Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 79020 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 395(@200wpm)___ 316(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79020 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 395(@200wpm)___ 316(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
"I thought you were complaining," he grumbles.
"I'll be more succinct," I assure him.
He's a very literal type of guy, and I'm usually capable of modifying my words to accommodate that, but it is a little overwhelming to have so many people here when just last week it was only Jersey, Jericho, and on occasion Ace in the house. Now we have Zeus, Echo, Nyx, and Lark. Next month I'm told Casper, Zayne, Nova, and Ash will be here. Then the month after that Cyrus, Frost, Fury, Dagger, and a guy they call Johnny B.
That's inching up on twenty men, so many that Cerberus has already purchased the cabin right up the hill from this one as well to accommodate all of them with talks of building another one up and to the left.
I don't know if it was in the plans or if it's something Pax insisted on, but they've already started construction on the massive fence that will surround the entire area. But even with all of this going on, I haven't felt unsafe for a single moment since I decided to stay here. There isn't a man I've met here tonight that would risk Pax's wrath if they bothered me, and I have no doubt all the other men coming in the next couple of months won’t be an issue.
"Speaking of men," I begin as I turn back around so we're facing the same direction, but my words fall away.
I was about to ask about Ace because I hadn't seen him in almost a week. I figured it was time for his weekly flat-mouth stare because he wished Pax had chosen a different path. He assured me once that it had nothing to do with me but connections to people make men weak, especially people of the female or romantic love type. Pax explained the death of Ace's best friend, and I can only imagine the lasting effects that would've had on him to lose someone in such a brutal way.
Pax tells me every day that I am the best decision he ever made, and he'll never spend a second regretting it.
"What the fuck happened?" Pax growls as he takes a step forward, positioning himself between me and a bloodied and beaten Ace.
"Nothing I can't handle," the fool says.
"It looks like it," Pax counters. "Let's discuss this elsewhere."
Before Pax can turn back around to insist I go upstairs despite his insistence that I'm safe here, Ace steps around him and locks his eyes on me. I predict his words, knowing he's going to tell me that this is what I have to look forward to as far as Pax is concerned, that there will come a day when my man comes home beaten and bloody.
My stomach turns as I take in the gash on his cheek and his rapidly swelling eye.
"Zara," he says, pain laced in his tone. "I owe you an apology."
"You need to get to the fucking conference room," Pax says as he turns the man toward the secondary living room they've been using as a meeting place for the guys. "Zara, go to our room please."
He doesn't even have to look my way. He's confident enough to know that when he asks something of me, I'll give him what he needs. It's just how our dynamic works. Although it might be an issue at a later date, it hasn't been a problem for us so far.
I find myself slow to walk toward the staircase but work myself in that direction anyway.
"Any idea what that was about?" Jericho asks, his scarred face frowning in the direction the two men went.
I shrug. "He said he owed me an apology."
"Fuck," Jericho swears as he lifts a glass of amber liquid to his lips.
"What does that mean?"
"It means he fucked up in the only way that has the potential to ruin his fucking life."
"And how is that?"
"The motherfucker fell in love."