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)
I hadn’t forgotten our last meeting a few weeks ago.
The day after I’d met Atlas.
I’d shoved my gun in the pimp’s corroded mouth and promised to make him eat every bullet in the clip if he so much as spoke to her. And then I paid every last one of his girls, including Lacy—his bottom bitch—to tell me if he did. They’d been easy to turn since the majority of his stable weren’t there of their own free will.
Fancy Mack knew I didn’t make threats, only guarantees, and my promise to kill him was the reason Atlas hadn’t already been forced on the track. She was young, defenseless, and alone in his territory. She might as well have painted a target on her forehead when she unwittingly chose Hooker’s Cove for shelter.
I was at her door in no time, but after ten minutes of knocking with no answer, even though the light was on and her car was parked outside, I turned on my heel and headed for the front office.
“Welcome to Montrose Inn. My name is Carl. How can I help you?” the clerk greeted me without taking his eyes off the TV.
“Give me the key to room two-two-eight.”
“I’m sorry. That room is occupied, but I have other rooms if you—”
“I know it’s occupied, motherfucker. That’s why I want the key. My girlfriend rents it.”
The clerk finally looked away from the TV and shook his head. “I’m sorry, sir. I can’t do that.”
“Aight.” I walked away like I was leaving and then turned and kicked in the mini swinging door that separated his workspace from the lobby.
“Hey!” Carl shouted when I walked behind the desk.
“Shut the fuck up.”
He stood up like he was planning to stop me, but one look had him stumbling back into his seat. I quickly found the spare key and walked out of the office and back to Atlas’s room, where I quietly let myself in.
There were lit candles everywhere as if Atlas was trying to burn away the stale smell of the room. The purple bedding was definitely not the motel’s and looked like some shit she’d gotten from Target. The room had a mini fridge, microwave, TV, and a small table with two chairs.
I could hear the shower running and music playing inside the bathroom as I crossed the room to the cheap armoire, where her clothes were neatly tucked away, and quickly found a suitable dress in my second favorite color and heels to match.
I thought about snooping some more before deciding that anything else I needed to know should come from her, so I laid the clothes on the bed and sat down in the armchair by the door to wait.
It was another ten minutes before she emerged with a towel wrapped around her sexy body. She had some extra-long shower cap covering her faux locs while water dripped onto the ugly stained carpet.
She hadn’t noticed me yet, and I was in no rush for the moment to end as I watched her grab her toothbrush and begin brushing her teeth. It wasn’t until she leaned down to spit out the paste that she caught my reflection in the mirror and screamed.
“Ahhh!” She looked so adorable, spinning around with one hand clutching her towel protectively and the other holding her toothbrush out like she was going to shank me with it.
“Calm your dramatic ass down. It’s just me.”
“What the hell, Owen?” she shouted at me. “How did you get in here?”
I held up the spare key and then slipped it into my pocket. “Get dressed, baby. We’re going to be late.”
“Late for what? I’m not going anywhere with you. Did you forget what happened the last time I was stupid enough to go anywhere with you?”
“Yes, you are. No, I didn’t. And we’re going on a date.”
She shook her head. “No, we’re not.”
“Yes, we are.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“No!” She stomped her foot and pouted.
“You can get dressed or go like that, Dream. I really don’t give a fuck, but I know you’ll feel responsible and probably cry if I murk every man who looks at you in that towel.”
I knew I’d won the moment her shoulders deflated, and she sighed. “Fine. You have one hour and not a minute more.”
“You’re so funny, baby. Look…” I gestured toward the clothes I’d laid out on the bed, a blue off-the-shoulder sweater dress with long sleeves that I knew would look dope as fuck against her pretty brown skin. “I already picked out something for you to wear.”
She glanced at the clothes and then at me before rolling her eyes and turning back to the sink to finish her hygiene. I figured it would take her a while despite the time crunch we were on, so I grabbed the TV remote from her nightstand and sat back down to wait.