Total pages in book: 29
Estimated words: 27296 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 136(@200wpm)___ 109(@250wpm)___ 91(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27296 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 136(@200wpm)___ 109(@250wpm)___ 91(@300wpm)
“Unfortunately, that’s not going to happen. It won’t ever happen.”
“Do…do you plan to kill me? You can be honest. If that’s your intent, could you please make it as painless as possible.”
“Oh, there are lots of things I’d like to do to you but kill you isn’t one of them. You should get cleaned up. Leland and Zeke are chomping at the bit for you to get out of the shower.”
Leland and Zeke. Usually, the killers didn’t give their first names to their victims to prevent being identified later on.
“Who are they?”
“My brothers. My name is Colten by the way, but I go by Colt. And you’re Kaliah.”
“How did you know my name?”
“I asked Trudy. She spoke very highly of you.”
Trudy. That traitor.
“She seemed so nice,” Kaliah said more to herself than to this mystery man.
“She is nice. I can understand why you’d be upset with her but she has a job to do. It’s nothing personal.
Kaliah snorted. “Her job is drugging people and sending them to their impending dooms? That must look great on her resume.”
“It’s not her fault. And I’m not going to make apologies for bringing you here. Or what’s about to happen to you. But I promise, after tonight, we’ll make life for you at Serenity Falls as comfortable as possible. Now wash up. Or do you need my help?”
She shook her head and waved him off. “You seem reasonable. Please let me go. I promise I won’t say a word about what’s happened in this town.”
“You can tell anyone you want, darling. You’re never leaving this town anyway.”
“What does that even mean?” Kaliah forced herself to raise her head and look up at her captor. Her mouth fell open at the sight of a tall, blond man with startling green eyes staring down at her.
She expected a hairy beast but instead she saw a ruggedly handsome man with chiseled, rough-hewn features. There was a quarter inch scar that slashed into one of his dark brown eyebrows. And his nose seemed slightly off center as if it had been broken more than once.
Tufts of thick hair poked from the top of his plaid shirt and his arms were a bit hairy but he looked like an ordinary human being.
“You’re not a monster,” Kaliah noted in wonder.
Colt chuckled. “My brothers would argue otherwise when anyone gets on my bad side. His gaze roamed over her, and he licked his lips.
How could this stranger be so unfazed. And how was he so calm about living in a town full of monsters?
Kaliah remembered she was nude. She crossed her arms over her chest. “Don’t…” she turned her head in shame.
“Don’t look at you? Why not? You’re gorgeous. Beautiful dark skin, big brown eyes and luscious lips. And your body is incredible.”
No one had ever called her beautiful before and the intensity of his green gaze made her tremble. The crazy thing was, Kaliah couldn’t figure if it was from fear or excitement.
“I need some privacy.”
“Let me help you to your feet first. Your ankle is swollen pretty badly but I don’t think it’s broken. Just place all your weight on your good foot in the meantime.”
Kaliah had no chance to protest before he lifted her up as if she weighed no more than a baby.
Their eyes locked and he brushed his thumb across her bottom lip.
He leaned down and just as their lips were about to meet, she turned her head away. Colt’s lips brushed her cheek. He suddenly captured her chin between his forefinger and thumb and turned her head to face him. This time when he brought his head down their lips collided.
He nipped her bottom lip, drawing blood.
“Ouch.” Kaliah tried to pull away but his grip on her chin was strong. He swiped his tongue across her bottom lip.
“Delicious.” He finally pulled back with a wolfish grin.
She shrank away from him.
“Wash up, I left some flowery soap, shampoo and a loofa to get the rest of that mud off of you.” I’ll wait on the other side of the curtain to help you to the other room.”
Colt closed the shower curtain, leaving her leaning against the wall. Kaliah absently touched her lips. It was her first kiss. In all her 28 years. Well, she’d been kissed on the cheek by her ex-boyfriend but nothing beyond that. She’d read so many romance books and seen so many romcoms and hoped for a love like the ones she’d seen in media. But as she got closer to 30, she wondered if it would ever happen.
Yes, Colt was very attractive but he was a stranger.
In a town full of monsters.
Kaliah could pretend, what happened last night was a terrifying nightmare but what about this new ordeal she’s found herself in. Colt was one thing but what about his brothers?
And that monster from last night who’d taunted her? What if he came back?