Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 65041 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 325(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 65041 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 325(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
He scoffed out another chuckle.
“Troy taught us how to do a keg stand and to lie without smiling.”
He muttered under his breath. “He’s more lost than I am.”
I arched an eyebrow, taking in what he just shared. I wanted to call him out on it. However, I decided it wasn’t the right time to get him to open up to me more than he already had.
The fact that I still thought I could get him to confide in me even after everything he put me through wasn’t lost on me.
Instead of continuing our conversation, I pointed out the obvious. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing, Jace.”
He cocked his head to the side, baiting me.
“You’re not the only one who knows things. I know some things too.”
“Enlighten me.”
“You mean how you’re trying to establish a connection with me, so I’ll trust you and follow all your orders like a good girl.”
He grinned, not trying to hide it. “Is it working?”
“No,” I adamantly replied.
“No?” he taunted.
“What do you want from me?”
“Now that’s a loaded question if I’ve ever heard one, bunny.”
My stomach fluttered.
What did he mean by that?
“You still haven’t answered my question.”
He narrowed his gaze at me.
“What?”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“You didn’t have to. It’s written all over your face.”
“And what’s my face telling you, Cove?”
“That I’m not going to like whatever you’re about to order me to do.”
“You may like it.”
It was my turn to narrow my eyes at him.
He nodded to the nightstand next to me. “Open the drawer.”
“Why?”
“I didn’t ask for a question.”
“You know this whole controlling thing you have.” I gestured to him. “You really need to work on that.”
“Open the drawer, bunny. I hate repeating myself, and I won’t do it again.”
“You could at least say please,” I mumbled before following his command, going against my nature.
As soon as I saw the red velvet jewelry box, I jerked back in confusion.
“What is that?”
“Open it and find out.”
With a shaky breath, I reached inside and grabbed it. Never once imagining what happened next.
When I opened the box, Jace declared as if it were nothing, “You’re now my wife, bunny. Whether you want to be or not.”
Jace
“Okay,” she snapped in an overwhelmed tone. “I can’t take it anymore. Just stop talking for a minute.”
I waited, allowing her a moment to let it sink in, and she burst into tears the second it did.
I never handled women crying very well.
Motherfucker.
“Bunny, I need you to be strong for me. You can’t break down like this. You have to be brave.”
“That’s your pep talk?” she bellowed, wiping her tears. “You’re fucking fired.”
“I know this is hard for you.”
“You keep saying that, but you don’t mean it.”
“Cove, I’m hanging on by an extremely thin thread. I don’t have the time or the patience to deal with your emotional meltdowns every time your hormonal shit takes the wheel.”
“You just don’t get it…”
“You’re right, I don’t, and I’m not going to pretend to in order to spare your feelings.”
“What happened to you to make you this way? Your mom would be so disappointed in you.”
Unfazed, I replied, “You’re right again, bunny.”
We locked eyes for a second, and I could physically feel her turmoil bleeding into me, becoming part of my skin. She was just another soul I was destroying.
“How am I your wife? I’m supposed to remember getting married, Jace.”
“I never said anything about marriage.”
That must have been her last straw because my feisty girl made herself known again, spewing, “I don’t know how much you know about being someone’s wife, but it usually starts with a man getting down on one knee, saying all sort of beautiful things like, ‘You’re the one. You complete me. I can’t live without you,’ you know, words of love and devotion.”
“Your future husband sounds like a complete pussy.”
“You wouldn’t know anything about romance if it bit you in the ass and said hello.”
“Don’t get it twisted. This isn’t real. I don’t need to marry you for you to be my wife on this mission.”
“Mission?”
“Either we’re newlyweds on our honeymoon while I try to figure out the mess you’ve involved yourself in or I have no choice but to—”
“Kill me? Why?”
“You know too much.”
“I don’t know anything! I don’t even know Deacon’s real name! You could kill me that easily? You know what? I call your bluff, asshole. I’m your sister’s best friend. Even your mom loved me, and your dad said he sees me like another daughter, so try again.”
Matching her snide tone, I bit out, “Don’t fuck with me, Cove. You know me less than the man you were about to give your virginity to.”
She thought about it. “I thought you said I was safe and could trust you?”
“You are if you follow my rules.”
“I don’t understand.”
“You don’t need to.”
“This is bullshit!”
“No shit! I don’t like any of this, but it’s the only way I can keep you safe while I try to figure out who’s after me.”