Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 46838 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 234(@200wpm)___ 187(@250wpm)___ 156(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46838 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 234(@200wpm)___ 187(@250wpm)___ 156(@300wpm)
It feels so natural. It’s almost enough to make a man like me believe in fate.
After getting Speeder back into the car, I open the passenger side door for Mia. She takes a moment before climbing inside, a long breath, like part of her thinks I’m going to lock the door and drive away the second she’s in.
In the car, I look across at her, her gentle features, the beauty in every inch of her face. It’s so easy to imagine her smiling in joy as she cradles our first child.
Or her mouth opening in euphoria as I glide inside of her
“What is it?” she asks.
“I think you might’ve been followed today,” I say, knowing I can’t delay. “I got your address in an email that seemed like a threat.”
“But who would want to threaten you? And why would they pick me?”
“Earlier, when you left, I… I chased you.”
Mia’s eyes snap open.
I don’t care how long I live. I’ll never get tired of the sight of her eyes widening like that, the shock rioting through her.
It reminds me of how much she needs her man to protect her. How much she needs me.
“I think he saw me chasing you and figured out I care about you. Of course, that’d be a shock for him since I never cared….”
“Killian?” she murmurs.
Just my name, but there’s so much expectation in it, so much wonder, so much emotion.
Or am I imagining the last part?
“He’s never seen me chase after a woman in a car before,” I say, tone dark and snappy even if I don’t mean for it to be.
Mia sits back, folding her arms.
Speeder whines from the back seat.
I’m sorry, I almost say, but something stops me, some jackass instinct.
Speeder whines again, drawing my gaze, and gives me a look.
With a sigh, I tell Mia, “I shouldn’t have snapped. I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine,” she says quietly. “I just don’t know why you’re so interested in me.”
Reaching over, I gently touch her chin, guiding her gaze to mine. “You’re beautiful. You’re magnetic.”
You’re mine.
“Don’t talk about yourself like that… like it’s a mystery why any man would want you. The mystery is why any man wouldn’t.”
Her smile twitches as she reaches up and touches my hand.
But then her lips flatten.
“What about this man, then? This person you keep mentioning. Why would he go through the effort of following me to get to you?”
I drop my hand and the moment shatters.
I wish I didn’t have to tell her about Emil.
But I owe it to her.
It would be so much sweeter to simply exist in this moment. To not think about all the other stuff trying to smash its way into this car, to tear apart the closeness we’re building and make it ugly.
But if there’s anything I want to make sure to be with my woman, it’s honest.
And possessive….
And protective….
“Emil works for the Cartel. At least, he did. I don’t know if he still does. Back in my boxing days, he was heavily involved in fixing fights. He tried to get me to take a dive more times than I can count.”
“Tried?” Mia mutters, her eyes flitting all over the place.
It’s like she’s existing in a place of simultaneous anxiety and confidence, as if she’s not sure of how at ease she is in my car… but also like there’s nowhere else she’d rather be.
Or maybe that’s projection, what I wish she’d feel.
“I thought if the Cartel wanted something, they got it.”
“Usually, they do,” I say gruffly. “But I refused to do it. I wouldn’t cheat. I hated the idea of it. Breaking the law, breaking the fighter’s code, breaking anything that wasn’t my opponent’s nose in a fair fight.”
Mia cringes a little, making me smirk.
“That’s the point of a fight, Mia. Beating the other man to a pulp.”
“I know, but I much prefer what you do now. Creating art.”
“Me too,” I tell her. “I never wanted to be a boxer.”
She tilts her head. The curiosity in her eyes makes me feel so seen. I’ve been waiting my whole life for a woman to look at me like that.
But not just a woman.
It’s been Mia this whole time.
Only her.
“This is the other thing. My Dad was in the mob. He was a belligerent drunk, an abuser, and he basically forced me into the fighting world. That’s another reason why the Cartel didn’t want to take me out. Old mob ties, old alliances that might turn bad. But I never wanted anything to do with any of it.”
My voice gets savage.
Mia leans back, pressing herself against the window.
I smirk again, leaning toward her. “Are you afraid of me?”
She looks me directly in the eyes, biting her lip, looking so sexy and beautiful I could howl just to let out some of the tension.
“I’m afraid of everything,” she whispers.