Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 87284 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87284 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
“Since Colt ain’t here, I’m gonna go out on a limb and say his resolution is to ban weed,” Ty drawled.
I laughed. Aw, our lovely Texan. At least we’d let go of the notion of smoking when he was here! Hell, we’d forgotten it altogether. Maybe some other time.
“I think I wanna learn to play an instrument,” Lane said. “Few things are hotter than a man tinkering on a guitar. Piano works too. And—”
Reese cleared his throat and signaled with two fingers. “I play the guitar.”
“So does Walker.” I winked at Lane.
“So do I.” Ty smirked a little at my boy. “I play the harmonica too.”
Lane eyed Ty and raked his teeth over his bottom lip. “Um, can we go downstairs for a sec?”
Oh no. While the others laughed, I checked my watch and shook my head firmly. “No funny business now. It’s midnight in two minutes.”
“Plus, you don’t wanna miss my awesome toast,” Shay announced. With that, he stood up with his champagne glass, and River and Reese looked at him curiously. “It’s been one hell of a year, thanks to these two.” He smiled at his Owners, and that just did it for me. I really loved that they had found Shay this year. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned lately, it’s that I will always struggle to look back on certain things—but with the right people next to me, I will never give up.”
Walker kissed my temple, and I shifted impossibly closer to him and took a big breath.
I would never give up either.
“That includes the friends I’ve made in this community,” Shay said with a glance my way. I blew him a kiss. “So… Happy New Year. May the next be filled with a metric fuck-ton of kink. And to new friends joining us.” He tipped his glass at Lane.
“I’ll drink to that.” Lane looked a little overwhelmed but in a good way.
“We all will,” River murmured. “Happy New Year.”
“Happy New Year!”
I guzzled my champagne like a pro before I smacked a big kiss to Walker’s lips.
“I guess we’re off to a great start, then,” Reese said. “Considering we have a merry band of filthy folk flying in from San Francisco next week.”
“Say that fast!” Lane exclaimed. “Filthy flo—fuck, filthy folk flying—oh my God.” He cracked up hard, and Ty shook his head in amusement and wrapped his arms around the boy.
River smirked crookedly. “Gray and Darius too.”
I didn’t know who they were.
I had met some of our friends from San Francisco, though. Mainly Cade, who made the best kink furniture out there. Master Rio was hopefully joining us too, with his sub Chelsea. He and Walker went way back. Rio, Walker, and Lucian were sexy as fuck when they got all Master-y together.
“Can we convince Rio, Lucian, and Walker to host an event?” I asked.
“Wonderful, more names to remember,” Lane said. “Who are these people? Do you know every kinkster in the US?”
Walker and Reese laughed warmly.
“Far from it,” I chuckled. “Well, River and Reese might know most of them.” Okay, that was a joke. “We’re three communities that sometimes get together. Mclean House, Switch—that’s the San Francisco community—and Clara Hill.”
Shay perked up. “I’ve never heard of Clara Hill. What’s that?”
“You’ll see one day,” was River’s vague reply. His faint smirk promised of all good things.
I got tingly just thinking about their place. Walker and I had stayed there twice.
Judging by the look he gave me, his mind was wandering back.
I bit my lip. “Maybe we can go up there sometime soon.”
“I think we should.” Walker dipped down and kissed me softly. “Happy New Year, my little sea monster.”
Oh! I glanced at my watch again. It was officially January. Excitement and nerves created a storm within me, and I kissed him back harder.
“Happy New Year, Master.”
The story of Macklin, Walker, Ty, and Lane continues in Prowl
Apex Predator: Parts I & II, told primarily in Lane’s and Macklin’s points of view
Prowl: Parts III & IV, told primarily in Ty’s and Walker’s points of view