Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 90721 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 454(@200wpm)___ 363(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90721 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 454(@200wpm)___ 363(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
The body had disappeared from my back just as quickly as it appeared, but it didn’t stop the shards of agony shooting through me at the feel of being thrown onto the ground and then sat on.
It was long minutes later that I could finally work through the pain enough to realize I was being cradled against Sebastian’s chest.
I’d been sobbing in pain for quite a while, if the wetness underneath my cheek was any indication.
“Shhh, I know it hurts. Please stop, baby. I’m so sorry.” Sebastian soothed.
My breath hitched, and my sobs slowed, but the pain was still very much apparent. “I-I’m okay. H-hurts.” I breathed.
“Where’s your meds?” He asked, standing up as carefully as possible.
“Car.” I said softly, trying not to breathe deep.
“Honey, I don’t know where your car is. I didn’t see it when I pulled in.” He said. “Tillie, get the door for me, would you?”
Tillie got the door as I answered. “I backed it into the woods when I saw your truck wasn’t here. I didn’t want to park in your spot.”
“Trance, find her car and bring her purse in.” Sebastian demanded as he walked me into the living room.
“Why didn’t you call? How long have you been waiting here?” He asked, sitting down in his recliner with me, as Tillie turned on some lights.
I buried my nose into the crook of his neck as the pain in my ribs slowly leached to a dull thudding ache. “An hour, maybe. I thought I’d surprise you, but I think I fell asleep.”
“Here.” Trance said, making me lift my head from Sebastian’s chest.
He was holding out a cup of, what looked like, tea and a pain pill.
Sebastian helped me sit up, leaning me against his chest, and supporting me with an arm around my back.
“Thank you.” I said as I took the proffered goods.
The tea was sweet just as I liked it. Sebastian didn’t like sweet tea, but he’d made it a habit to have some on hand for when I came over.
After I finished half the glass, I handed it back to Trance who’d been waiting patiently for me to finish.
“Anything else you need?” He asked with a raised brow.
Up close, his eyes were even more impressive; both so shockingly different than the other, but both of them just as beautiful.
“No, thank you,” I finally managed to answer.
He took my half-finished glass and placed it on the coffee table beside my feet, which, not surprisingly, was also covered in greasy motorcycle parts.
“What’s going on with all the parts? I was going to sit on the back porch, but those are covered, too.” I asked Sebastian as I leaned my head back against his chest.
Sebastian played with my hair as he answered. “I have a new side project. Ribs feeling any better yet?”
I nodded but didn’t answer.
“What the hell were you doing sneaking around his house at night? What idiot would do that?” Tillie busted out.
Even though Trance reprimanded her for her rudeness, I decided to answer, hoping the woman wouldn’t hate my more if I explained. “I was walking up from the dock. I heard voices so that’s where I headed.”
“Why wouldn’t you have called out or something?” Tillie sneered.
I turned my head so I could look at Tillie.
She was cute and blonde, with big boobs. The skirt and leather vest she was wearing barely covered her breast area and crotch, fairly screaming ‘I’m easy!’
“At the time, I didn’t want to scare y’all. Guess it wasn’t the best of decisions now that I think about it.” I admitted.
“No. That was stupid. Especially around here. That shit’ll get you hurt.”
I snorted at the irony in the statement. “It did.”
“Trance didn’t know it was you. He’d have never hurt you on purpose.” Tillie continued.
So it was Trance who’d sacked me like a quarterback. Turning my eyes to his face, I didn’t see an ounce of regret written there, which wasn’t a surprise. He wouldn’t apologize. I was the one in the wrong, walking around out there without announcing myself. Hell, I’d have done the same thing. Or at least tried to.
“I know.” I said softly.
“You want us to get out of here? I can call Porter.” Trance asked Sebastian.
“Yeah, if you don’t mind. I don’t want to leave her alone.” Sebastian confirmed.
“But you’ll miss your fight! People have been waiting weeks for you to come back and fight.” Tillie cried.
I sat up painfully and turned so I could see Sebastian’s face.
“You fight? Fight what? Like in a boxing ring?” I asked him.
Sebastian’s eyes took in the new red mark on my cheek and ran the pad of his thumb over it. “Yeah, something like that. It’s no big deal.”
“No big deal?” Tillie screeched.
“Enough.” Trance hissed at her.
Her mouth snapped shut comically, and I turned back to Sebastian. “I would like to know more about you. Ten more minutes for my pill to kick in, and I’ll be able to move more. I’d like to see you fight, if that’s all right.”
Sebastian’s thumb on my hip hit a sore spot, making my breath hiss into my lungs through clenched teeth.
When he saw the pain in my eyes, he lifted the front of my shirt to review the damage.
“Oh, my God.” Tillie gasped making me turn from Sebastian to Tillie.
Tillie’s gaze was on my lifted shirt, and the bruising I’d received from the broken ribs.
“Who did that?”
The question was from Trance, who was now at my side as well, staring down of the mottling of bruises that covered the torso of my body.
“A guy, while I was at work.” I explained trying in vain to tug the shirt down that Sebastian was trying to tug up.
Sebastian’s eyes skimmed my stomach and ribs, surveying the damage. “Jesus this looks bad.”
“I’m a bruiser. But you know that already. Part of the deal with me, unfortunately. You should have seen me after the accident a couple of years ago. I looked awful.”
With one last look, Sebastian tugged my shirt back into place and leaned his forehead against my shoulder. “I don’t like it.”