Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 113319 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113319 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
His stance turned awkward, riddled with anxiety and unease that he was trying not to show. The sneer was obviously autopilot.
“Anything else?” he asked, his condescension wavering a bit.
“Yeah. This is the worst dinner party I’ve ever been to, and I’ve been to twenty years of them with you. Hell, I was at one where I threw a guy out of a window. This is still worse. My dad could walk around at Christmas with his balls out, and it would be better than this. You know, you’re only as good as the women you corner into serving you. Camila is lovely. I hope she robs you blind and then leaves you. I won’t be going to her funeral, by the way—your wedding—so don’t bother sending an invite. From now on, I won’t be organizing any interactions between you and Jimmy, either. He’ll see you when he wants to. If he doesn’t want to, that’s on you. If you try to force him, you’ll meet me, and trust me when I say”—she leaned in, and it was clear he couldn’t help himself from leaning backward—“you don’t want me as your enemy. Now move.”
There was so much power in her voice, delivered in the tone of a commander talking to her league of gargoyles, that Matt wouldn’t have been able to ignore it if he’d tried. He stepped to the side, dropping his glass. It shattered on the hardwood, washing scotch under Jessie’s shoe as she stepped forward.
“Austin, remove him to the front room for a moment while I speak to Camila, if you don’t mind,” she said, and then she was through the kitchen door.
Now, Austin did posture. He let his power pump through him. The threat he’d felt all evening burned in his eyes. He didn’t need to say a word. He stepped forward, and Matt scattered meekly before him.
“Now, it’s my turn to talk,” Austin said in a rough tone, following the man closely, full alpha. In the living room he grabbed the man’s arm and whipped him around, leaning aggressively down into his space. “She is mine. That means she is under my protection, and so is her son. If you cause them any more discomfort, even one tear, I will end you, do you understand me? I will ruin your career, take your house, and ensure someone charms and steals your hopefully-never-to-be wife. You’ll be penniless and destitute and then”—he grabbed the quivering man by his lapels—“I will beat you bloody. You don’t know the meaning of pain, but I will gladly show you.”
He let his feral gaze beat down into Matt, who issued a sound that was half wheeze, half whimper, and then the air was perfumed with the smell of urine.
Austin held the stare for one moment longer, showing this man what dominance really was, before flinging him away.
“Go get yourself cleaned up. We’re taking your son with us. After tonight, you haven’t earned a goodbye. He’ll call you if he wants to. You will leave it at that.”
Jessie
I entered the kitchen with my power pumping. It had taken me too long to realize it, to really accept it, but I was better than all this. Better than that idiot Matt, stronger than his moods. He’d dominated a different version of me. A younger version. I was older now, wiser.
I was the queen of my domain, and that fool was not my king.
Camila waited behind the island, her spine bent and her eyes puffy. The dinner lay finished behind her. Paella.
“That looks delicious,” I said, softening my voice, walking around to pull her into a hug.
She resisted for a moment and then fell into it, crying softly against my shoulder.
“Listen to me,” I said, rocking her gently. “First, this is not the worst it can get with him. He’ll do exactly this in front of your respected peers and closest friends, in front of your kid, and it will feel like your whole world is crashing down around you. And when that happens, he won’t let anyone comfort you. He’ll ensure there is distance between you and any support system you used to have. So if you think this is just a one-time thing, you’re wrong. Tomorrow he won’t even say he’s sorry. He’ll blame you for it and go about his day. You need to know that before it’s too late. Second…”
I pulled away so I could look into her eyes, which were filled with fresh tears.
“I am going to leave you my number. If this evening is unbearable, you call me, okay? Any time, day or night, you call—”
The sliding door opened, and Mr. Tom walked through it in a very rumpled butler’s uniform, his chin held high.
“If I may…” He peered at Camila. “You remember me from the other day, I trust?”