Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 34520 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 173(@200wpm)___ 138(@250wpm)___ 115(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34520 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 173(@200wpm)___ 138(@250wpm)___ 115(@300wpm)
“You stay put,” I tell Heirloom, slipping from the car.
“Where the hell have you been? You should have been back hours ago!” he shouts, his face turning red. It must be nice to get so worried over a damn flower. I’m sure it also has something to do with the fact that Mr. Hoover hates that there is something out there he thinks he can’t have.
“You didn’t tell me that place had sensors. The second I picked up the pot, the alarms went off.” My words have Mr. Hoover stilling. “Did he see you? Did you tell him who sent you?” The redness is slipping from Mr. Hoover’s face, and now he’s growing pale. “Tell me!” he bellows, clearing the rest of the space between us, getting into my face. He might be an older man, but he’s still big. Everyone is big compared to me.
“No, I didn’t tell him who you are. He only knows who I am.”
“He let you go?” He gives me a puzzled look.
“I don’t know why he didn’t call the police on me,” I say honestly. Though I’m pretty sure Mr. Hoover might. At least that’s what he said would happen if I didn’t come back with that damn flower.
“No, Avery Harbin wouldn’t call the police.” He shakes his head. That sounds ominous. “Did you come straight from there to here?”
“Yeah, I–”
His hand strikes my face hard, cutting my words off. I stumble backward and start to fall, but two very familiar arms wrap around me, catching me before I hit the concrete driveway.
“You have a knack for getting yourself hurt, little thief,” Avery whispers into my ear as he rights me. As he does, I sense a change start to come over him. He steps forward. I swallow, and for the first time, I’m actually terrified of the man.
9
AVERY
“Now look, Harbin. You’re trespassing on my property, and–”
I walk right up to him, grip his head, and snap his neck. The look of shock in his eyes is priceless, and when he falls at my feet, I kick him for good measure. “No one touches my Goldie,” I snarl. I wish I could visit more violence on this piece of garbage, but my fury got the better of me, and I ended him quickly. Too quickly. I sigh. God, I’ve missed my job.
When I turn back to Marigold, she stares up at me, eyes wide, face pale. The red mark on her cheek seems even brighter now, which leads me to turn and kick the dead bastard once more before striding to her.
“Let’s go.”
“B-b-but…” She points at the dead man. “You killed him.” Her voice rises in volume and pitch. “He’s dead!”
“He hit you.” I take her elbow and lead her away. “Now let’s get back home.”
She digs in her heels. “You can’t just kill someone because they hit me!”
“Of course I can.” I turn her to face me. “If you think I’ll ever allow someone to hurt you, you’re wrong. I protect what’s mine.”
“I’m not yours!” She kicks her chin up.
“I’m afraid that’s not up to you. Not anymore.” I’m speaking too roughly, my heart thumping a harsh beat–my blood’s up because I killed a man. I enjoyed it. Now I want to enjoy the innocent little thief who stumbled into my clutches. “Like I told you, I know quality when I see it.” I grab a handful of her hair and kiss her hard.
She smacks my chest and tries to push me away. I hold her tighter and swipe my tongue across her lips. She gives one more protest, then melts into me.
Her mouth opens, and I delve inside. Her tongue moves against mine hesitantly. I grip her hair harder, and she grabs on to me, her tongue engaging with mine as she moans and presses her against me.
This is what I want–her open and needy. I have half a mind to throw her down on this driveway and fuck her good and hard so she knows never to run from me again. But I won’t give the stupid motherfucker on the ground the pleasure of watching us, even if he is dead.
I reach down and cup her sex, feeling how hot and wet she is through her pants. I groan. Unable to stop myself, I slide my fingers under the waistband of her pants, into her panties, and right to her throbbing clit.
She bucks against me, her hips moving. I stroke her, swirling and rubbing her clit until she’s balanced on my hand, riding me as I kiss and bite her lips, then suck her tongue. Her legs shake, her hips moving more erratically.
A gasp catches in her throat, and I pull away and stare into her eyes as she comes.
“Look at me, little thief. I own this. All of it.” I stroke her slick cunt, drawing a loud moan from her as she shudders in my grasp. “Mine.”