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)
I laugh. “Dad really won’t care, Torin. He has always wanted his kids to be happy and considering the shape he was in when he met my mother, he’s not about to pass judgment on anyone. He’d probably kill you if you broke my heart—but …” I shrug, letting my words trial off unspoken.
“So, I’m going to have to win your mother over,” I answer with a frown.
“No. It would be good, but our relationship is just about us. They can either accept it or not. Adding drama to my parents' situation is something I'd rather avoid, though. I honestly don’t think I could handle much more, either. I’m about to crack. Although, once we find Mattie, you may have your hands full proving to him and Mom that you aren’t the man-whore they believe you to be.”
“Are you seriously expecting me to stay in the periphery of your life until Breaker comes back? There’s no fucking way, Peaches. You can forget it,” I growl.
“It won’t take that long. Mattie is alive. I know he is,” I argue, getting over emotional as a tear slides down from the corner of my eye.
Torin’s face softens slightly as he holds my face, using the pad of his thumb to brush a tear away. “Baby—”
“If he was dead, Torin, I’d feel it,” I insist.
“You can’t expect me to wait however long it takes to claim you in front of the club, Skylar. You can’t ask that of me. Fuck, I haven’t been able to sleep since you left yesterday. I couldn’t lay in the damn bed without you.”
“I know. I missed you the same way.”
“Then what the hell do you want from me here, Peaches?”
“Give me a week,” I ask, taking a breath that shudders through me, making my voice come out quivery. I know he’s going to hate this, and I do, too. I just don’t see any way around it.
“No,” he growls, adamantly.
“I know it won’t be easy. I’ll do my best to make sure the two of us aren’t totally separated. I’ll come to you at night. We’ll find a way to make this work. I just want to let my parents breathe for a few days without adding to their stress. Dad wants us to travel to Diego’s funeral together. We can tell them once we get that behind us. Sooner, if we find Mattie before then,” I add, hoping he’ll give in.
“I might can agree to not telling your parents for a few days, Peaches.”
“Thank—”
“But you’re going to have to tell them you’re staying the night with a friend or something. I want you with me. I’m not spending a night without you.”
“Okay,” I agree, because honestly, I don’t want to be without him either.
“I’m also going to the funeral. A lot of the club is. I’ll try not to let it show that you’re my woman, but I can’t promise—especially if that damn kid comes sniffing around you.”
“Do you really think I’d ever look at another man, Torin? In the last three years, God knows you’ve given me every reason to find someone else, and I didn’t. You’re the only one I’ve ever wanted. That’s not going to change.”
“I trust you, but I’m not the kind of man who will let his woman be around men without them knowing she belongs to me—and only me,” he says, shaking his head. “The first thing we’re doing is inking my brand on your body and putting a fucking diamond on that finger of yours, Peaches.”
“Are you going to wear a ring and tattoo my name on your body, too?”
“Absolutely, to both. I want your name, your bite, fuck, anything to do with you I want inked on me.” I shiver at the thought of biting him and having that permanently on his body. “You like that,” he purrs, his voice dark and sexy—much like the tone he uses when we’re in bed together. It’s not a question, so I don’t respond verbally. I just smile, biting into my lip. He already knows I do. “Good, because you’re going to be wearing my bite marks, too. Fuck, I may even have Kaysha ink my handprint on your ass.”
“Kaysha?” I ask.
“She’s a female artist that works for Venom. He does all my ink. There’s no way another man will be marking your body—especially your ass. That’s all mine. No one will see it, unless you want to explore some of the underground clubs.”
I go stiff at what he’s saying. “Underground clubs?” I ask. “Are you talking about sex clubs, Torin?” I squeak. I try not to panic, but I’m not really succeeding.
“Calm down, Peaches.”
I instantly shake my head no. “I don’t want anyone else but you, Torin. I couldn’t give myself to anyone else. Plus, the thought of you with another woman—even if I was there—makes me physically sick. I’d probably kill her.”