thing they had begun?
Eventually, the questions started to drive her nuts and had her doubting every move she’d made since meeting him.
“Okay, I’m done,” she said as she plonked her peppermint mocha latte down on the table.
Brooke and Liv gave her curious stares as Jo snorted. “I’m surprised you put up with us this long,” Jo said.
Rachel scrunched her nose. “What do you mean?”