Total pages in book: 192
Estimated words: 189782 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 949(@200wpm)___ 759(@250wpm)___ 633(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 189782 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 949(@200wpm)___ 759(@250wpm)___ 633(@300wpm)
“This place is for sale?” My pulse quickens.
“No.”
I tilt my head, trying to understand. “How many distilleries are for sale around here?”
“This is the only distillery in Sitka. But anything can be bought for the right price.”
I can’t be bought.
Taking a sip of my drink, I find it as bland as the vodka on the plane.
As I push it away, a group of women approaches us, their eyes sparkling with the buzz of alcohol.
“Tourists,” Monty mutters, glancing at his watch, his mind seemingly elsewhere.
One of them, a blonde with a sultry gaze, sidles up to Leo and trails her fingers down his arm. “Did it hurt when you fell from Valhalla?”
“Look at his eyes.” Another woman sighs. “This one conquers kingdoms.”
Leo hisses, brushing away the woman’s touch.
“I’ll let you conquer me.” The blonde licks her red lips.
“Not interested in easy conquests,” he barks.
She sucks in a breath.
Her friend angles toward me, a redhead with hair so bright it glows with a plastic-like sheen.
“I’ll make you work for it, handsome.” Her voice drips with insinuation as she teases my chest with fingernails so long and sharp that she would injure herself if she attempted to masturbate.
“No.” I bare my teeth, pushing away those dangerous claws.
“Are you sure?” She pouts, her lower lip jutting in a way that’s probably meant to be enticing. “I’m not easy. But for you, I can be.”
Beside me, Monty turns his back on another woman. “Not interested.” He flicks a hand at the crowd of females around us, hardening his voice. “Move along. Now.”
The tension in my shoulders eases as they scatter, returning to their table.
“Is that normal?” I stare at my drink, my back twitching beneath the probe of dozens of eyes on me.
“When you’re the most attractive man in the bar…” Monty rakes a hand through his hair, mussing the black strands. “Comes with the territory.”
I steal a glance behind me. Several men now surround the women who propositioned us. The males press in too close, touching, smiling, and invading personal boundaries, but the females seem to welcome the attention.
“Did Frankie come here?” The thought stiffens my spine. “Is this where she drinks with her colleagues?”
“No.” Monty follows my line of sight, glowering. “The locals avoid this tourist trap.”
“Why are we here?” Leo asks.
“With Kody’s vision and my financial backing, this place could be a hot spot for both tourists and locals.”
His words resonate within me, igniting a fire that’s been smoldering for years.
This isn’t just about survival anymore. It’s about building a future, about creating something that tells our story. And for the first time, I believe it’s possible.
While we wait for the owner, Monty returns to his phone, a frown knitting his forehead as he types.
“What’s wrong?” I crane my neck, unable to see his screen.
“Sirena’s here.” He pockets the device and twists toward the door.
She walks in, drawing every pair of eyes in the bar.
Tight denim molds to her long, shapely legs. That’s as far as my perusal goes before Leo’s hand smacks the back of my head.
“I wasn’t checking her out.” I grunt.
“Sure you weren’t.” He sweeps his gaze over the crowd. “You and every other hard dick in this place.”
She might be the most beautiful female here, but my dick only responds to one woman.
Monty hasn’t spared her a glance beyond his quick acknowledgment when she walked in.
Men whistle and leer as she passes, but she doesn’t flinch. It’s like they don’t exist to her.
I track her in my periphery like I track everyone else in this place. She carries herself with the kind of confidence that makes everyone take notice, her head held high, and dark hair flowing down her back.
But she only has eyes for us.
As she approaches, the crowd parts, drawn to her but knowing better than to get too close.
“Hello, boys,” she purrs.
I return to my drink, preferring the tasteless vodka over her sugary conversation.
Monty doesn’t pay her attention, leaving us to deal with her as he buries his nose in his phone.
I focus on the bar, on all the ways I would change it if it were mine.
Sirena moves closer to me and rests a hand on my thigh.
I loosen a low, warning sound deep in my chest. “Remove your fucking hand.”
She blinks, a look of surprise crossing her face before she chuckles and withdraws her hand. “Easy there, big guy.”
“Why are you here?”
“I heard you were in town.”
“How?” I glare at her, my patience wearing thin.
“It’s my job to know.” At my glance toward Monty, she shakes her head. “I have a lot of customers, baby. I need to know who’s coming and going from this port.” She pitches forward, tits first, and exhales hot breath in my ear. “You three are by far my sexiest clients.”
“I’m not your client.”
“Even better.”
“I’m only going to say this once.” Slowly, I rise from the stool, donning my scariest scowl.