Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 109696 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 548(@200wpm)___ 439(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109696 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 548(@200wpm)___ 439(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
“That’s the last thing I need right now, Rip.” I glance around. The place looks the same. Maybe they got a new couch? Not sure.
“I’m sick of New York, and Gia offered me their place in Malibu.” A loud snap of the balls on the pool table makes me jump. There’s only a handful of bikers, so I have no idea why I’m jumpy.
“Darlin’, you’re in Burbank, not Malibu.” He smirks. His tan surfer boy good looks make him look out of place, sort of. I mean, Axel looks like a model… with tattoos. Blade and David look like a mean Thor, and Ryder… Aquaman.
“You okay?” Rip leans over the bar, reaching to grab a bottle of Casamigos tequila.
“Define okay?”
“Perfect, let’s get drunk and you can tell Daddy Rip everything.” He laughs as he offers me his arm.
“Rip. Please don’t refer yourself as my daddy.” I roll my eyes at him, and take his arm as I pretend to ignore any looks we might be getting as we move to sit in the corner.
“Where’s Ryder?”
“Meeting with his lawyer. Shit is going on. He may not be thrilled you’re here, you know.”
My face instantly floods with heat as I dig my fingers into his arm.
“Christ, your nails, Jules.” He frowns at me.
“Is he in trouble?” My legs instantly feel like rubber. I should leave. Go to Malibu before he shows up. Instead, I drop into the chair that Rip pushes me into.
“That’s classified shit,” he responds.
A loud bang, followed by yelling, makes both of us turn to the front door. A tall, dark-haired guy with glasses stands holding the screen open with his foot. In his hands is a giant monitor. He doesn’t look like a biker. More like a professor, but he has the leather vest thing on.
“Now what?” Rip stands. “Here.” He hands me the bottle and goes over to where the commotion’s happening.
I bite my lower lip as I watch. Rip seems to be trying to calm the professor down while helping the other guys bring in numerous boxes. With the amount of electronic stuff they’re carrying upstairs toward the bedrooms, it looks like they robbed a Best Buy.
I glance down at the bottle and up at Rip, who doesn’t look like he’ll be joining me anytime soon.
Screw it, I could use some liquid courage. I need to find my luggage. Maybe I can slip out the back door, get a new Uber driver to actually take me to Malibu. The last thing I want to do is cause problems.
I stand and look around. Aside from the two guys playing pool, everyone else seems to have disappeared. I twist open the bottle and take a sip.
“Oh God.” I almost spit it out, but manage to choke it past my burning tongue and let it slide down my raw throat.
“The hell is she doing here?”
Swinging around, I’m barely able to breathe, let alone talk, as I blink up at him. He’s awe-inspiring. My stomach flips at the thrill of seeing him.
Ryder’s eyes hold mine as he stares at me in disbelief.
Dark, demanding, and dangerous.
I want him.
I’m sure this behavior is unhealthy. I’m basically stalking him, dropping everything to see him. But I don’t even care. The way his eyes are focused on me makes my core pulse. God, my panties are soaked. I think I could come just knowing he’s staring at me.
“What the fuck, Julianna?” Axel asks the air since I literally have to blink him into focus.
“Did you know she was coming?” Blade’s voice alerts me to the fact that he, too, is in the room.
“No.” Ryder’s voice makes me shiver. I grab the back of the chair and hope no one saw it.
In two steps he has my chin. Gone are all thoughts of my burned tongue. All I can do is focus on his strong fingers—it’s like they’re branding me.
His eyes bore into mine as if he’s searching for something he must find. His thumb caresses my lips in approval.
His. I belong with him. I feel it. It’s not merely a need; it’s a force that grows stronger each day. And today, I’ve decided not to fight it anymore.
“What are you doing, Bellezza?” His gravelly voice is so intimate, I don’t care that Blade is sending disapproving juju, or that Axel said what he did.
“Again, what fuck is going on? Is Gia here too?”
Ryder’s lips twitch and his eyes dip to mine. “Don’t disturb me unless someone’s dead,” he calls over his shoulder, taking my hand. His touch is warm, strong, secure. As we take the stairs, I try to breathe.
This is happening. I really am here. My stomach flutters. I’m going to be fucked, hard, by Ryder. I almost moan as I fight the temptation to reach down and touch his thick cock in the middle of the hallway while he unlocks his bedroom door.