Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 103356 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 517(@200wpm)___ 413(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103356 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 517(@200wpm)___ 413(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
She put a hand on Opal’s arm. She knew her friend was close to losing her shit on Linc. And it wouldn’t be pretty. Opal was pretty easygoing until you hurt someone that she cared about.
Which was a short list.
“Fine. Kye stays with the two of you, but I will be checking on him. I’m taking Ryleigh home now to look after her.”
“Fine, but we will be checking on her,” Opal told him. Reaching into the back of the truck, Opal unhooked his car seat and dragged it out. “And when Ryleigh is better, you can bet she’s not going to be happy with the way you spoke to Lilac.”
Linc looked tense as he got in the truck and drove away with a sleeping Ryleigh.
“What if she’s not okay, Opal?” she whispered. “He’s right. It’s all on me. All my fault.”
Before Opal could reply, Tanner stepped between them, his hand cupping her chin to tilt her face back.
“Did you make her sick?” he asked.
“No, of course not.” How would that even be possible?
“Did you tell her that she couldn’t see a doctor?”
“No. I asked her if she needed to go, but she said she would be all right. However—”
“No, no howevers, no buts.”
“I should have insisted she go.”
“How old is she?” he asked.
“Um. Twenty-three.”
“How old are you?”
“The same.”
“I’m twenty-nine, doll,” Opal drawled. “Just in case anyone cared.”
Tanner flicked her a look, and to her surprise, his lips twitched. “Would have thought you were the same age.”
“Oh, I like him,” Opal purred. “Which truck is yours, Cowboy? I’ll go get this set up.” She held up the car seat.
“Red truck over there.” He pointed to it and handed her the keys.
Opal strode away, her legs encased in tight jeans and a pair of thigh high boots with a thick wedge heel gave her some much-needed height.
“She’s not going to steal my truck, is she?” he asked.
“Of course not!” Lilac glared up at him.
“Just checking. Back to my scolding.”
“It’s rude to scold me,” she muttered.
“Not when you’ve earned it. You’re being way too hard on yourself and you need to stop.”
“Says you.”
“Yes, says me.”
“You don’t have a right to tell me off.” Although she had to admit it was helping to assuage her guilt.
“Has my dick been inside you?” he retorted.
“Tanner!” She tried to cover up Kye’s ears. “You cannot talk in front of children like that.”
Tanner grinned at her. “If he’s going to be around me or my brothers, he’s gonna hear worse than that.”
“Then you should clean up your language. And what does that have to do with anything?”
“My dick’s been in you. I’ve kissed you. Slept with you. Cared for you.”
Cared?
So, he didn’t anymore?
Pay attention, Lilac. That’s not what is important.
It felt like it was, though. Because her heart felt like it was tearing into pieces.
“And here’s the thing, I never let you go.”
Her mouth dropped open. “What?”
“I never let you go. You left. But I’m thinking now that you didn’t want to. I think there’s a reason you left which you’re going to tell me soon. But that just means you didn’t want to leave me. My claim still applies.”
“There . . . there was no claim!” What the heck? Was he for real right now?
“Baby, there was definitely a claim. And that claim still exists. So, get your head around being mine.”
“How did I not know how arrogant you are?”
He grinned. “You knew. You just liked it before. But now that I’m bossing your ass for your own good, I might add, you’ve decided it annoys you.”
“Of course it does! Arrogance is annoying.”
“Nope. Arrogance is me knowing I own you.”
“Nobody owns me. Nobody!” She practically yelled the words, her heart racing. It was too close to something Stefan would have said to her.
Kye let out a startled cry while Tanner stared down at her in shock.
“Here.” Opal reappeared, taking Kye from her. “I think it’s best we all get home, yeah?”
Lilac nodded. She felt more exhausted than she could ever remember feeling before. It was like all of her energy had been drained out of her. Turning, she stumbled again as she tried to walk to Tanner’s truck.
Letting out a grunt that she assumed was one of annoyance, he picked her up and carried her over to the truck.
“You don’t need to carry me.” Even though she knew she should be stronger than this, it was kind of a relief.
“I think you’ll find that I do. You’re so exhausted that you can barely walk. And I don’t want you tripping up. Plus, this means I get hold you. Never a bad thing.”
“Really?” she whispered.
“Why would it be, baby?”
“Because when I first arrived here and you saw me at Dirty Delights, you looked at me like you hated me. You said what we had was just a fling.”
“I told you I didn’t mean that. I wish I hadn’t said it because it’s not true. I’m mad at you, make no mistake of that. And you’re going to get punished. For running from me. For not coming to me if you were in trouble. Oh, and for jumping out of a moving truck. Yeah, your ass is toast.”