Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 88936 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 445(@200wpm)___ 356(@250wpm)___ 296(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88936 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 445(@200wpm)___ 356(@250wpm)___ 296(@300wpm)
“Do we have enough food for a week?”
“Yeah. Enough for two.”
“I’ll be a missing person. Probably already am.”
I enjoyed watching the brush glide through the silky strands.
“Missing people don’t send texts, telling those they are close to that they’re going to look for their dad and not take their phone, for fear he might track it. That they have a burner and will contact them in a week, if not sooner, but not to worry. That they’re fine and they have someone with them.”
She spun around and looked up at me, wide-eyed. “You sent that?”
“I’m thorough,” I replied.
Plus, my brother had abducted his girlfriend without thinking anything through, and that had been a mess to clean up. I learned from his mistakes.
“Is the where are we thing still something you won’t tell me?”
I wanted to trust her. I’d never wanted anything more than to know she wouldn’t leave me. That she was as fucking obsessed with me as I was her.
“Alaska,” I told her.
She didn’t seem shocked. “I thought so. Especially when you said the brown bears and wolves.”
I finished with her hair and laid the brush down. So much she still didn’t know. I wanted her to know it all, but I couldn’t trust she wouldn’t turn against me. If I could get her to fall in love with me, then maybe I could be completely honest.
“Done already?” she asked. “I was enjoying it. That felt good.”
Smirking, I picked the brush back up and placed a hand on her shoulder when she started to get up.
“If it feels good, then I’ll keep doing it.”
She eased back down and made an appreciative little sound.
“Does Haven House know my Grams is gonna be there for at least a week?”
“Yes,” I assured her, “they do.”
“Thought so,” she said with a sigh. “Sebastian?”
“Yeah, Ace?”
“Why were you at Railhouse that night we met?”
“There was a man who owed us money. His loan was due, and he was late. We were waiting on him. The morons you were hustling at pool worked for him. When we met with them outside, I also took the liberty of getting what they owed you.”
She was quiet for a moment. “Why?”
“Why get your money?”
“Yes. Why did you care if they paid me or not?”
That one was easy.
“Because from the moment I’d walked in, you’d had my full attention. I was fascinated with you. I loved watching you laugh, and damn if you didn’t have the prettiest blue eyes I’d ever seen.”
She turned to look at me, and I stopped brushing.
“Really?”
I grinned. “That can’t be so hard for you to believe, Ace. You’ve looked in a mirror.”
She lifted one shoulder in a half shrug. “You’re different though, you’re, well, older and sexy and rich. I would think you had gorgeous women at your beck and call.”
I let my gaze drift over her features. Each one so achingly perfect. “Yeah, I guess I do. But they don’t have your fire. They don’t entertain me, and they never surprise me. It’s not just about beauty—that doesn’t last—and honestly, it fades quick when they start to talk. But with you, every word that came out of your mouth had me transfixed. I couldn’t get enough.”
She licked her lips and ducked her head, hiding the smile on her lips.
“Thank you,” she said just above a whisper.
“Why are you thanking me, Ace?”
When she lifted her eyes back to meet mine, the emotion in them struck a chord deep in my soul.
“For making me feel like I’m worth something. That … that I deserve to be wanted for more than just how I look.”
I set the brush down and held out my hand to her. “Come here.”
She stood, and I took her hand to pull her onto my lap.
“Baby, you’ve got a face and body that can stop fucking traffic. But that wasn’t why I watched you that night. It was the intelligence shining in those eyes of yours. You were crafty and cunning and damn adorable, all at the same time. I couldn’t look away. Anyone who doesn’t see all that, who doesn’t cherish the beauty of the wildly ingenious, loyal, determined woman that you are, doesn’t deserve to know you. I’ll also happily ki—uh, cause pain to the bastards who don’t treat you the way you deserve.”
Her eyes were watery as she looked from my chest to my face. A small smile tugged on her lips. “That was the sweetest, nicest thing anyone had ever said to me … and then you had to threaten to maim and torture.”
I ran my hand up her back. “Eh, no one is perfect.”
She let out a small giggle, then a full-blown laugh before laying her head back on my shoulder. “I don’t expect perfection, just don’t hurt anyone for me, okay?”
A little too late for that, but at least I hadn’t killed her father.