Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 67138 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 336(@200wpm)___ 269(@250wpm)___ 224(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67138 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 336(@200wpm)___ 269(@250wpm)___ 224(@300wpm)
My hand moves to her pajama shorts. Just as I begin pushing them down, someone begins pounding on our door.
“Seven! We need you in the lab!” Leo yells through the steel.
I let out a large puff of air, wondering I Ettie would hate me forever if I killed her mate. “Go away, Leo. I’m busy!”
Leo pounds the door again. “Endy is having convulsions!” I freeze. The urgency in his tone should’ve alerted me sooner.
“Fuck!” I hiss. The internal battle of going to help and being with my mate is stronger than I anticipated. I’m torn as I look down at Grace.
“Go,” she says softly. “It’s okay.”
I give her a quick kiss. “We’ll get back to this, baby. I promise.” The wicked promise lingers a moment before she nods as I jump off the bed, rushing to the door as I slam the button for it to slide open before running out. Leo’s already gone, and I run to catch up to him.
24
GRACE
I fall back on the pillow with the covers in my hands, throwing them over me to shield my body. I tremble as the desire that ravaged me just moments earlier is left unsatisfied. I let out a heavy sigh as frustration. Confusion and worry roll through me. Seven didn’t even cover me when he left. It’s a good thing Leo was gone before the door opened. That would’ve been embarrassingly awkward. Now, I am left with nothing but questions. The biggest being, who the heck is Endy?
I can’t understand what’s happening. I want to know why there is a lab here. Hell, there’s a lot more than just that I want to know. It’s clear that they are all keeping secrets from me. Leo, Ettie, Sean, and most importantly, Seven. I can’t imagine why they would, but I desperately need to know what the hell is going on. I can’t get deeper involved with Seven if I don’t.
Filled with determination, I get out of bed. I rake a comb through my hair, pulling it into a ponytail before brushing my teeth. I throw on some yoga pants and a t-shirt before finishing with my glasses. I wear contacts regularly here but if I’m honest, I prefer my glasses. Slipping on some shoes, I go to leave before turning to grab Seven a shirt and his slip-on house shoes that he wears occasionally.
Once I’m out the door, I realize I have no idea where the lab is, but I try to head down the corridor in the direction I think Seven sprinted, hoping to hear noises from this mysterious lab. I’m finished being an outsider in this place. It’s time I become a complete part of Seven’s life. If I’m going to stay in a relationship with Seven—and after this morning I definitely am—then I’m going to have to insert myself into his life fully, instead of hiding, afraid of the unknown. I don’t know who I was in the past, but clearly, the person I am now is different because I would’ve never moved in with Seven without jumping his bones every chance I got. The heat between us is insatiable.
Obviously, past me, was an idiot.
My mental pep talk lasts until the corridor ends with a deep set of stairs going down. Now, I’ve never felt like I was trapped underground before, even though I knew we were in a very huge bunker—perhaps a fallout shelter they made into a home. Going deeper under the ground? That does intimidate me and that gives me pause. For a moment, my determination waivers and I think about turning around. The stairs are dark and that seems like a sign to stay away. I hesitate there wondering what to do now.
“There’s a light switch on the left,” a woman says in a sing-song voice, causing me to jump.
I look over at a woman who seems as surprised as I am. Maybe we’re both not supposed to be here.
“Oh!” I gasp. “I’m sorry. I didn’t hear you walk up.”
The surprise stays etched on her face. “The light switch, it’s right there. The boys never use it, but then they don’t need to.”
“Are you going…down…there?” I ask, unsure of what to say to that.
“Yes.” She blinks and then finally relaxes as she looks at me.
“Maybe you should take these. I’m kind of new here—which I guess you know since we haven’t met. I’m not sure they will want me down there.”
I take her in as I talk. Her beauty catches me off guard. Her soft almost lyrical voice suits her. Her long brown hair hangs down. The strands remind me of chocolate with the rich darkness of it. Her tanned skin reminds me of Sophia Loren in the early days of her career—both of them are absolute bombshells. I’m uncomfortable around Ettie, but this woman should be in the movies. I suddenly feel very inadequate.