Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 67553 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 338(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67553 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 338(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
But I wouldn’t be telling him that.
I had a feeling that Roslyn’s dad was just as bad as the man standing beside me.
“Do you need to lock the door to your room?” he asked.
“Oh, yes.” I smiled and started to turn with the keys in my hand, but he caught them and walked to the door.
“If you don’t mind stepping out,” Shasha said amicably.
My gaze flicked to Rupert, who looked to be fuming, and back to Shasha, who was showing no outward signs of annoyance.
Yet, I could see the way that his veins were pulsing, indicating his heart rate was accelerated.
He was angry, all right.
That made me feel super happy, too, because I knew he was angry on my behalf.
Shasha got the door locked, and then he handed me back my keys, and the two of us left without another word to the douchebag behind us.
Of course, the day wouldn’t be complete if we didn’t see Jolessa, too.
We were almost to the double doors that would lead outside when she popped out of the office, looking angry as a hornet.
A year ago, I would’ve dropped everything—even the sexy man beside me—to find out what was going on.
Now I didn’t spare her a single glance as I headed out to the main drop-off area where the teachers parked.
Luckily being at the high school, drop off and pick up was a breeze, meaning even though it was a few minutes after the bell had just rang, almost all of the kids were gone.
There were only a few left in the corner of the stoop, blocking themselves from the rain with the small amount of roof overhang there was.
I looked at the parking lot in dismay.
“Dammit.”
I could feel his gaze on me as he said, “What?”
“I wore my UGGs today, and they’re not really supposed to get wet,” I grumbled.
Before I could comprehend what happened, I was being carried to my car, and my shoes were tucked beneath his coat, being blocked from the rain.
“I see you have doors today,” he mused.
“I didn’t when I parked this morning,” I admitted. “But my brothers know I need help putting them on, so they must’ve stolen it during the school day, taken it to Holden’s house, and put them on for me.”
“Do your brothers always take care of you so thoroughly?” he asked as he opened my Jeep door and tossed me inside.
My shoes went to the passenger seat, and then he was standing in my open Jeep door, using his big body to block the rain from entering into the cab.
“They try,” I said, voice kind of shaky now.
The water was dripping down his face, and his clothes were soaked.
Yet, he didn’t seem to care.
He stared at me with such intense eyes that I felt like I was being undone.
“I’ve tried really hard,” he said out of the blue.
I blinked. “Doing what?”
“To stay away,” he admitted.
My eyes refocused on him, taking in the look on his face.
“Why?” I asked.
“Because it’s dangerous in my world,” he said. “People get kidnapped here. I don’t think I could do it again.”
“What makes you think it’d happen again?” I pushed.
“Because I’m a bad person, Brecken. Good things don’t happen to bad people,” he continued.
The rain let up, going from a downpour to a thick, misty rain.
“‘Bad’ seems a little too harsh,” I said. “I haven’t seen you be a bad person yet.”
His eyes changed then, becoming incredibly serious, as he said, “And you never will.”
I fully expected him to back out of my doorway and retreat like he always did, but this time, he surprised me by staying and saying, “Are you sure, Brecken Navy Sweat? Because if you’re not, you need to tell me now.”
“Do you kill innocent people?” I blurted.
“No,” he answered.
“Do you kill women and children?” I asked.
“No,” he repeated.
“Do you hook little kids on drugs?” I wondered.
His eye twitched and his mouth quirked up before he said, “No.”
“Then I’m sure.”
He backed away and shut the door before tapping the top of my Jeep.
I wondered if that was supposed to mean I was supposed to leave.
Guessing that it was, I cranked the Jeep up and started out of the parking lot.
I kept an eye on my rearview mirror for the man that I knew was behind me, but I didn’t see him until I pulled up at my apartment complex a half hour later and saw him sitting in my guest spot, waiting for me.
A quickie a day keeps the attitude away.
—Brecken to Shasha
BRECKEN
I got out, this time barefoot, and left my shoes in my car.
Once it was locked, I headed toward him, my gaze on his wet hair and the water dripping down his face.
“How did you get here so fast?” I asked.
“I don’t drive like a grandma.” He shrugged. “I passed you before you even got onto the freeway.”