Total pages in book: 176
Estimated words: 167257 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 836(@200wpm)___ 669(@250wpm)___ 558(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 167257 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 836(@200wpm)___ 669(@250wpm)___ 558(@300wpm)
“Yo, if you’re done, you can go,” he barked. “The fuck you still—” His sentence was abruptly cut off when his feet—clad in the latest Jordans instead of his usual slip-resistant boots—were suddenly swept from under him.
I cursed his unnaturally quick reflexes when Rowdy quickly threw out his arms, catching the bathroom door with one hand and the jamb with the other to keep from falling. It was all I could do not to give myself away when laughter bubbled in my throat at the shock in his eyes. I had to contract my stomach muscles to the point of pain just to swallow the urge.
“What the fuck?” Righting himself, Rowdy took a cautious step forward, his accusatory gaze shooting directly to me. I knew my cover was blown when he bared his teeth. He started to speak, but one ill-thought angry step in my direction had him slipping again.
With nothing to hold onto this time, all six-foot-six of him went toppling backward. My mouth formed an O when Rowdy landed on his ass hard enough to make the impact of his muscled body hitting the unforgiving floor echo like thunder through the room.
“Oh, my gosh!” I shrieked to hide the laughter I couldn’t hold back this time. “Boss, are you okay?” I was almost a perfect image of shock and concern as I took tentative steps around the trail of water and oil to reach him. A smile played on my lips as I silently celebrated my victory.
I knew once Rowdy regained his wits from falling, he would quickly figure out the spill was my doing and make me pay for it, so I bought myself some time to get away by leading the trail directly to me instead of his desk.
It was a gamble that had paid off.
I’d no sooner stopped where Rowdy was still sprawled on the floor than he reached out faster than a snake. His hand wrapped around my ankle was my only warning before he yanked me off my feet and sent me toppling with a yelp onto the ground next to him.
The air punched out of my chest while pain shot through my pelvic bone thanks to my ass, taking the brunt of the fall. I hadn’t even hit my head, and I saw stars. I groaned and quickly gave up when I tried to move. There was nothing I could do but lay there and silently berate myself for not just taking my win and leaving.
I just had to gloat.
Movement next to me caught my eye, and my heart began racing, sensing the danger ahead. I desperately tried once again to rise, but my stupid muscles protested and refused, leaving me vulnerable to Rowdy’s wrath as he slowly regained his feet.
A moment later, he stepped over my prone body and planted each foot on my fingers as he peered down at me. Rowdy didn’t bear down, but the threat was clear.
Expression blank, he tipped his bearded chin up. “You got jokes, huh?”
“I think prank would be a more accurate description,” my dumb ass just had to retort. He didn’t say anything, so I just blew out a breath. “Look, you got me back, so let’s just call it even, okay?”
“Even? Nah. Ain’t no even.” Before I could respond, his foot pressed down slightly on my trapped fingers, and I whimpered partly from the pain but mostly from the fear of having my fingers broken. “Your ass got two choices,” he continued. “You can clean this shit up and apologize, or you can get the fuck out of my establishment and my city and make damn sure I never see your face again.”
I sucked in a breath even as everything in me raged at the thought of letting him win. “How about I clean up my mess and keep the apology? We both know I won’t mean it anyway, so is it really that important?” Rowdy’s only answer was to press down harder on my fingers. “Stop!” I panicked and screamed.
“Apologize.”
“The only thing you’ll get from me is my ass to kiss,” I gritted out. “I’m not sorry for shit, you boorish maniac. You deserved it!”
This time, it felt like Rowdy bore all his weight down, ripping a pained scream from me when the bones in my fingers began to give. My vision suddenly blurred as my back bowed off the floor, and I screamed again. A moment later, I felt the first tears slipping from the corner of my eyes and dripping onto the floor.
I still didn’t apologize.
I wouldn’t.
Rowdy would just have to break every bone in my body to get his pound of flesh.
A moment later, I heard him curse viciously, and then the pressure suddenly eased before disappearing entirely.
I didn’t see him move away, and I couldn’t remember how I got off the floor.