Total pages in book: 144
Estimated words: 140896 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 704(@200wpm)___ 564(@250wpm)___ 470(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 140896 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 704(@200wpm)___ 564(@250wpm)___ 470(@300wpm)
“As I’ve mentioned countless times, I’m a fast learner. You’re welcome.”
I cast another glance at the food and then take a tentative sip from the soup. The rich taste explodes in my mouth like a home-cooked meal. Before I know it, I’m done with it.
I move to the pasta, and it tastes even better than the soup. The lamb is a knockout, but I choose to take my time with it, partly because I’m almost full and I want to savor what I’m eating.
A sudden breeze ruffles my hair and goosebumps erupt on my naked arms. For some reason, the sensation doesn’t seem to be entirely related to the cold. I lift my gaze, and my mouthful of food gets stuck at the back of my throat.
Landon, who I assumed was also eating, is not. His undivided attention is dangerously focused on me, head on his fist as he swirls the wine glass with his free hand.
I swallow the contents of my mouth with effort and slowly set my utensils on the table. “What do you want?”
“Should I want something?” he replies with disturbing nonchalance.
“You always do.”
“Hmm. Maybe you’re right and I do want something.”
“Which is?”
“To get my fill of you, which I’ve been doing spectacularly.”
The temperature rises in my chest and forms knots at the base of my belly. I try and fail to control the unconscious reaction as I sign, “You want me to believe that the great Landon King would settle for such a trivial thing?”
“I couldn’t believe it myself, but I also wouldn’t categorize it as trivial.”
“You mean to tell me you’re content with this very normal date and wouldn’t trade it with chasing or choking me?”
“What type of blasphemy is that? Of course I would. But, apparently, it’s better to go against my instinct in situations like these. I don’t really get the hype about emotions, but I’m trying.”
“Trying to what? Have them?”
“Nonsense.” His lips lift in clear disgust and he drowns it with a sip of wine. “I’m trying not to use my understanding of emotions in a destructive manner. At least, not with the people who matter.”
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
My heart nearly explodes from behind my rib cage. I breathe in and out slowly, attempting, no, refusing to be caught in the web of Landon’s chaos-driven world again.
“Does that mean you didn’t consider your other options?”
“What other options?”
“The girls who throw themselves at you ready to satisfy your wildest kinks.”
“The only girl I want to satisfy my kinks is you, so everyone else is redundant.”
I swallow thickly, my heart rate still refusing to go down. “Are you telling me you weren’t tempted? Not even a little?”
“No. I quit going to the sex clubs after you came into my life.”
“You went to sex clubs?”
“All the time. I used to go there mostly to satisfy my exhibitionism kink.”
“And you don’t need to now?”
His eyes darken. “Absolutely not. The thought of anyone seeing you naked turns me murderous.”
I clear my throat. “I don’t know what caused this change, but it doesn’t matter. If you hurt my family again, Jeremy included, not only will I never share space with you again, but I’ll also make it my mission to destroy you.”
“Oh?” A sardonic smirk lifts the corner of his lips. “Did you mention a form of destruction?”
“Do you think I’m joking?”
“Far from it. Which is why I’m taking the risk.”
“Risk?”
“I told you this whole sentimental gibberish doesn’t come naturally to me.” He takes another sip of wine and stares into the starless sky in the distance.
“Then how do you intend to learn it versus merely emulating it?”
“As I’ve continuously mentioned, I happen to be a genius.”
“Intellectual IQ is worlds apart from emotional IQ. You might score two hundred on the former, but you’re minus two hundred on the latter.”
He clicks his tongue, the first sign of annoyance peeking through the creasing lines around his eyes and mouth. “I’m far more superior and efficient than fools who let their feelings dictate their actions. What’s so high and mighty about having emotions?”
“You really don’t get it, do you?” I sign without any sense of anger or disappointment. I’ve always thought of Landon’s condition in the clinical sense, or maybe as I blamed him for all the shit he keeps stirring, but this is the first time I’ve realized he probably doesn’t know anything else.
He’s never experienced any of the normal emotions many of us do. No genuine love, sadness, heartache, or anything of sentimental value.
The fact that he can emulate them doesn’t mean he can feel them. It’s why he’s lethal when he gets hold of other people’s weaknesses.
His lack of both empathy and guilt makes him the ultimate mental weapon.
It’s also why he gets irritated when forced to act opposite his nature.
“Get what?” he asks in an unfamiliar tight tone.
Landon’s strength is his ability to not get agitated or ruffled, like an ancient, untouchable god with thousands of followers.