Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 34680 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 173(@200wpm)___ 139(@250wpm)___ 116(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34680 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 173(@200wpm)___ 139(@250wpm)___ 116(@300wpm)
“Let’s get one thing straight, asshole. I love my sister. Maybe I wasn’t there for her when Mom and Dad put their lives ahead of ours, but I can be there for her now. She shouldn’t be locked away anywhere–not at that school and not here with you prowling after her.”
He’s right about one thing: I’m definitely prowling after his sister. How could I not? She speaks to me on an instinctual level. I want to protect her, but I also want to hold her in my hands, her body and soul in my possession.
“I’m afraid you’ve wasted your time coming here today, Charles.” I stand and let out a sharp whistle.
The door opens, and Vinny steps inside. “Mr. Shelby, right this way.”
Charles glances at Vinny, who’s almost as tall as I am and built like a particularly angry linebacker. “You don’t want to do this, Griffin. My partners aren’t the kind of people who take kindly to insults or refusals.”
“I thought you said they were good people?” I’m going to have to get in touch with some of my contacts to find out who exactly has Charles by the balls.
“They’re better than you. Let’s just leave it at that.”
“That’s not saying much, now is it?” I smirk.
“At least let me take Vivian.” He puts his glass on my desk. “I’d be doing you a favor taking her off your hands.”
“No. Vivian stays with me.” I flick my gaze to Vinny.
He takes Charles by the elbow and pulls him from the room.
“You can’t do this!” Charles yells as Vinny shoves him through the foyer and out the front door.
A few of my guards reach for their weapons.
“No. He’s harmless. Stand down.” Is he, though? I think to an extent, Charles is impotent and certainly doesn’t have a leg to stand on regarding the business, but if he’s gone and gotten himself mixed up with the wrong sort of people–this could get messy. I send a message to Linn, my secretary, to put a few feelers out. She’ll know who to contact, who owes me favors.
I turn and stride down the hall to the kitchen.
Vivian’s already looking up when I walk in. “Was that Charles? It sounded like Charles.”
“He stopped by for a chat, but he had to be on his way.” I smile. It’s not a lie, but it’s not quite the truth either.
“Oh, I wish he would’ve come to say hello.” She grabs a spatula and flips a pancake.
“Those smell amazing.” I sit at the bar as Mrs. Putnam comes out of the pantry with syrup.
“She chose the recipe herself.” She gives me an eyebrow waggle, as if to say You better like them or else.
“If that’s the case, I’m ready to dive in.” I watch Vivian, her body perfectly curving in those goddamn adorable kitten pajamas of hers. It’s like she chose the one thing that would make my cock harder than stone. I adjust myself as I watch her cook. “They'll be done shortly. I hope you like them.”
I lick my lips. “If they’re anything like the woman who made them, I’m certain I’ll eat my fill and then some.”
She blushes, then turns and gives me a view of her round ass. I fight a groan.
I remind myself that I’m her guardian, that her brother was just here telling me not to prowl after her, that I was friendly with her parents–but none of that can stop the desire I feel for her as I watch her move, hear her talk, and realize that at some point in the past day or so, I’ve fallen for her. Irreparably. Inescapably. I want her, and I won’t stop until she’s mine.
12
VIVIAN
I watch as Griff lifts a bite of pancake to his mouth. His nose twitches, and I wonder if he’s smelling the food on his fork or if he’s still smelling the fire I’d created while making the food. It was only a small fire.
I hadn’t even noticed it at first until Mrs. Putnam was there with a small fire extinguisher putting it out. She then helped me clean it up quickly. I didn’t want Griff to see. I was scared he’d never let me in the kitchen again.
It’s hard to concentrate with Griff staring at me. I swear when his eyes are on me I can actually feel them like a touch to my skin. His attention is addictive. I find myself craving it more and more. I’m not used to someone giving me so much of it. This could quickly become a problem if I’m not careful. I don’t know much about Griff, but I know he already has a love in his life—his job. Nothing and no one comes before that.
If his eyes weren't on me while I cooked, I found myself doing something to try to get his attention. One of his men had come into the kitchen and started to talk to him, and I’d dropped something on the floor to bend over and pick up. I made sure to give a small shake while I did it. But I tried not to seem like I was doing it on purpose.