Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 115186 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 576(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115186 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 576(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
When she closed her eyes, his anger spiked through the roof. He understood that she was torn. She had a career goal. She thought this was the only path toward it.
The truth was, that was total bullshit. There had to be another way to get what she wanted.
And if he needed to find that alternative for her, he would. Because the fuck if she was going to continue to be verbally abused by that asshat.
Not on his watch.
Romeo stood outside of unit number twenty-two and pounded on the door.
Noises came from the other side before he heard a muffled, “Who is it?”
He sighed. “Got a peephole. Know who the fuck it is.”
“Do you have a good reason to be here?”
He shook his head. She was testing his patience. “Seriously, woman? Open the fuckin’ door. Otherwise, I’m gonna embarrass the shit outta you ’til you do.”
“By doing what?”
He leaned closer to the door and warned, “Really want to find out?”
“With you, it could be anything.”
She wasn’t wrong.
He listened carefully for the slide of a chain and the click of a deadbolt to make sure she kept her door locked.
The second she opened it, he barreled right past her and inside her place.
“Come on in,” she said dryly.
“Why don’t your place have an elevator?”
“Why doesn’t yours? And if you haven’t noticed, my apartment complex is small. I’m capable of walking up a flight of steps. Apparently, you are, too, since here you are!” She tipped her head to the side and raised both eyebrows.
With his head on a swivel, he checked out her crib. At least the parts he could see from where he stood.
From what he could tell, her apartment was tiny. “You live here alone?”
“No. With my lover.”
His head spun toward where she still stood by the now closed door. She had a damn good poker face. “He got the initials LZ?”
“You know Zeke has a room at the Angels’ church.”
“Lotta MC members keep a room at church. Don’t mean they don’t sleep elsewhere.” Or bounce from bed to bed, depending on what female they were fucking that night.
“You must’ve forgotten. We already had a discussion about Zeke.”
With his hands on his hips, he turned to face her. “Women lie.”
She frowned. “You’re calling me a liar? That’s rich.”
“Ain’t you lyin’ about havin’ a lover?”
“I was only joking.”
“Yeah. Your jokes don’t make me laugh.”
“That’s why I’m a sports physical therapist and not doing standup.”
“Gonna give me the nickel tour?”
“It’s going to cost you more than a nickel. Have to account for inflation, you know.”
He dug into his front pocket and pulled out a quarter. He flipped it in her direction. After catching it, she turned it within her fingers. “Not sure this will cover the cost of you being here.”
“Me bein’ here ain’t costin’ you nothin’.”
“Unlike you coming to my job.”
He had no idea what happened after he left Smith’s earlier because she refused to leave with him. Since he wasn’t in the mood to spend a night or ten in the slammer, he reluctantly left without her.
She headed into the small kitchen to the left of the entry. Only a half wall separated it from where he stood, and the living room situated to his right.
He followed her.
She went over to the stove. “You never said why you’re here.”
“Wouldn’t come to me, so came to you, instead.” He figured he’d hear from her once she left work. All he got was radio silence.
“Anyway… How do you know where I live?”
“Got my ways.”
“By following me?”
“No need.” He also had no need to explain where he got his info. He flared his nostrils and breathed deeply. Whatever was on the stove smelled really fucking good. “Whatcha makin’?”
Stepping closely behind her, he glanced over her shoulder at what looked like a pot of chili.
“Dinner. You know, the meal most people eat before bedtime.”
“Usually eat pussy before bedtime.”
“Like I said… Most people.”
When he whispered, “Expected you to come over to my place,” close to her neck, he grinned because he caused goosebumps to break out.
Fuck yeah. She wanted him. Even if she tried to deny it, her reaction gave her away.
“Expectations aren’t always met.”
“Mmm.” He blew lightly on the back of her neck.
She shivered and waved a hand over her shoulder in his direction. “Stop.”
“Gonna share that with me?”
“I only made enough for one.”
“There’s enough fuckin’ food there to feed ten.”
“Maybe I’m really hungry.”
“Or maybe you just like bein’ difficult.”
She shrugged and turned. “Not sure why you’d think that?”
“What woman ain’t difficult?”
“I could say the same for men.”
“We ain’t difficult. We’re just dicks.”
“With dicks.”
He mmm’d again and stepped back, giving her space to work.
She gave the chili a last stir, turned off the heat and moved the pot over one burner. His eyes were glued to her ass as she opened a cabinet and pulled down a bowl, placing it on the counter next to another empty one.