Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 156392 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 782(@200wpm)___ 626(@250wpm)___ 521(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 156392 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 782(@200wpm)___ 626(@250wpm)___ 521(@300wpm)
“So is Remi! If you don’t shut up, I will…”
“What? What are you going to do with your mini size?” Nikolai drawls with contained impatience.
She gasps. “Height isn’t a flex, giant.”
“Not if I can squash you like an ant who’s getting in my way.”
“Come at me!”
“You’d drop dead before I reach you.”
“Stop it, Niko,” Mia whisper-yells at her brother while I wrestle Ari back to her seat.
Mama and Aunt Elsa just laugh and then both proceed to casually cheer for their husbands as if a world war isn’t at the point of erupting.
I’m the only one who’s torn between my dad’s and my husband’s teams. So I choose to cheer whenever either of the teams score and proceed to be called a traitor by the cult surrounding me.
Talk about trying to please everyone.
Papa and Remi pull the entire weight of their team, but they still lose by two goals, and the last one is scored by none other than Eli.
I clap even as Ari glares at me and then says in a dramatic voice, “Mama, let’s prepare Papa a pick-me-up meal and some condolences for fathering a traitor.”
“Stop being so dramatic.” I poke her with my umbrella. “I’m neutral.”
“Neutrally eye-fucking your husband,” she whispers so only I can hear her. “Don’t think those glasses can fool me.”
I pull her by the ear until she’s at my face level. “Don’t lecture me if you’re doing the same, you little shit.”
“Well, I don’t pretend. I also asked Papa to let me marry Remi if they manage to win.”
“And Remi’s still alive?”
She disengages from me. “Yeah, so? Though pretty sure Papa lost on purpose. Does this mean he likes Eli better than my Remi?”
I laugh despite myself. She sounds so wounded and offended at the prospect.
“He’s like the greenest flag. How can he not prefer him over that massive red flag of a husband you have?”
“Hey!” I catch her ear again and she kicks me teasingly.
But then I spot Eli dismounting his horse and I lose interest in bickering with my sister. I shove her away, dust off my dress, and sit like the elegant lady I am.
He bro-hugs his dad and cousins before he walks in my direction while removing his helmet.
Such a simple act shouldn’t look so hot, but he has the unnerving skill of making everything look mouthwatering.
His tall legs eat up the distance in no time before he stops in front of me. A sheen of sweat covers his neck and dampens his dark locks, and I want to rake my fingers through them.
Preferably while he fucks me into oblivion and makes me forget about reality.
And now, it’s impossible to keep my poker face. I squirm as he stands in front of me, blocking the sun. I’m aware of Nikolai hugging Bran and Landon going to Mia, but they soon float into the background when Eli wipes the polo ball on his shirt and then offers it to me.
“Game ball. For you.”
“Aw.” Aunt Elsa places a hand on her chest. “My son can be so sweet.”
He flashes her a wink as I accept the ball with a stupid grin and carefully tuck it into my clutch before I stand up and brush my lips against his cheek. “Thanks.”
“Don’t you think I deserve more than a mere cheek kiss, Mrs. King?”
“Later. Our parents are here.”
“And that’s a problem because? You do know they have sex, too, right?”
“Eli!”
“You might need to sit down for this, beautiful. Actually, Father Christmas is not real.”
I gasp. “How dare you tarnish my delusions?”
He smiles as he tugs me toward him by the elbow and kisses my forehead.
I have no choice but to melt as tears well up in my eyes. Why does he have to be so dreamy all of a sudden?
It was bad when he was a cold, emotionless monster, but now, it’s impossible to deny how much I’m irrevocably in love with this man.
The type of love that will break me fully this time.
I intended to take revenge, but I ended up falling deeper. What a mess.
I place a hand on his chest and pull away, plastering a smile. “You played beautifully.”
He narrows his eyes as if he can see the reason for the topic change. Sometimes, he reads me so well that it terrifies me, because now, he has the power to annihilate me if he chooses to.
The power to lock me up in an asylum and marry another woman who can give him children. Maybe someone from old money like Gemma.
The thought brings bile to the back of my throat. “But you could’ve taken it easy on Papa.”
“He wouldn’t respect me if I did.”
“I still don’t respect you and never will, punk.” Papa tugs me away from him and kisses the top of my head. “Are you divorcing him anytime soon, princess?”