Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 58615 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 293(@200wpm)___ 234(@250wpm)___ 195(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 58615 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 293(@200wpm)___ 234(@250wpm)___ 195(@300wpm)
“Right, boss,” I concede as I push past him. “But we’re not done. As soon as I get a proper shower and a hot meal in my stomach, we’re going to talk about this.”
“Yeah, fine,” he grunts.
Sit his ass on a couch? Yeah fucking right. Seb can’t sit still. He’ll drive himself insane without us there to piss him off. He needs us and we need him. He’s the cement in our very stable wall. Without him, we tumble.
I walk into the other room to find Clove sitting on the couch between Ford and Zac. Her head is resting in Ford’s lap where he strokes his fingers through her hair while Zac rubs her feet. It makes me want to pluck her up and toss hers over my shoulder. To carry her far away from them, so I can keep her to myself for a little while. I can do unspeakable things to her before I have to share her with the rest.
“You’re growling,” she says, grinning. God, even roughing it out in the middle of nowhere, she is beautiful. The guys are all dirty and unshaven and starting to stink, but Clove is supple and pretty and completely kissable.
“Can we talk?” I ask her. “Alone.”
She takes note of my seriousness and jumps up, a frown marring her features. Her hand grabs onto mine and she guides me over to the bed. Zac and Ford grumble, but leave us be, shutting the door behind them. I pinch the bridge of my nose when we’re alone.
“Your dad is splashed all over the news. Doing interviews and shit,” I utter. I’ve always been a straight shooter.
“What? He’s supposed to be lying low.” She bites on her pink bottom lip and shifts nervously on her feet.
“Well, he’s not.” I run my fingers through my hair and pin her with a hard stare. “It’s possible that this was all a ploy.”
“For publicity?” she scoffs. “You think someone tried to have me killed to get him to do interviews?”
“Not killed. Just appear to be targeted, Clove.”
Her eyes widen as she shakes her head vehemently. “No. Who would that benefit?”
Girls will always believe the best in their daddies. But she didn’t read the articles. I did. I saw right through that shit as did Seb. She’s pacing now, swiping panicked hands through her hair.
“So, it was all fake? I’m not in danger?” she asks, tears welling in her pretty brown eyes. “We can just go home now?”
I grab her narrow hips and pull her to me to stop her frantic movements. “We can’t be for sure and we won’t jeopardize your safety for one second. Especially not on a hunch.” I hug her tight and kiss her hair. “We’re just going to relocate. Someplace safe but with better tools at our disposal. Like the fucking Internet.”
She laughs, but it’s tearful. “I could use a hot bath.”
“I could use a real bed and not a lumpy-ass couch.”
Her head tilts and she regards me with a sweet smile. The lines have been blurred for all five of us since we’ve been here. Definitely crossed. I’ll be damned if I toe the line based on professionalism. Not when the most gorgeous woman I know is staring up at me with her lips parted just begging for a kiss.
I slide my palm to her throat and grip her jaw. She gasps when I pull her chin down to expose her supple mouth to me. A small moan of anticipation escapes her and I steal it. I lean down, press my lips to hers, and suck away that need. My eager girl thrusts her tongue against mine, desperate for the kiss every bit as much as me. Her palms roam up my shirt and settle at my neck. Turning her toward the wall, I back her into it. Our kiss becomes more frantic. My hands grip her ass and I lift her. She wraps her legs around my waist and we both groan in unison when my cock rubs against her center through our clothes.
“God, Clove,” I murmur against her mouth. “The things I want to do to you.”
“So, do them,” she challenges, breathless.
I pull away and smirk at her. “I’m not the only one who wants to do them. You’re poking a hornet’s nest, babe. We’re all about to swarm.”
“You say this like it’s a bad thing,” she says and then bites on her bottom lip. “Four gorgeous men wanting to do dirty things to me. Can’t see what’s so bad about that.”
Her teasing words only make me harder. I grind against her. “Maybe I don’t like to share,” I grumble. “At least Seb’s old ass will be gone and out of my way. Less dicks to lure you away from me.”
“You can share me.” She laughs, but then her brows crash together. “Wait…Sebastian gone? What do you mean?”