Total pages in book: 148
Estimated words: 142939 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 715(@200wpm)___ 572(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 142939 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 715(@200wpm)___ 572(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
“It’s safe. Just as you are.” I stand slowly, carefully, doing my best not to stress her more than I already have. “I drugged you so you wouldn’t hurt yourself. I know you’re a fighter.” I press my fingers to my nose. “As evidenced by the fact that you nearly broke my nose. I couldn’t have you trying anything as I put the place on lockdown. It was safest that way. But now, you have free rein.”
She quirks a brow. “Cool. So where’s the weapons cabinet?”
The side of my mouth twitches with the hint of a smile. “In time, Liberty. But for now, how about some dinner?” I stride to the bedroom door and open it. Felix is sitting outside. Typical to his tuxedo cat DNA, he gives me a haughty glance and prances past, jumping onto the bed and walking right up to Ocean, as if he’s asking her who she is and if she’s free later. When she reaches out eagerly to pet him, a bizarre wave of jealousy washes over me. I quickly swallow it down. “He’s bossy, and he leaves hair on everything. Fair warning.”
“That’s okay. I’m bossy, too.” She smiles, the tension leaving her as Felix purrs and rubs his head against her chin. “I bet you aren’t bossy at all. I bet you are sweet. Are you a captive too? It’s okay, I’ll bust us out of here. You aren’t in danger. I’ll take you away from the bad man.” She baby-talks the little brat, and he eats it up, his whiskers at attention.
I want to get in bed with her, touch her, talk to her, tell her everything is as it was meant to be–but I don’t. She needs space. I’ll give it to her. After all, it’s not as if she’s going anywhere. Cass has already canceled every meeting I had on the calendar for the next two weeks. The president was pissed, but she’s just going to have to wait. Ocean takes precedence.
“The kitchen is to the left.” I glare at Felix for a moment as he turns and looks at me over his shoulder. “If you want wet food tonight, you’ll lay off.”
“Oh, don’t listen to him.” Ocean plants a kiss on top of his head. “If there’s wet food, you’re getting double servings. And then you and I can knife that guy over there, steal all his top secrets, and head out. Sound good?”
The traitorous bastard purrs and butts against her head again.
I grumble under my breath and walk away. I need to start the lemon sauce, after all. Ocean’s favorite meal is chicken piccata with a side of garlic mashed potatoes. I’ve studied the recipes from her favorite restaurant and copied them exactly, right down to the amount of salt and pepper.
Glancing back, I see Felix shoot into the hallway and then Ocean peeking out the door. “It’s just the two of us, but I’m afraid I had to lock up anything you could use as a weapon. Once you’ve come to terms with our relationship, I think–”
“Relationship?” She steps into the hall and crosses her arms, the movement pushing up her breasts.
Heat rushes up my spine as I look at her, the curves of her body on display beneath her black tank top and yoga pants. It’s like a dream to have her here, right in my grasp. But I have to go slowly. It’s not like she’s going to get away–and soon, I’ll convince her that this is where she belongs.
“Yes, you and me. Together.”
She scoffs and follows Felix as he trots after me, wet food no doubt at the forefront of his mind. “You realize my friends are always mobilizing. I’ll be out of here in an hour, tops.”
“Oh, I’m aware they’re coming.” I smile as I walk into the kitchen. “But they won’t get anywhere near you.”
“So I’m a prisoner then?” She leans against the doorframe as I turn on the burner and start the sauce.
“No, you’re my guest.”
“Your guest? Aren’t guests allowed to leave?”
I pour in the lemon juice, the pan steaming pleasantly as I turn around and grab a spatula. Her attention is on me, her gaze tracing down my back before she meets my eyes again.
I smirk. “Yes, my guest for now, but sooner than later, also my wife.”
7
OCEAN
His words knock the wind right out of me. More so than when he tackled me to the ground in his badass warehouse, which I’m guessing is only the tip of the iceberg for Vane and his labs or whatever you want to call them.
His wife? Have I woken up in a different dimension? Do Vane and his crazy family know about time travel and black holes? My head starts to spin. It always does when I try to understand the depths of the universe. I can’t wrap my head around the fact that you can see into the past.