Total pages in book: 150
Estimated words: 136791 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 684(@200wpm)___ 547(@250wpm)___ 456(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 136791 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 684(@200wpm)___ 547(@250wpm)___ 456(@300wpm)
"Shit," he grumbles and reluctantly rolls away from me to silence the stupid thing.
I hop up before he can get his hands on me again. If he does, neither of us will be leaving this bed today, and I actually do have to go to work.
Once he's got the alarm silenced, he flops down on his back on the pillows with his arms behind his head. A lazy grin spreads across his face, those dimples popping out. His piercing flashes silver in the light. "You really going to leave me in this big bed all alone?" he asks, that lazy grin turning predatory as his gaze roves down my naked body. "You didn't even let me eat a second helping of you for breakfast, baby girl."
Oh, Jesus.
Heat rushes through me in a flood. I stumble over my feet before I manage to catch myself.
"You're evil," I mutter when he chuckles, the deep sound sending another wave of heat through me. "I have to work today. I have parents coming in for meetings."
He must hear the regret in my voice because he sobers, his expression softening. "As much as I'd like to tie you up in this bed and have you screaming my name all day, I have shit to do today too," he says and then sits upright before climbing gracefully out of the bed. He moves like a big cat stalking across the bedroom toward me. Despite the fact that he just came—and I know he did because I can feel him dripping down my thighs—he's still hard. "Gotta deal with the mess Kaleo made of Ma Lucia's, get your windows replaced, and then swing by the airport to see Tristan off."
When he holds out his arms, silently demanding I let him hold me for a minute, I step willingly into his strong embrace. Once I'm pressed to his chest, my arms looped around his waist, he sighs in contentment. I sigh, too, my entire body humming with energy.
"What are you going to do about Kaleo?" I ask, tilting my head back so I can peer up at him. He's so much taller than me. I feel small and delicate in his arms, but not fragile. Not breakable. He gives me strength in ways I'm not even sure I understand.
His expression darkens at the sound of Kaleo's name, his brows snapping together. "I'm going to take everything from him and then leave him in a ditch where he belongs," he growls.
I flinch, caught off guard by the hatred seething in his tone.
He notices. "I'm not a good man, baby girl," he says, his expression hard. "You keep thinking I'm some kind of hero; you're going to be disappointed. I've spent so much time with gangbangers and cartels that I'm as bad as they are. Worse. I'm the monster other monsters are afraid of. Don't ever forget that."
"I'm not afraid of you," I whisper, pressing my ear to his chest to listen to the steady thrum of his heart. "You don't scare me."
"You never have to be afraid of me, January," he vows, the quiet intensity in his voice letting me know he means that. "I'd give up my life in a second to keep you safe."
"I know." He's done nothing but try to protect me since he was seven years old. "And I know you have to deal with Kaleo too. He's dangerous."
Cade disentangles my arms from around him and takes a step back, tipping my face up until our eyes meet. His are solemn blue, so serious. He looks like the boy I fell in love with all those years ago….the one who told me so earnestly that he'd never be mean to me.
"He's more dangerous than you know," he murmurs, holding my gaze. "Promise me that you will never let him get close to you. If he comes looking for you, you run and hide. If I'm not here, you call me."
I've never been particularly afraid of Kaleo. Even when we were kids, he didn't scare me. He stayed away for years after Cade left, keeping his people off my block and out of my hair. If that new school wasn't going up, I don't think he'd be trying to run me off now. I know what type of man he is. I hate him for who he is and the things he's done. But I'm not afraid of him.
"I will," I promise Cade anyway, unable to deny him anything with worry shining in those eyes of his.
"Are you avoiding me?" Mariah demands, cornering me in the teacher's lounge at noon on Thursday.
I glance up from my chicken salad to find her standing in the doorway with a hand on her hip and a scowl on her face. "No," I say, only partially lying. "I've just had a lot of meetings with parents this week."