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)
Pop! Pop! Pop!
The sudden assault of sound and the three quick flashes of light have me crying out in shock. Logan tears off into the woods, crashing through anything and everything in his way. I draw my own .45 and hurry after him, a little more careful in my steps than him.
Logan is relentless as he chases after the men who hurt his wife. Guilt consumes me, but I squash it down in favor of helping him find those monsters. We’re searching for a good twenty minutes before a string of familiar voices are calling to us.
“Ronan! Logan!”
“Over here,” I call out to Dad. “Logan saw them and managed to shoot at them. I don’t think they’re injured.”
A flashlight flickers on and Dad’s face is illuminated nearby. He casts the glow my way, temporarily blinding me. I squint against the harsh brightness.
“Did you see them?” Dad asks. “Which way did they go?”
Logan walks over to us, vibrating with anger. When he glances at me, some of the fury melts away and his eyes flash with an unspoken apology.
Right.
We’d been kissing and he was in the middle of touching my dick before we were interrupted. As soon as Dad starts drilling Logan with questions, I step away from the group, sucking in a calming breath of air.
I jolt in surprise when someone touches my shoulder. When I realize it’s Ryder, I relax a bit, but not entirely. He turns on his own flashlight, pointing it at the ground between us. There’s just enough glow for me to make out his features.
Concern is the main expression twisting his features. But once he quickly assesses me and determines I’m safe, his eyes narrow.
I squirm under his scrutiny, hoping like hell he won’t know what I’ve done. Forcing myself to hold his gaze, I pretend everything is fine aside from my flaming hot cheeks and lips that feel slightly raw from the bristles of Logan’s beard on my skin.
It’s so obvious.
Dammit!
It’s clear when Ryder comes to a conclusion of what must be close to the truth because his intense gaze burns hot with anger.
Does he hate me now for what I’ve done?
Ryder steps closer, his nostrils flaring. He sniffs—actually fucking sniffs—my face like he can smell Logan’s scent on me. He must pick up on whatever clue he’s hunting for because a low rumble echoes from his throat.
“Are you fucking kidding me right now?” he hisses, anger flashing dark in his eyes.
I swivel around, quickly making sure no one is around who can hear. The men are all speaking in hushed voices with Logan at the center. It’s just me and Ryder.
The embarrassment threatens to swallow me whole. I don’t know what to say or how to explain what just happened. All I know is I liked it—no, loved it—but also know it’s really wrong.
“Did you suck his dick?” Ryder demands in a barely audible whisper, practically snarling the question.
I swallow hard and shake my head vehemently. “N-No. Ryder, calm down.”
“Calm down?” His eyes widen in disbelief. “Some fucker is seducing my brother and I’m supposed to calm the fuck down?”
His voice has risen, but thankfully still not loud enough for the group to hear above their own talking. I grab hold of his hand, pleading with my eyes.
“It was just a kiss,” I blurt out. Pain slices through my chest as Ryder flinches like he’s been struck. “It was nothing.”
Lies.
It was everything.
Everything I’ll never have, but I so desperately want.
He shakes his head, betrayal making his face crumble into a devastated frown. I don’t understand why he’s so upset with me over a stupid kiss!
Not a stupid kiss.
A perfect, wonderful, soul-destroying kiss.
“Ryder—”
He swings a hand my way and for a second I think he might hit me. Of course he doesn’t. Instead, he shoves his middle finger in my face. I blink at it, stung by the action.
“Whatever,” he snaps. “Have fun ruining your life all by yourself.”
With those words, he storms away back to the group. Pain slams into my chest a million times worse than if he’d actually hit me.
What have I done?
* * *
* * *
“It was just a kiss. It was nothing.”
His words repeat over and over and over again in my head, making me angrier by the second. It wasn’t just a kiss. It was an invasion. A hostile takeover. An act of war.
Logan is preying on my brother and he’s falling for it.
I want to know what Logan’s plans are for Ronan. Does he think he can fuck him on the side while his wife recovers from being gang raped? Everything in me screams at me to tell Dad what happened. But as much as that entices me so I can watch Dad go apeshit on Logan, I bite my tongue.
He’ll go apeshit on Ronan too.
Wind whistles through the trees and I have to plant my feet firmly into the ground to keep from swaying. Rain is imminent. I can smell the earthy ozone scent in the air as pine needles and leaves dance across my face from the wind.