Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 76390 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 382(@200wpm)___ 306(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76390 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 382(@200wpm)___ 306(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
“Do you think I’m a fucking idiot who will swallow everything you say? Do you?”
Slowly, she shook her head.
“I won’t fucking ask you again,” he said harshly. “Who was that man?”
“A frog.” The words were out before she could even think of what she was saying, but she realized right after that there was no better way to describe Victor or any of the other 27 men she had fallen for and had broken her heart in return.
“A frog, you say.” Nik’s lip curled. “A frog.” His tone was derisive. “Didn’t you tell me you had no other lover before me? Weren’t you the one—-”
“But that’s the truth,” she protested feverishly. “Victor’s never—-”
“Shut up.” Rage like nothing Nik had ever known filled him at the mere sound of another man’s name on her lips. Goddamn. Beautiful. Liar. He threw her a look of disgust. “Stop with the fucking lies.”
She wanted to cry at the way Nik looked at her, at the way he spoke. She no longer understood what was happening. All she knew was that somehow Nik knew she had lied to him about Viktor. “I’m sorry.” She strove to keep her voice even. She didn’t want him to think she wasn’t above using her tears for sympathy. Lifting her gaze to his, Daria whispered, “But I swear, he never—-”
“Never what?” he snarled. “Never kissed you? Never made love to you?” A part of Nik wanted her to lie. If she actually admitted to his face that she had not been the virgin she claimed she was – if she admitted to fucking 28 other men beside him – the other man would be lucky if he escaped with his life after Nik was through with him. He would be lucky if his own jealous rage didn’t drive himself insane.
His gaze swung back to Daria, now a pale, silent figure in bed. Seeing her like that made his fists clench, but even so, Nik sneered, “Aren’t you going to say anything? Aren’t you going to tell me I’m wrong? That you heeded my warning and that you never lied to me?”
She didn’t answer, but the look on her face said it all.
He cursed.
Daria flinched, but it was the look in his eyes that made her throat convulse. It was as if Nik had been clinging to the smallest of hope that she hadn’t lied...but she had. She had lied to him, and now all those lies were haunting her. “Nik, I—-” She got out of bed, but as soon as she started towards him, her hand reaching out, he shook his head, and she stopped.
His lips twisted bitterly, and her hand fell limply against her side. “You know what? Fuck it.”
She watched dazedly as Nik left the room without a word. FROG ALERT, the tiny, sensible voice in her mind said sadly. Only this time, she was the frog who didn’t deserve a prince.
For a long moment, she simply stood there, wondering if she should just go and put everything behind her. The facts were simple, after all. She had only known Nik for barely a week, and most people would tell her that just wasn’t enough time to fall in love. Worse, everything between Nik and her was based on a lie, but the truth would likely drive them apart, would likely make Nik hate her more.
In short, Daria told herself dully, this was going nowhere. She should just cut her losses and—-what?
Turn her back on the only man who had never thought – never treated – her like a whore no matter how flirtatious and provocative she had been?
Daria sank to her knees and covered her face. A sob caused her body to shudder, but she pushed it back, feeling like she didn’t have the right to cry when she was the one who was wrong.
I’m sorry, God.
I’m sorry that I keep getting it wrong, but please. Please give me just one more chance with Nik, and I’ll find the courage to be myself with him. I won’t hide anything after this. I’ll wear my heart on my sleeve. I’ll risk it all.
Just please, one more chance with him.
Please, God.
NIK HEADED TO THE NEAREST bar and drank until everything was numb. He was being too fucking ridiculous about this, Nik thought tautly. He was acting like a lovesick fool, and over what? A girl he had barely known for a week, and one whose true colors he had known almost from the start?
Get a grip on yourself, Nik Alexandropoulos. Daria Everest might still be his sexual obsession, but that was all she was. That was all he should allow her to be in his life.
When he got back to his room, he found Daria curled into a ball on the bed, the trail of her tears still evident on her face.