Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 71840 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 359(@200wpm)___ 287(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71840 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 359(@200wpm)___ 287(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
“How do you know anything about how boys in bars reacted to me?”
“It could be that I followed you. Possibly I was just as obsessed with you as you were with me. You were too busy flirting to realize it, but you weren’t even getting any.”
“Oh my God. You were fucking stalking me.”
“I paid attention to what you did.”
“No, you were stalking me.”
“I was keeping tabs on my team.”
“Damn it, Carter.” His smile made me want to pick him up, throw him on the bed, and fuck him as hard as I had outside, but we needed to finish this conversation first. “So, who do you think is responsible, your father, your brother, or both?”
Carter looked away like he couldn’t say it while holding my gaze. “My fucking brother. This isn’t my father’s style. If he decided he wanted me dead, he would just send an assassin or arrange an accident. He’d want it done and over with. All the games and negotiations? That’s Landon’s doing. Now that he’s taken over as CEO, he’s more interested than ever in keeping me from getting anything he sees as his.”
“I wished you looked more surprised.”
Carter snorted. “Me too. It’s typical of Landon to do something to disgrace me so even if I survived I could never run the family business. He wouldn’t have the balls to outright kill me unless our father ordered it. Angering my father is the last thing Landon would ever do. I just wish I’d seen through him sooner. It makes me sick that I didn’t realize he was plotting against me.”
“Damn Carter. I’m so sorry.”
He shook his head. “Don’t be. I’m used to it by now.”
“You shouldn’t be. You shouldn’t have ever had to be. I’m going to make them pay for what they’ve done, for hurting you. And if we find out your father killed your mother. I will make him wish he’d killed himself instead.”
Carter shook his head. “This is my problem. You shouldn’t have to be involved.”
“You think for one minute I’m going to sit back and let you fight this alone? Do you think Miles will?”
“Are you saying you agree with him for once?”
I didn’t even hesitate. “Yes.”
“I don’t want to put you in danger.”
“After what I did to you? You owe me some danger.”
“I’m guessing you suffered enough.”
“I deserved all of that.”
“For saving me?”
“For not telling you.”
24
CARTER
Reminding Matteo about his time with the cartel made him sink into his pain until he seemed smaller. He pulled back from me in a way that was beyond physical.
“Look at me,” I demanded.
He did and I sucked in a breath at the terror in his eyes. The only other time I’d seen him look this scared was when he’d sobbed in my arms. I didn’t know what else to do, so I kissed him.
He took hold of my leg and pulled me across his lap so I was straddling him. Even as our bodies pressed together, I kept the kiss soft and sweet. I wanted him to know I loved him even if I couldn’t say the words. I held his hip with one hand and curled the other against the side of his neck. He groaned as I finally slid my tongue into his mouth, tasting him, enjoying the soft, unhurried moment of intimacy.
I used my hand to tilt his head up, giving me better access to his throat, and kissed my way along his warm skin. I bit down right over his pulse point, sucking on the wound, wanting to mark him. He hissed as my teeth sank into him. “Yes, baby. Claim me.”
“Fuck right I will.” I wanted him to know I was here, and I wasn’t going anywhere. I wished I’d known for sure he wasn’t the enemy long ago. I wished he’d told me so we could have made the choice together, but I had him now. If we could keep our demons from destroying what we’d found, maybe we’d have a chance.
You’re going to need to kill your brother first.
Fuck. I didn’t want to think about that. I would do it. I could do it, but not yet. Right now, we both needed some comfort. We needed to take care of each other in the main way we knew how, with our hands and our mouths. With me opening myself and letting him take me, surrendering to him. Letting go was pure fucking bliss, and I would never have known that if it hadn’t been for him. I did have my share of nights where I wanted to be the one in charge, but if we could live through this, we could each have those moments.
I tugged at Matteo’s shirt, lifting it up over his torso, and he let go of me long enough to raise his arms so I could pull it over his head. I pulled off my own shirt too, needing to feel his skin against mine.