Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 91809 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 459(@200wpm)___ 367(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91809 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 459(@200wpm)___ 367(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
“Luna?” Victor jumped off the porch. “Luna!” He scooped me in his arms, spinning me off my feet. I couldn’t catch my breath under his onslaught of kisses, so I stopped trying.
Cupping his cheeks, I kissed him back hungrily, desperately, freely. What I had with Victor was so new, and Everleigh almost cut it short permanently.
“I can’t believe you’re alive.” Victor squeezed the breath out of me. “When they told me you didn’t make it out of the Gallery...” Wetness dripped on my cheek. “Don’t ever do that to me again.”
“I’m sorry. I love you so much.”
The confession was barely out before I was torn from Victor’s arms and Rafael buried me in his chest.
“I knew you weren’t gone,” he whispered. “I knew you wouldn’t leave me.”
My heart melted like ice cream in the sun. I couldn’t believe I wasted a second in fear of what they’d say when they saw me. These guys were my hearts. They beat for me. I lived for them. We were together again. Everything was as it should be.
I broke from Rafael only to end up clinging to Wilder. He kissed my forehead, cheeks, lips, everywhere.
“How?” he gruffed. “I scoured the ends of cyberspace for a trace of you. How?”
“I didn’t have my phone or internet access.”
“My doing.” Alistair’s voice stole their attention. “Hello, gentlemen. Aren’t you going to introduce yourselves?”
I slipped out of Wilder’s suddenly stiff hold. He gaped at my father in open-mouthed shock.
“Sir.”
Sir?
“What are you—? Wait, we didn’t hang the flag, sir.” Wilder snapped me behind him, making me yelp. “It was all a misunderstanding. Luna didn’t know what it meant.”
“I know the circumstances. I’m not here for punishment, though I do respect that you anticipated it and put yourself between me and my daughter to protect her. Brings you a tad higher in my estimation.”
I couldn’t describe the look on Rafael’s face. I’d never seen it on him or anyone else before. “Daughter?”
I knew the look on Alistair’s face. It could only be described as predatory. “Daughter,” he said firmly. “What are your intentions toward Luna?”
“I—I—”
“We are— I mean—”
I gaped at a stuttering Rafael and Wilder. I’d never seen these two as anything less than confident, and here they were, looking like they already shit their pants and were trying to cover it up. Who was this guy that he made my bomb-juggling boyfriend nervous?
“We love her—”
“—never hurt her—”
“Their intentions,” I sliced in, “are the same toward me as I’m sure yours were toward Mom.”
“Then I’ll definitely have to kill them.”
Rolling my eyes, I stopped when I saw my guys pale. “He’s kidding,” I cried. “Alistair, are you staying?”
“Ronin is.” He nodded at our silent driver. “He’ll keep an eye on you while I check into my accommodations. I’ll be back in a few hours to pick you up.
“Behave, boys.” He winked. “If you don’t, I’ll know.”
I don’t think Wilder or Rafael took a breath until he got in the car and drove off.
“Gorgeous,” Rafael said. “You have explaining to do.”
“I’ll tell you guys everything. Let’s go inside.”
It was my turn to hold my breath as we entered Adonis’s place. Victor knew about us, but I hadn’t told Rafael, Wilder, Cato, or Lucien. His job was at risk. It didn’t feel right to tell a secret that affected him more than me, but it also felt terrible not telling my guys.
Especially when they were living in his house.
Walking in, I didn’t make it two steps before Cato was on me. Growling, he snatched me off my feet, tossed me on the nearest couch, and pounced. It was impossible to tell if he was kissing me or devouring me.
I didn’t care which. I kissed him back twice as hard—tongues battling and moans filling the room. Warmth melted my stress. Explosions set off in the back of my mind. Finally, I was where I was supposed to be.
When we finally broke apart, I was hot and dizzy. I pushed myself up on the couch but couldn’t go farther than that. The guys pushed in around me instead—each holding a hand, stroking my leg, and resting my head on their shoulder. I relaxed being surrounded by their love.
“Where’s Lucien?”
“He had a meeting with his lawyer,” Wilder said.
I glanced at Victor. “And Adonis?”
“He’s in class.”
“Of course he is. I forgot it was a weekday,” I said. “So much has happened, it blows my mind that the world has carried on.”
I traced a fading bruise on Rafael’s cheek. “What happened? What did she do to you?”
“Kept us blindfolded and bound in some hole for eighteen hours. No food or water.”
I clenched my teeth hard to stop myself from summoning the devil and exchanging my soul for Everleigh’s eternal torment.
“We got beat up fighting the goons that came to take us, but afterward, they didn’t touch us. After we were released, Dad called, told us Everleigh Starling was behind everything, and that he’d tell us more when he had the chance. We’ve been here waiting for him to show up ever since.”