Total pages in book: 39
Estimated words: 35974 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 180(@200wpm)___ 144(@250wpm)___ 120(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 35974 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 180(@200wpm)___ 144(@250wpm)___ 120(@300wpm)
“Probably,” I conceded. “But don’t pretend to know me or what I do. You just met me.”
“Yeah. But I know your twin pretty Goddamned well. I see the same core of strength in you.” He snorted at me. “You ain’t no wiltin’ flower, pinin’ away for the brother she condemned to prison.”
“Never said I was.” I was gonna fuckin’ kill this son of a bitch. Gunnar would just have to live with it.
“No, but you have everyone else believin’ it.”
“All right, Knuckles.” Pain pointed to the door. “Out. Now.”
“Not on your life, Pain. I’m sittin’ right here where I can keep an eye on this little hellion. She’s not leavin’ this house unless I’m with her.”
“You can try to keep me prisoner here, but I promise you, it won’t work out well for you.”
“Oh, baby girl. That’s exactly what I’m countin’ on.” That evil, predator smile was my last straw.
Without so much as a sound, I launched myself around Pain to drive my shoulder into Knuckles’s solar plexus. He grunted but barely moved backward against the force of my body hitting him. I was short and slight, but I had a leanly muscled body, so I was strong. I was light on my feet, even after the hits I’d taken earlier. Even though Knuckles seemed to barely notice the hit he’d taken, I’d put myself in the dominant position, getting the upper hand.
When he would have wrapped his arms around my waist, I dropped, sliding under his legs. Coming to my feet, I kicked out and punted him behind the knee. That got a startled yell from him.
“Hannah!” He roared my name as he spun around only to meet my foot with the side of his neck. I was aiming for his jaw, but he was just that little bit too tall, and I was just that little bit too short. He caught my ankle and lifted me up in the air with one big, meaty hand. I let out a girly squeal I was sure I’d be embarrassed about later. My free leg flailed as I tried to get my bearings and fight my way free. “Calm the fuck down, little hellion!”
“Put me down!”
“Christ, Knuckles! What the fuck ’er you doin’?” Pain had a hold of Knuckles’s wrist, trying to pull his arm down.
“Not until she promises to sit down and behave.”
“Knuckles, she just had the shit beat outta her! Stop it right now!”
“All right.” He still didn’t put me down. That stubborn look on his face said he had a problem with me, and we were hashing it out right now. “How about this? Tell me you didn’t let that bastard hit you. As in, convince me, after how you just attacked me, why you didn’t lift a fuckin’ finger to protect yourself when he came at you. You do that, then I’ll fuckin’ leave and you’ll never hear another fuckin’ word from me.”
“And you’ll keep your mouth shut about this to Gunnar.” I had to look up at him from where I still dangled from his hand by my foot. And yeah, I hoped I was getting too heavy for him, but from the way he hadn’t even broken a sweat, I didn’t hold out much hope.
He snorted. “Nope. That’s not a promise I can make. I’m not keeping this from Gunnar because you’re his twin and he loves you.” When I didn’t respond, Knuckles grinned. “What? No snappy comeback?”
Pain scooped me up, taking my weight from Knuckles. If I thought he’d let Pain take me back to the couch or even to bed so I could rest, I’d have been wrong. Pain set me on my feet and Knuckles wrapped one big arm around me before lifting me to cradle me in his arms.
Knuckles settled me close to his chest and I had no way of not snuggling next to him. He smelled so fucking good! The steady beat of his heart under my ear, even for a brief moment, was almost lulling. I knew if I had a full minute to do nothing but snuggle against his wide chest while listening to his heartbeat and the breath moving in and out of his lungs, I’d be out like a light.
From the first time I ever saw him, Knuckles called to me. Tall, dark, and tortured, to say nothing of the thick muscle sculpting his body -- the very embodiment of strength in its most primal form. Colorful tattoos ran from shoulder to wrist, creeping up the side of his neck. Though he was older than me by over a decade, the added age only bolstered his appeal. It was because of how much larger than life Knuckles was that I knew I could never let him know how he affected me. Unfortunately, I was pretty sure I’d blown that pipe dream right out of the water.