Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 23289 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 116(@200wpm)___ 93(@250wpm)___ 78(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23289 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 116(@200wpm)___ 93(@250wpm)___ 78(@300wpm)
Cody snorts and turns to face me. “Your old man won’t miss it.”
I want to tell him off. I want to yell at him that he’s a shit person. I choke back the words and instead focus on what I want—to keep him from hurting my dad. He has the biggest heart of anyone I know. “That’s not the point. He’s taken you under his wing. It would break his heart if he found out you did this.”
Too late, I realize my mistake. All I want is for my dad to be OK, but Cody has taken this as a sign of weakness. He crowds closer to me, so close that I automatically take a step back. I bump into the brick wall of the hardware shop. I hate that I let him back me into a corner.
Cody smirks. “Who’s going to tell him?”
“I won’t lie for you,” I answer. Maybe if he sees that there’s no way out, he’ll come clean to my dad. It wouldn’t be the first time that he’s forgiven someone.
I don’t imagine the look of evil that crosses over Cody’s face. “That’s because you’re a dumb bitch.”
Before I can even process it, his hand is up and delivering a stinging smack to the side of my face. I bite down on my lip hard enough to draw blood, refusing to give him the satisfaction of crying out.
A savage roar fills the air. The sound is so primal and so masculine that it sends an involuntary shudder down my spine.
I blink, and Cody is no longer in front of me.
But Ace is next to me. He’s holding Cody against the wall by his throat. I’ve never seen Ace wear that expression. He looks like a fierce warrior descended from the heavens to slay mortals. He’s strong and stunning and so damn sexy.
“You die today, motherfucker.” The corded muscles in Ace’s arms are holding Cody up, pinning him in place and rendering him helpless. I remember when he wrapped those strong arms around me at my mom’s funeral. I’d never felt so safe, never felt so precious as I did in that moment.
I could say I don’t know why I kissed him when he held me, but that would be a lie. I was standing there thinking that this man I’d crushed on for years was right here in front of me. I was thinking that life seemed short—too short, so I did the impulsive thing for once in my life. I leaned up on my tiptoes and pressed my lips against his.
He teased my mouth open and stroked his tongue along mine, stoking a fire within me that had been quietly burning for years. It was only when I whimpered that he finally broke the kiss and pushed me away.
Fuck, that hurt so much. It cracked my heart open, but I knew right then something happened inside of me. A piece of my soul became his, and I don’t ever want it back.
“Don’t hurt him, Ace,” my voice is soft. He is a warrior, but I think I’m his queen. I think we both know it, and he’s spent the last four years fighting it.
“He forfeited the right to his life the moment he put his hands on you. No one touches what’s mine. No one hurts you. No one makes you bleed. Not without answering to me,” his voice is rough. His chest heaves, a wild look in his eyes.
“He’s just a kid.” I’m not sure if that’s the right thing to say. When Ace doesn’t answer, I add softly, “Please.”
Ace growls, sounding again like that wild animal, but he drops Cody to the ground. “If I see your face in this town again, I’ll take you apart piece by piece.”
Cody gasps and writhes on the ground. I don’t think he’s hurt. Ace is not only strong, but he’s also a former soldier. If he’d wanted to end Cody, he could have done it before I even had a chance to react.
Impatience flickers across Ace’s face. “Get going now before my restraint snaps.”
Fortunately, Cody does have some semblance of self-preservation. He’s on his feet and heading for his truck before Ace has the chance to make another threat.
Now that I know Cody is safe, my face throbs. I bring my fingertips to my cheek and pull my hand away, noting the sticky blood. I whimper at the sight. I’m not squeamish, but I’ve never liked seeing blood.
Something in Ace’s expression softens, “Let’s get you patched up.”
“I have a kit in the back room,” I murmur, suddenly uncertain of myself. I’m not used to feeling this way around anyone. Well, anyone except Ace. He’s always the one that tangles my thoughts and makes it hard to breathe. To focus. To concentrate.
No one touches what’s mine. No one hurts you. No one makes you bleed.