Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 69537 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 348(@200wpm)___ 278(@250wpm)___ 232(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69537 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 348(@200wpm)___ 278(@250wpm)___ 232(@300wpm)
“Who the fuck are you?” he asked, a little bit more angry this time.
“I’m Bindi,” I answered.
“That’s a good name, I guess, but why the fuck are you in my brother’s house when they’re not at home?” he challenged.
I felt a shiver go down my spine at the sound of Auden’s angry voice.
Okay, so I knew how it looked.
But…
“I was at your other brother’s house, waiting for him to come home, and…”
A hand grabbed my arm, and I was roughly pulled down the length of the hallway.
“Hey!” my mother yelled. “Stop!”
Rufus started to bark, and I could feel Rooster bumping into my side, trying to slow me down.
And to slow down the man that was all but yanking me out of the house I had been invited into.
“Please, slow down,” I begged.
“Not a chance,” Auden replied.
I tripped over a toy of some sort, and only the firm grip Auden had on my arm kept me upright.
He never hurt me, though, only all but bodily carried me out of the house.
So strong.
I wasn’t upset or nervous in any way.
I knew he wouldn’t hurt me.
I finally caught my feet when we got outside, and he let me go immediately once I was out of the house.
I stumbled, temporarily surprised to find myself standing on my own, and said, “Wow, you’re fast.”
I went to take a step back, but Rufus was there, and I stumbled.
Auden caught me before I could take a tumble, then hissed.
I heard a meaty thump and then Garrett’s seething voice.
“Get your fucking hands off of her,” Garrett growled.
I blinked, surprised at the sound of his angry voice.
And boy, was he angry.
Like, really angry.
I didn’t need to see his face to know that he was.
“Whoa,” Auden called out. “What the hell, man?”
“What the hell? You just dragged my girlfriend out of a house with two dogs tripping her up. I watched her trip four times as you did it, and not once did you slow down to make sure that she could stand!” he bellowed.
“What? Girlfriend?” Auden asked in surprise.
“Yes, girlfriend.” He paused. “Just don’t tell anyone.”
I nearly laughed at Garrett’s words.
I wished I could see Auden’s face after Garrett asked that.
He was probably staring adorably cute-like.
“Do you understand me, Auden?” Garrett seethed.
Okay, so he was still really mad.
“Well, maybe if you weren’t trying to hide her from us, I would know that you’re dating someone! And she wouldn’t be a stranger!” Auden countered.
“I don’t care what you think about what we’re doing.” Garrett growled so low in his throat that it sent shivers down my spine. “And if I ever see you touching her like that again, I’ll fucking end you.”
“Boys,” I said, patting Garrett’s chest. “It’s okay. It looked bad. I know it did. Everyone’s gone to the circus. Me going into someone’s house with all the lights off and turning no lights on because I didn’t need them. Leaving the door wide open. He didn’t know who I was. I realize that. It’s okay, I promise.”
“It’s not okay,” Garrett defended.
I sighed. “Garrett, honey. It is. I’m not hurt.”
“But he dragged you out of there like you were doing something wrong. You weren’t,” he grumbled.
“He didn’t know that!” I patted Garrett’s chest harder. “Calm down. It’s okay.” I turned to where I thought Auden was standing and held out my hand. “Hi, I’m Bindi. I’m secretly dating your brother, Garrett.”
There was a moment of silence and then I felt a hand in mine.
Are you a texter or a FaceTimer? Neither, I’m a do not disturber.
—Garrett to Bindi
GARRETT
My heart had pounded as I’d looked up and saw the way Auden was all but dragging Bindi out of the house by her arm.
The dogs were going nuts.
Even Boss in the back seat was barking his head off.
I let him out, then rushed over to Atlas’s place and all but slammed myself into Auden, punching him in the arm when he went to reach for Bindi once again.
The next five minutes were tense as we ironed everything out.
Bindi held her hand out to Auden in greeting.
The way she was holding her hand out to Auden made him pause.
Why is that, you ask?
Because it was three feet to the left of where he was standing.
I saw the realization dawn on his face.
Then the utter devastation of what he’d just done to a blind person.
“Shit,” I watched him mouth.
His eyes came to me, apology written all over them, and he moved to take Bindi’s hand.
“Allow me to apologize for that,” he said. “I just saw some person I didn’t know going into Atlas’s place, and like you said, the lights were off. It was odd.”
“I can understand that fully,” she concurred. “I’m just sorry I didn’t go check the other places. I thought about it, but I just remembered that they had kids, and my mind was pretty singularly focused.”