Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 83676 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83676 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
I have to hold on to that belief, after my “marriage”—or rather, claiming—to a man who beat the ever-living snot out of me because I’d rather care for my sisters than him. He was a demon, and getting away from him was the best thing I’ve ever done. I survived, I won, and I will be happy. I have to trust that. If I don’t, he’ll win.
And I refuse to let him ever have power over me again.
“Have you two picked a date yet?”
Austen sighs happily, but I know she gets asked that daily. Especially by Dimitri’s mom, who really wants to plan a wedding. “Not yet. We’re just enjoying being engaged. There’s no rush, ya know?”
I don’t, but I couldn’t be happier. “Absolutely. I can’t wait for the day, though.”
“Me either,” she says, and I don’t have to see her to know she is grinning from ear to ear. Dimitri has that effect on her. “We are looking at houses, though, and I think we might get a dog.”
“Aw! How exciting!”
“Yeah, I’m pretty stoked. Things are going great, and I love working for the Assassins.”
“I’m so happy for you.” And I am, even if I’m green with envy. She’s living the life all of us want. “The shop is going great, though Eliza is driving me crazy with this coffee bar idea.”
Austen laughs. “Just let her do it. If it doesn’t work out, what does it hurt?”
She’s not wrong. “I hate the thought of her not succeeding.”
“Lou, you can’t protect her from failing. You have to let her live. You let me be, and look how great I’m doing.”
“I know,” I agree, exhaling. It’s hard to remember that my sisters don’t need my protection anymore. Once the printer is done, I line up the stack of papers and put them in a folder. “You know how I am.”
“Yes, a true mama bear.”
I grin at that.
“And we all love you for it.”
“I love you too.”
Just then, the bell rings, alerting me to the front door. I look up as a group of women enter. “Welcome!” I gush with a wave, and they smile happily as they wave back, all greeting me the same. “Hey, let me let you go. Customers just came in.”
“For sure. I’ll miss you this weekend. Don’t work yourself too hard.”
“I’ll try. Love you.”
“Love you.”
We hang up, and I put my phone down as I call out, “Let me know if you need any help.”
One of the ladies turns to me and grins. “I heard you had, like, a full monster romance section.”
My grin takes up my whole face. “In your monster era! Girl, I got you!”
This is what I love, introducing people to all the wonderful worlds out there. With a little pep in my step, I guide her to the section and excitedly tell her about all the different books. I show her some of my favorites, and we chat about her new love for tentacle play.
“Same, girl,” I exclaim, and then I reach for my favorite monster romance ever. “But have you met the dragon with two cocks?”
She gasps, taking it from me, and I giggle happily as her friend says, “My granny always makes fun of my shifter love. Says I must be into having sex with dogs if I read about it.”
Everyone rolls their eyes, including me as I grip her wrist. “Girl, I don’t agree, and there is no judgment here. Fuck who or whatever you want as long as you’re happy.” I wave my arms around me. “Judgment-free zone here. I support getting your pleasure.”
The girls all enthusiastically agree, and I beam at all of them, making sure to make eye contact with each one of them before leaving them to discover all the smutty happiness of monsters. I check in on her other friends, who are now looking at billionaire romances and even some surprise pregnancies, before walking around to make sure everything is in place. I fix some books that had been pulled out and put a few away. As I walk around my desk toward the back, I find myself checking the chair the hot guy likes to sit in. It’s empty, much to my dismay, and I wonder if he’ll be coming in today. While I’m hopeful, I highly doubt it.
I hate that I can’t stop thinking of him. His blue eyes, the way his lashes were longer than mine. That full top lip and the smile that sent heat straight between my legs. I move to his chair, while cursing myself for calling it that, in the hope his smell still lingers. Disappointment floods me when I find it doesn’t. I clean up around it, but even though Eliza had put away his book, I set it back out for him. I don’t know why, or even what I’m thinking with my intent to keep the book there, but I just feel I have to.