Total pages in book: 147
Estimated words: 140742 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 704(@200wpm)___ 563(@250wpm)___ 469(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 140742 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 704(@200wpm)___ 563(@250wpm)___ 469(@300wpm)
“It was great to finally meet you, Finn.” I smile wide because I really mean it. It was intense and strange and wonderful. “Congratulations on your success.”
“Yeah.” His gaze drops to my lips briefly. “It was nice to meet you as well.”
I turn toward Damian and slide my hand into the crook of his arm to hold myself steady as we walk away. We’re a few steps away when Finn calls out my name. I stop walking, forcing Dame to stop as well and glance over my shoulder. Finn’s expression is unreadable, but the way his eyes rake over me sends a thrill up my spine.
“Fuck divine timing.”
We stare at each other for a second, until I can’t take the fire in his eyes a moment longer, and force myself to walk away.
“What the fuck was that?” Dame asks.
“I have no idea.”
“How was he?”
I glance up at Dame. I know he’s asking because he’s been a fan of Finn’s for years. “Intense.”
“Yeah, Will Hamilton introduced us once, so I know for a fact he knows who I am,” Dame says.
“Why didn’t you say that then, you weirdo?” I shoot him a look.
“I didn’t want to be the loser who remembered everything about our past interaction.”
“Who cares?”
“It doesn’t matter,” he says. “He was trying to make a point by introducing himself and acting like he didn’t know me.”
“What point?”
“That he doesn’t care who the fuck I am, because he’s going to have you anyway.” He lets go of my arm to get his phone from his pocket as he walks up to the valet.
My pulse seems to be everywhere as I stand there waiting. I realize I never said Dame’s my stepbrother, and with the way we walked away arm in arm, he’d have to assume we’re together … right? I shake the thought away. Mallory had mentioned that Finn’s leaving tomorrow morning, so what Dame’s suggesting is obviously not the case. The valet goes to get the car while Dame walks back over to me.
“What the hell does that even mean, Damian? You can’t just drop that on me and walk away.”
“It means what I said. He’s used to getting his way.”
“I literally just turned him down, and he’s leaving tomorrow, so I probably won’t see him again until … who knows when. If ever.”
His expression turns serious as we watch his car approach. “I’m just telling you what I’ve heard. He’s a one-and-done kind of guy who takes what he wants and leaves a trail of broken hearts behind.”
“So, sort of like you, then?” I swallow hard, wishing my heart would stop pounding so erratically.
He shrugs. “Not that my opinion will make a difference, but I think you should stay away from him.”
“I have a boyfriend now, remember?”
“Don’t remind me.” Dame scoffs as he takes a step forward when the car reaches us. He opens the door for me and walks around the car as he speaks. “I can’t believe you’re seriously dating that loser. You know he’s only with you because Dad…”
I set a hand on the door as I step into the car, and his words are drowned out by the pulse in my ears when I see Finn standing outside. He’s looking at his phone, and there’s a woman by his side taking a selfie and smiling like she just won a prize. I don’t understand the sudden hollow in the pit of my stomach, but it’s what I feel as I get in the car and pull my seatbelt on. It makes no sense. I don’t even know him. We had one conversation. But as I lay in bed, the unbidden image of that woman at his side returns, along with the hollow feeling.
3
JOSSLYN
We haven’t even fully stepped inside of Onyx and I already feel like I’m out of my element. That alone is a feat, considering I rarely feel uncomfortable anywhere. I take my eyes off the picture of a man kneeling in front of a man dressed in only leather chaps and study the small cut on the back of my hand. Seeing it makes a wave of anger bubble up inside me, but I push it down.
The cut doesn’t bother me as much as the reminder of the argument Tate and I got into while we were fixing the old red pickup truck he decided to buy and restore. We were unofficially together for almost a year and never argued, but this morning—our first official morning together—he started acting like a jerk.
“I can’t believe I finally got you to come here today,” Mallory says, breaking me out of my thoughts.
“Well, it’s your birthday,” I say, smiling. “Who am I to say no to the birthday girl?”
“Still.” She looks at Tate and I can tell she’s trying to smile at him, but can’t out of loyalty to her family. “Thanks for coming. I know she wouldn’t be here without you.”