Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 92519 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 463(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92519 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 463(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
“I don’t want to do this.”
Colt let go of her and cupped her face. “Then don’t. You’re mine to protect. You, Gabrielle, and I know you’ll want Petal protected. You’ve got it. You have to trust me.”
“You hate me.”
“No, I don’t. There is no way I can hate my wife. I will protect them all, I promise.”
And then, he did something Rosalie wasn’t expecting.
He kissed her.
Chapter Eleven
Colt stared down at a sleeping Rosalie. She wore a pair of his sweatpants along with one of his oversized sweatshirts. She had been exhausted last night. Reaching out, he tucked some of her raven curls behind her ear. She was so beautiful, even more so in sleep, as the troubled brow disappeared.
Rosalie had told him everything last night about the threat Daemon had over her mother. That was how he controlled Rosalie and got her to marry him, which only pissed him off. She had to have his baby, but why? Did Daemon think that by forcing a woman onto Colt, that he would get attached? Was that the simplicity of Daemon’s plan? Get him attached to Rosalie, and then what? Did he plan to take her away? What would he do to his own daughter?
Colt stared down at her and realized he couldn’t look at Rosalie and Daemon as father and daughter. Their relationship was nothing like that. Daemon used his daughter to get what he wanted. There was no love, nothing paternal. She was a commodity. A pawn.
Pulling away from Rosalie, he left his bedroom at the clubhouse and headed down toward the kitchen, intent on making them both some coffee. He was surprised to see Ox already up and rubbing his head. “Trouble in paradise?” he asked.
“Don’t speak so loud. Nah, no trouble in paradise. I don’t like waking up to a slut attempting to ride me without wearing a condom.”
Colt winced. “Man, that’s tough.”
“Don’t worry, I’ve already kicked the bitch out of the club. I know the rules. No one gets away with attempting to trap a buddy.”
Again, one of Warden’s rules. He didn’t mind the women hanging around at the club for the boys to enjoy but any devious behavior like forcing or attempting to trap one of the guys, and it was over for them. There had been a couple of women over the years who’d tried it. They had all failed. So far, they didn’t have any unwanted babies on their record.
“Did you see Rose?” Ox asked.
“She’s upstairs,” Colt said.
Ox whistled and then groaned. “I’m never drinking again.”
“Until next Friday.”
“Nah, I’m good. I’ve learned my lesson. No drink, nothing.” He rubbed at his temple. “It’s hurting my head. What’s she doing here?”
“She needs our help. Daemon’s threatening her mom. It’s how he got her to do everything she’s done so far.”
“Marry you, fuck you, that kind of thing.”
Colt nodded.
“Dude, that is cold.”
He didn’t need to agree as he was right there with Ox.
“What are you going to do?” Ox asked.
“Talk to Warden, get shit moving.”
“Kim won’t let anything happen to Gabrielle. She’ll be safe.”
It was what he was hoping for.
The kettle whistled and Ox pressed his forehead to the table. “I’m going to die.”
“Why not get one of those women to order some food or at least cook you something?”
“No, God, no, I’ll order. There’s no way in hell I’m trusting any of them to feed me. They’d likely give me food poisoning. When do you think your mom will be stopping by?” Ox asked.
“Probably not today. Maybe Sunday.”
Ox groaned. “I’ll starve by then.”
Colt grabbed a couple of menus off the board. “Then order yourself some breakfast.” He picked up the two mugs of coffee.
Ox stared at the menus and then groaned. “You’ve made my life hell. Now I’ve got to pick what I want as well. Why do you hate me?”
Colt ignored him, carrying the two mugs of coffee from the kitchen up to his bedroom. On his way, he saw Raine coming out of one of the guy’s rooms. The moment she saw him, she tried to act like that wasn’t what she was doing.
“Ox could use your help with ordering himself some food,” he said.
“Yes, of course. Anything you want. You never, er, came back last night.”
“Rosalie’s here, Raine. I had no intention of coming back.”
Raine took a step toward him and he smelled the other guy’s cologne. It was strange, Rosalie worked at a diner, surrounded by other scents, and yet she had never come to him smelling of anything or anyone else.
He stepped into his room and found Rosalie sitting up on the edge of his bed.
“Morning,” he said.
She offered him a smile. “Morning.”
“I got you coffee and there might or might not be food arriving.”
Rosalie chuckled. “I’ve, er, I’ve got to get to work. If you want to come to the diner, there will be the breakfast menu. It’s pretty popular on a Saturday morning.”