Total pages in book: 50
Estimated words: 46461 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 232(@200wpm)___ 186(@250wpm)___ 155(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46461 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 232(@200wpm)___ 186(@250wpm)___ 155(@300wpm)
“Afraid you’d have to do things you didn’t want to do to earn your keep?”
“That’s a good way of putting it, I suppose.”
Surprisingly, he sighed, sounding disappointed. “I can see how you might come to that conclusion, but no one would ever demand that of you. Not me. Not Thorn. No one. If you believe nothing else, believe that.”
“I do,” I said, meaning it. “Everyone’s been so kind. I loved the women I met. They were so encouraging and helpful. I’ve heard of Salvation’s Bane all my life, but never knew you’d be so… I don’t know. So much like a family.”
“Don’t get me wrong. We’re not all sunshine and fuckin’ rainbows. There’s a darker side to us, but we don’t involve our families.”
“I guess I just thought the place would be one big orgy with drugs and illegal stuff everywhere.”
“Illegal stuff,” he said with a chuckle. Then he did something completely unexpected. Gideon kissed my neck lightly before giving me a hard squeeze. Then he let me go. I got out of bed and headed to the bathroom as he continued. “All kinds of illegal stuff, baby, but nothing for families to be concerned about. As to the drugs and orgies? Yeah, some like to get high occasionally. Makes the orgies more fun.”
When I gasped and turned to him, my eyes probably wide as a deer in the headlights, he burst out laughing and winked at me. “Oh, yeah. You’re gonna be fun to poke. Get on in there and get your fuckin’ shower before I decide to join you.”
I scrambled out of the bed, needing to put some distance between us. It would be too easy to get used to having the attention of this man, but I knew I’d never be able to keep it. “Not sure you’d enjoy that. Pregnant as I am, I’m not a sight to behold.”
“Oh, really?” He raised an eyebrow as if to say, Challenge accepted.
I shrugged. “I doubt any man who wasn’t the father would find my body sexy right now. Given the fact this baby’s father dumped me off almost the entire length of the country away, I’m pretty sure even he wouldn’t find me sexy.”
“No one’s seen you naked since you got pregnant?”
I laughed. “Why would they? Besides, I wasn’t that great a catch before. No one wanted me once they found out I wasn’t the heir to a fortune.” I tried to smile and laugh like it was all a huge joke, but to me, it was a really sore spot. The only reason any man had ever been interested in me was when he thought I was getting my father’s money. “Sad truth is, I’m broke. All you get is what you see.” I spread my arms wide before letting them fall back to my sides. “Even if I somehow managed to end up with my father’s fortune, I know what his wishes were, and I’d honor them. Which means I get nothing. Everything else goes to the community. So what you see isn’t all that great. Especially now.” I rested my hand on my belly and rubbed. “But I can’t be sorry. Though, why this child couldn’t have had a decent father is beyond me. He or she deserves a strong, loyal protector.”
Ripper got up from the bed and stepped closer to me, stalking me into the bathroom. I backed up slowly, nearly matching him step for step. I wasn’t sure why I retreated. I wasn’t afraid of Ripper. The look in his eyes, though… Yeah. That gave me pause. Because he looked like he wanted to eat me alive.
“Let’s get a couple things straight.” He moved toward me until he had me backed against the bathroom vanity. “What I see right here in front of me is what I want. Money ain’t got nothin’ to do with nothin’. Any man can’t see your beauty, courage, and strength and want you for himself don’t deserve you in the first Goddamned place. Second, you want a strong protector for yourself and your baby, you got one. I’m takin’ that role from this point forward.” I gazed up at him. His dark eyes were intense and focused squarely on me. When he stepped into my space, one hand went to the countertop beside my hip, the other to the swell of my belly in a gentle caress. As if the child inside me were fully aware of the situation, it kicked right underneath Ripper’s hand. The big man glanced down at my belly, then back at me, a crooked grin on his face. “Looks like I win.”
“You win? What exactly do you think you won?”
“You.”
Before I could deny him, Ripper bent to take my lips with his. His free arm went around my back, gently holding me still. I didn’t fight him. Not because I was afraid of him, either. His touch seemed to ignite a fire inside me, bringing lust so sharp and intense I gasped. Ripper growled, capturing my whimpers with his kiss.