Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 117510 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 588(@200wpm)___ 470(@250wpm)___ 392(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 117510 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 588(@200wpm)___ 470(@250wpm)___ 392(@300wpm)
Drew folded his arms across his chest. “Do you think one of the Primes could be behind it?”
Harper’s nose wrinkled. “I doubt it.”
Drew frowned. “You’re the only mated Primes in the world. You’re both powerful, and so is your kid—I could sense it. That has to make the other Primes nervous.”
“It probably does, but you haven’t seen them with Asher. I really don’t think they’d hurt him.” Before Asher was born, Harper wouldn’t have thought she’d ever say those words. Demonkind had feared that the baby would be the same breed as Knox—they might not know what Knox was, but they sure didn’t want another hanging around.
The Primes had been especially nervous so, when Asher was five months old, Harper and Knox had done the unexpected: They’d taken him into a meeting with the other US Primes. All of them had fallen head over heels for the little guy.
The move had not only demonstrated that Knox and Harper believed in their ability to protect him, it had forced the Primes to view Asher as a person, not an abstract potentially soulless baby who might be too powerful to exist. They’d seen how playful, inquisitive, and happy he was. Seen that he was just like any other baby. Sensed that he had the air of a sphinx, like Harper, which they seemed to have found particularly comforting. The only gift Asher used during the meeting was his shield. It had impressed people but, as a defensive ability, hadn’t made the Primes in the least bit nervous. They’d found it cute.
Honestly, Harper often wondered if there was something preternatural about Asher’s ability to win people over. Like maybe he’d been gifted with strong charisma or something. She was sure he would even have won over Knox’s bitchy ex-bed buddy, Alethea … if the she-demon wasn’t missing. No one had seen Alethea since just after Asher was born. Her brother, Jonas, was worried, despite that he could still feel her psychically and, as such, knew she was alive.
“I agree that the Primes wouldn’t hurt him—Asher has them wrapped around his little finger,” said Jolene. “But that’s not to say they wouldn’t hire someone to kidnap him so that they could use him for one reason or another.”
“I’m more inclined to think it was the fourth Horseman,” said Raini. “I actually thought he or she might abandon the group’s goal, since the other three are dead. But maybe not.”
Knox would put his money on the fourth Horseman being behind the attack, but he wasn’t so sure that the demon who tried to snatch Asher was in fact the Horseman. Striking while Asher was at the home of a strong Prime like Jolene Wallis was extremely bold. The fourth Horseman had never appeared on the scene to help defend Isla, Roan, or Nora when they were up against Knox and Harper. That suggested the remaining Horseman was happy to sit back and let others not only take the risks but deal with any consequences alone.
Turning to Ciaran, Knox said, “I’d be grateful if you could return us to our home.”
Tanner gestured outside with his thumb. “I’ll drive the car back.”
“I’ll come with you,” Keenan said to the other sentinel.
Knox turned to Jolene. “I doubt that the she-demon will return here, but if she does, call me.” The female Prime didn’t respond. He arched a brow. “I know you’re angry, Jolene, but this she-demon made my mate bleed and tried to take our son. It happened in your house, true, but Harper and Asher are my family and part of my lair. As Primes, Harper and I deal with anyone who threatens it.”
“I can’t promise I won’t kill her if she returns here,” said Jolene. “I don’t have that kind of restraint. Won’t it be enough for you to know she’s dead?”
“I don’t want her dead. I intend to find out who she is. I will seize and detain her, but I won’t kill her. I will mentally destroy her. Completely. Utterly. I will break her. Crush her spirit. Torture her until there’s no fight left in her. And she will live in fear that I’ll return to her prison to do it again and again. And I will.”
Jolene looked at him for a few moments. “I can get behind that.”
With an amused snort, Devon squeezed Harper’s hand. “Take care.”
“And give Asher a kiss for us,” added Khloë.
Knox curled his arm around Harper’s shoulders, who leaned into him and slipped an arm around his waist. Just like that, more of Clarke’s thoughts split the air like gunshots. No one else heard them, of course. Only Knox. This time, it wasn’t just thoughts that leaked through Clarke’s shields. It was memories. Memories of Harper. Her taste spiced with mojitos. The softness of her skin. The weight of her breasts. The feel of her pussy, hot and tight, around his fingers. The raspy sigh she let out when she came.