Total pages in book: 28
Estimated words: 27474 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 137(@200wpm)___ 110(@250wpm)___ 92(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27474 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 137(@200wpm)___ 110(@250wpm)___ 92(@300wpm)
So he thinks he can keep his hands off of me? Not if I have anything to say about it. After stripping, I step into the shower and flip the spray on.
Stubborn ass of a man.
The fact that he thinks he can punish me for anything, especially something out of my control—like being blackmailed into silence—makes me fume. I despise being caught in the middle of Liam and Sebastian’s tug-of-war. As I lather my hair and rinse, I recall how Liam said the two of them got along when they were younger. At the time, I let it go, every ounce of my mental energy spent on resisting his advances on that island.
But now it’s past time I discover the source of the vitriol between them.
I rush through my shower before rubbing a towel over my steaming skin, then I pull on a sheer robe and finger-comb my hair. A glance in the foggy mirror makes my heart skip a beat. Wiping the condensation away, I find the wild-eyed girl staring back, confident in her sexual appeal. Her cheeks are rosy, her towel-dried tresses intermingled with braids.
The expanse of flushed skin above her cleavage invites the caress of warm, male fingers. She’s temptation incarnate, sexier than I’ve ever seen her, the embodiment of seduction.
Wow, that girl is me.
I return to the kitchen, wondering how long it’ll take before he folds, and find him setting the table. He created quite the spread, with platters of seasonal fruit and waffles, garnished with chocolate sauce and whipped cream. He even set a bouquet of autumn roses and sunflowers in the middle of the table as a centerpiece.
“Perfect timing.” He pulls out a chair from the small table for two.
“Thank you,” I say, sliding into the offered seat.
His gaze falls on my dusty-rose nipples poking through the sheer material. “Jesus, Novalee.”
“What?” Hiding a triumphant smile, I cast innocent eyes at him. “You packed it in my bag, so I figured you wanted me to wear it.”
“Yeah, that was before I decided to keep my hands to myself.” He clears his throat before settling into the seat across from me. “I hope you’re hungry.” His lips quirk. “For food, I mean.”
I smile, a little smug for riling him up. “This looks amazing.”
“So do you.” His grin holds a hint of a smirk. “Good enough to eat.” He fills our plates with a sampling of everything. “Too bad I’ll have to settle for breakfast.”
“Yes, too bad.” I take a bite and lick the whipped cream from my lips. “Because I could be on my knees right now, enjoying something else while you enjoy your waffles.”
“Oh, that was a low blow, princess.”
“So is punishing me.”
“You think I enjoy this?” He frowns. “Castle has always had a way of getting under my skin, but when it comes to you, he brings out the worst in me.”
“Why do you hate each other so much?”
“I think it’s obvious by now. We’ve both been honest about our feelings for you.”
“This has nothing to do with me. The tension between the two of you goes way back, long before I came to Zodiac Island.”
He sets his fork down, not even attempting to hide the resignation crossing his face. “It goes back to my mother’s death.”
I was not expecting that. Silence stretches, consuming the air until my curiosity wins out. “What happened?”
He draws in a deep breath. “Remember how I said my mother loved Liam’s father?”
I nod.
“Well, it caused a lot of tension between our families. When she died…” He shakes his head. “Liam sided with his father in the blame-game. He accused me of being selfish and reckless, of causing her accident because I’d run away from my so-called duty.” He closes his eyes. “Part of me believed him.”
“Sebastian.” With a hard swallow, I reach for his hand. “Look at me.”
He does, his ocean eyes intense with remembered grief, and that look hits me square in the chest.
“What happened to your mother was not your fault.”
“You know it’s more complicated than that.”
“It’s not complicated at all. You were young, devastated by your sister’s suicide, and incredibly brave for trying to leave the Brotherhood. There isn’t a piece of my heart that believes Fate punished you for wanting a fresh beginning.”
“That’s because you have a forgiving heart.” He turns his hand over, and his warm palm presses against mine. “Bad shit happens when we go against the establishment. Call it a coincidence, call it a curse. It’s still a damn fact, Novalee.”
“What about Landon’s plan? Isn’t that going against the establishment?”
He inches his hand free. “Castle’s right. I am selfish and reckless.” His eyes darken to the sea at dusk, fear deepening the crease between his brows.
Before he can pull away, I grip his fingers. “The desire to love and be loved in return isn’t selfish or reckless. It’s what makes us human. It makes life worth living.”