Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 83236 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83236 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
“Off and on. Nothing too heavy.” She giggles—fucking giggles—like she doesn’t have a care in the world. Like she didn’t just tell me she came to this damn place tonight to get laid. Like she didn’t just proposition me. Fuck, like she didn’t just destroy my carefully constructed world. I’ve spent three years pushing her from my life. I’ve ignored her instead of dragging her to my bed like I really wanted. Three long fucking years. She manages to destroy the resignation and grudging peace that I thought I had found in my decision in a matter of minutes.
Jesus Christ.
“I hear ya. You’re more like my brother Rock. I swear he is on a mission to get his name in the Guinness Book of World Records for the man who has stuck his dick in the most pussy.”
“Nah, that’s not me,” she says, casting a look in my direction.
“It’s not?”
“Nope. I don’t have the right equipment to try for that particular record.”
Carlos—heretofore referred to as the idiot—stops for a minute while his brain catches up to the conversation and then laughs so hard that I think the bastard might piss on himself. I’m barely controlling the urge to hit him and bust up his face. It’s clear he doesn’t know Skylar at all. She’s a virgin, but even if she wasn’t, she’s not the kind of woman to give herself freely. No, the man that gets a taste of her is privileged. It’s a fucking gift, not a game.
It's a gift that should be mine …
“You’re as cute as ever. Maybe once this shit storm is over, you might finally give in and go out with me?” he says, looking like a love-struck fool. Jesus. Is this the kind of offers Skylar gets? No wonder she latched onto me. This fool acts like a boy, not a man.
“Maybe I will,” she responds, but I see the exact moment his words hit her. “Wait, what kind of mess? I know Joker said he was supposed to take me home. Shit! Is my family okay?”
“Yeah. Well, yours is. My sister Gabby and Aunt Nicole were kidnapped. The clubs and our allies are all in North Carolina to bring them back. It’s starting to get messy, though, so Dad and the others thought it’d be good to make sure everyone was protected.”
“Oh my God. Carlos, I’m so sorry. I know how much you love Gabby.”
“Yeah. We got them back, but there’s a war coming. I get the feeling Gabby has been hurt, though.”
“Oh, no.”
“Yeah, my sister is misunderstood a lot. Got in way over her head with Dom way too early. I may not agree with her choices, but she’s my sister. The last thing she needs is something else messing up her head.”
“I get it. Is Diego, okay?”
“He’s Diego. Nothing gets him down. You know that.”
“Yeah, I do,” she responds.
“Last time he checked in, he and your brother were following the club that had taken the girls. We’re hoping to find out where they’re going and ambush them.”
“Well, then you guys should go do what you need to do. I can’t leave until Monday.”
“You’re coming now, Skylar,” I growl.
“I can’t. I have a test that counts for thirty percent of my grade. I literally have to be here Monday,” she says and throws her hands on her hips as if she’s getting ready to battle me.
“You’re lying.”
She rolls her eyes. “One thing about me you don’t know, Joker. I don’t lie.”
“Unless it’s by omission,” I snap back at her.
For a second, I’m sure I see pain slash across Skylar’s face. It doesn’t make me happy, though. If anything, it makes me ashamed because I know I’ve hurt her. My feelings for this girl are always so damn confusing.
She doesn’t look at me, she just pulls out her cellphone and starts to dial it. “Professor Adams? This is Skylar Kane. My family is requesting I come home. There’s a family emergency. I’ve explained I have a test on Monday that counts for a third of my grade and that I can’t miss it. I don’t think they believe me, though.” She pauses. I assume this Professor Adams is talking. Skylar looks right at me, her eyebrow lifted as if in challenge. “I can be a handful,” she laughs. “Do you think you can talk to my … I guess you could call him a stepbrother,” she murmurs after pausing to think about it. Carlos—or Spider, as he likes to be called—laughs at that, but I just roll my eyes. I’m not going to give her the satisfaction of reacting. I know that’s exactly what she wants. “Anyway, could you confirm that I’m telling the truth? I’m not about to mess up my GPA for family drama,” she continues. “Thank you, Professor Adams. I’m going to put you on speakerphone.” She pulls the phone away from her ear and then hits a button, putting it on speakerphone.