Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 89758 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 449(@200wpm)___ 359(@250wpm)___ 299(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89758 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 449(@200wpm)___ 359(@250wpm)___ 299(@300wpm)
My eyes met Bryn’s then, and I realized something was wrong. I studied her for a moment, trying to figure it out, but Henley took her arm and pulled her away. I watched them go, although I needed to get her alone. See what it was that had her looking nervous.
“Takes a confident man to date a woman with a job like hers. I’ve dated a few Playboy Bunnies myself,” Archer said, then chuckled and slapped me on the back as he walked past me on his way inside.
Fuck.
That was what was wrong with her. Archer had been to The Red Stiletto. Had he said something to her? Dammit!
I started toward her.
“Rio! Come get this other tray of steaks,” Saul called out.
Bryn was laughing at something Henley had said. She seemed okay now, but I wasn’t going to be okay until I spoke to her. If I told him to get Drake to get the steaks, then Cullen’s entertainment was over, and he’d be out here. I needed him occupied, so I could talk to Bryn.
Turning, I went back inside to get the other tray and made my way down to the grill. Saul was putting the potatoes on when I got down there.
“How long is your dad gonna be here?” I asked him.
“As long as it takes to completely piss me off,” he replied. “Why?”
“He’s seen Bryn at work, and I think he said something to her, or she recognized him.”
Saul winced and looked at me. “Yeah, I heard. I don’t know how you do it. I’d lose my goddamn mind if I were you.”
Every time she left for work, I felt sick. I’d been ready to talk her into working at the market, and then Tory had died. Not wanting to upset her or bring up something that would cause a fight, I’d been trying to give it some time. Give us some time.
“I gotta go talk to her,” I told him, then turned and headed back up to where she stood with Henley.
She was taking a drink from the glass of water I had given her. The breeze caught her hair, and she smiled at something Henley had said. My chest tightened at the image. In the beginning, I’d thought this might wear off. This insane attraction I had to her. That I wouldn’t want her naked with me buried inside her all the damn time.
It wasn’t wearing off. I was sinking deeper. She was mine, and I fucking wanted to rip the eyeballs out of every man who had seen her tits and barely covered ass. That was mine.
Jealousy raged inside me, the closer I got to her. Knowing Archer had seen what was mine was eating at me. I had a hard enough time, knowing Drake had seen her like that.
I put my hand on her back. “We need to talk,” I said and shot my sister a warning glance to stay the fuck out of this.
She said nothing as I led Bryn inside.
“I’m s-s-sorry. I didn’t know who Saul’s dad w-was, or I would have told you before we got here,” she whispered as I moved us quickly past everyone, thankful Cullen’s eyes were on the screen as he played the game with Drake, who was shouting at the images on the television.
“It’s part of my j-j-job. This kind of thing was b-b-bound to happen,” she said.
I started up the stairs with my hand still on her back. She was right; this had been bound to happen. It had, and I fucking hated it.
We reached my room, and I moved her inside first, then followed, locking the door behind me.
“How many times has he been in there?” I asked her.
She shrugged. “Several.”
I ran a hand over my hair and looked at her. She was wringing her hands nervously and biting her bottom lip. I had brought her up here to see if she was okay. Not to drill her with questions. But the more I let myself dwell on the fact that Archer had seen her tits, the more my blood boiled.
“Did he recognize you?” I asked.
She nodded.
I stalked toward her and grabbed her arms, then pulled her to my chest. “I don’t like knowing he’s seen you naked,” I said between my clenched teeth, trying like hell to get ahold of my rage.
Her eyes grew wide as she looked up at me. She was scared, and it was my fault.
“It’s my j-j-job,” she said again.
“I fucking hate knowing anyone has seen you naked,” I said, then jerked her dress up and slipped my hand inside her panties. “This has only been touched by me, and I own it. It’s mine.” I looked down at her chest, then back at her. “Those tits are mine. I don’t share.”
The fear in her eyes was still there, but she was breathing rapidly now, and her nipples had hardened. I slid a finger inside her, and she made a soft sound as her mouth fell open.