Total pages in book: 145
Estimated words: 146666 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 733(@200wpm)___ 587(@250wpm)___ 489(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 146666 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 733(@200wpm)___ 587(@250wpm)___ 489(@300wpm)
“Oh, jeez, we’re not doing mushy stuff are we?”
“No. Because I’m still mad at you. Why didn’t you tell me about the stalker?”
“I was going to. When I got here. But you were going on vacation and I knew you wouldn’t go if I told you.”
“Damn straight, I wouldn’t have gone. Greer, you didn’t have the right to make that decision for me.”
Shame filled her and her shoulders slumped. “Sorry.”
“I should have been given the option. And why didn’t you tell me you’d moved in with Hack?”
“You would have had questions.”
“Well, one of you should have told me. But that’s done now, I guess. You need to move back in with me, though.”
“I’m not doing that. Hack is my boyfriend and I want to stay with him.”
“What?” he yelled.
Stone climbed into the backseat. “What the hell is going on? I could hear you yelling from outside. Hack isn’t going to be happy that you’re yelling at Greer.”
“Hack can suck my . . .” Aidan trailed off, running a hand over his hair. “I cannot believe that he would take advantage of my vulnerable sister.”
“Hack didn’t take advantage of me, Aidan,” she told him firmly. “And I can’t believe you’d think that about him or me. If you can’t be nice, then you need to turn this car around and go back home. Stone and I will catch a cab home.”
“Greer,” he said in a pleading voice.
“No. I’m really not happy with you right now.”
“Squirt, come on. I’m just trying to look out for you.”
“You don’t think Hack has been doing that?” Stone said. “He’s looked after her, protected her, taken care of her.”
Aidan blew out a breath and closed his eyes for a moment. “Fine. Fine, maybe I am overreacting. It’s just . . . you’re my baby sister. I’ve always taken care of you. And to learn that you’ve been in danger . . . it’s killing me that I haven’t been here.”
“I’m all right,” she told him. “They’re going to find him and in the meantime, Hack has been looking after me.”
“Fine. I’m still going to talk to that bastard. However, I won’t lead with my fists on his face.”
“Thank you.”
“That will come later,” he added. “If I don’t like what he says.”
She sighed. Cavemen. She was surrounded in them.
53
“So,” she said as she hugged Wally to her chest later that night.
Hack had just walked into their bedroom carrying a bottle of milk.
“Aidan was totally over-the-top, huh? I mean . . . threatening to dismember you if you hurt me. That was crazy. As if. He’d never do it, you know. He was just being cuckoo.”
“Baby, stop stressing.”
“Who’s stressing? I’m not stressing. Nope. Not me. Uh-uh.”
“Right.” He put the milk on the nightstand then climbed into bed. Sitting, he leaned against the headboard. She immediately climbed into his lap. She loved taking her bottle like this. It was so relaxing and she always felt so safe in his arms.
But she wasn’t ready to relax just yet.
“You sound like you’re stressing.”
“Nope. I am totally chill.”
“Uh-huh. Listen to me.” He tilted her face back. “No matter what goes on between me and Aidan, it is not something for you to worry about. Daddy is in charge. Daddy does the worrying for you. And if I say there is nothing to worry about, then there is nothing to worry about.”
“You just said worry a lot.”
He gave her a firm look and she sighed. “I will try not to be too concerned that my brother and my boyfriend are going to come to blows or something.”
“We are not going to come to blows,” he told her. “Now, time for your bottle and sleep, understand? Tomorrow is a new day.”
“With a boulder for a manny.”
“Oh my God,” he said, grinning. “That’s his new nickname, Manny Boulder.”
Crap. Stone would never forgive her for that one.
“Come on, Stone. You have to forgive me,” she wheedled. “I didn’t mean to give Hack an idea for a new nickname.”
Damn man was so good at the silent game.
She sat on the dining chair with a sad sigh. “I’ll cry if you don’t forgive me.”
“That’s manipulative.”
“But you’ll forgive me?”
He crossed his arms over his chest. “I should spank you.”
“We both know you won’t do that.”
He heaved a big sigh. “Fine. You’re forgiven. But from now on, you won’t moan when I tell you it’s time for something on your schedule.”
“Pinky promise.”
He frowned, straightening as they heard what sounded like a car screech outside.
“Stay here.” He reached behind him for his gun and her heart raced. She froze. Should she go with him?
But he said to stay here.
A good girl would do as she was told.
A door slammed and she gave a small scream.
Oh God. Oh God. Oh God.
“Greer!”
That was Hack’s voice.
“Hack! Be careful, there’s a bad guy ,and Stone’s gonna get himself killed. And it will be all my fault.”