Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 69098 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 345(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69098 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 345(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
Logan looks over his shoulder as he guides his wife away, regret twisting his beautiful mouth into a sad frown. He mouths the words, “I’m sorry,” and it’s another knife to my chest.
Maybe I didn’t imagine things between us.
Maybe he did feel attracted to me.
None of that matters now, though. He’s married. Logan Greer has a wife.
And I have no one.
* * *
* * *
Dad caved.
For some reason, these people worked their way past his defenses, and now our property is crawling with them. I’ve never seen so many humans in one place before. Ever. It makes my skin crawl.
What’s worse is that both Ronan and Raegan are happy.
Not that I don’t want them to be, but I don’t trust these newcomers. I’m not like my siblings, and now Dad—ready to throw caution to the wind and accept these people.
Yes, they have lots of women and children.
Yes, that should make me feel safe.
I’m not worried about my own safety, though. I’m worried about my siblings and their feelings. We don’t know these people. CJ, from my astute observation, is a massive flirt who just wants to get his dick wet.
In my sister.
The thought is super fucking infuriating.
And this is all happening because Dad let it.
The fire crackles and pops, reminding me I’m supposed to be on watch, not pouting. When Dad went into the big house with Michael and Stacey, the pregnant woman, he silently commanded me and Rowdy to make sure no crazy shit happened without him. Rowdy is doing a better job at keeping an eye on things, hiding in a shadowed part of the yard, leaned up against a tree. I should be watching my younger siblings to make sure they aren’t getting into any trouble with the new kids, but I can’t scrape the way Raegan looks at CJ from my brain.
Raegan’s laughter has me jerking my attention toward the sound. CJ sits beside her, animatedly gesticulating, while both she and Jace crack up. As much as I love her laugh, and it’s rare since she’s such a crabby bitch most days, I don’t want CJ to be the cause of it.
I want to punch him in his stupid smiling face.
If he even thinks about fucking my sister, I’ll drag his ass out into the woods and put a major beatdown on him.
Ronan, who has been smiling from ear to ear all evening, now sits on a bench, frowning at his clasped hands. Maybe he’s finally seeing through all the bullshit.
I’m about to stand and make my way over to him when CJ’s sister plops down beside me. This wouldn’t be the first time she’s made her interest known. I thought giving her curt, one-worded grunts would be enough to indicate how I feel about her.
Apparently not.
“CJ’s a good guy,” Mya says, smirking at me. “You don’t have to kill him.”
“Who says I’m going to kill him?” I grumble.
“Ahh, he speaks!” She cackles and playfully fist pumps the air. “And here I thought you’d gone full caveman. A little civility lives inside the great Ryder Jamison.”
I catch Ronan’s gaze from over the fire. His frown remains as he darts his eyes back and forth from me to Mya. Giving him a one-shouldered shrug that I hope he interprets as it is—that I don’t know how to get rid of this annoying girl—I turn to give Mya a flat stare.
“Don’t you have someone else to bother?”
“Nope.”
“Isn’t it past your bedtime?”
“Ha.”
“Seriously, I’m not in the mood.”
She sighs and pats my thigh. “Teenage Angst in the Wilderness. Sounds like a book title.” Her grin turns wicked. “Oh, wait? Can cavemen read?”
I scowl at her, knocking her hand off my leg. “Fuck off.”
“And if I don’t?” she teases. “Going to club me and drag me by my hair back to your cave?” She lets out a snort and then whispers, “Don’t worry. I’m a kinky bitch.”
Scrubbing my palm over my face, I ignore her, letting my eyes find my brother again. He’s staring at the open gate, a gut-wrenching look of loneliness marring his features.
“Have fun talking to yourself,” I grumble as I rise to my feet. “Not interested.”
Mya huffs and mutters, “Asshole.”
She’s barking up the wrong tree if she thinks I want to spend more than five minutes with her. I don’t like any of these people or the fact they’re infiltrating our property like fire ants.
I step over a woman curled up on a blanket with a toddler tucked at her side and then sit beside Ronan. His tense body relaxes at my proximity, making me feel a whole lot better. Slinging my arm over his shoulders, I hug him to me. He smells like fruit with a hint of cinnamon. Always has for some reason. His scent is comforting.
“These people are fucking dicks,” I complain. “Mya called me a caveman.”