Total pages in book: 37
Estimated words: 34282 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 171(@200wpm)___ 137(@250wpm)___ 114(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34282 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 171(@200wpm)___ 137(@250wpm)___ 114(@300wpm)
Two thoughts went through my head. First was, “Yes, sir. May I have another?” I wasn’t about to say that out loud. So I settled with something a little more outraged.
“Touch me, and I’ll find a way to kill you.”
Sting chuckled. “Yeah? We’ll see. In the meantime, I need you to stay here. Let me and my boys do what we’re trained to do. I’ll come back for you, and we’ll meet up with Brick so you can be with your sister.”
I sucked in a breath. Tears threatened. I wanted to believe him. So bad! Looking up into his eyes, I thought I might. Sting lifted his weight off me slightly, and I rolled to my back. To my surprise, he settled himself back on top of me. I should have felt trapped. Instead, I kept seeing us like this in a different setting. A soft mattress beneath me while Sting’s hard body was above me.
Without thinking too much about it, I lifted my hand to his face, stroking his short beard. He let me, even grinning down at me. Then he lowered his face to mine and kissed my lips in a soft, lingering caress.
I could have sworn the sky lit up with fireworks. I know I whimpered as I opened my mouth in a soft gasp. Sting grunted, sweeping his tongue inside my mouth in a slow, gentle glide. He only did it once before ending the kiss and lifting himself to look down at me.
“I’ll finish that once we’re in my own territory, hellcat.” He grinned, his gruff voice sending a thrill through me.
I blinked up at him. This was a really bad idea. He was managing me, and I was letting him. When his grin turned into a smirk, I found my backbone and determination. I shoved him off me. Rather, I shoved, and he got to his feet, then reached for me. Rather than waiting for me to take his hand -- which I would never! -- he grabbed my arms and hauled me to my feet.
“Come on. You can wait in the truck. Everything goes without a hitch, you’ll ride with me. Anything goes sideways, you’ll be in a safe place, and Atlas’ll get you back to the compound.”
“You can’t just dump me off like a naughty child!”
“Well, you shouldn’t have acted like one.” His grin was positively panty-melting, but I wasn’t letting it get to me. This man was entirely too cocky for my liking.
“Are you sure my sister isn’t in there?”
“Absolutely, hellcat. Brick’s got his team on her with instructions to get all of them to safety. If they can’t get everyone, they will get Jerrica or die trying.”
He sounded so confident. And the expression on his face was almost playful when I knew he was anything but. I’d seen this man for weeks. Every day. We hadn’t interacted much, but he rarely smiled and never joked. This was a whole other side of him I’d had no idea existed. He seemed less intimidating, but I knew better.
I didn’t really want to do what he said -- because he’d taken for granted I’d follow his orders -- but I found myself letting him take my hand and lead me to the big Bronco waiting two blocks away. He opened the door to the back passenger’s side and guided me inside.
“Wait here. I’ll be back as soon as I can and take you to your sister.”
This was insane. I didn’t know this guy. Good kisser aside, I wasn’t sure I even liked him. He was so abrasive in the club atmosphere that this other side of him was throwing me. Maybe all he wanted to do was manage me. Maybe after they got the children out of the warehouse, he’d go back to ignoring me. My stomach rebelled at the thought, rolling in grief I had no business feeling. When we were at the clubhouse, every time his gaze met mine it was like a physical caress. It was like he could see into my soul. There was such wicked promise in those unspoken exchanges I already thought of him as mine. Which was stupid. Men like him didn’t want a little innocent like me. It was for the best, really. Once this was done and I had Jerrica back, she needed to be my focus. Not a man who was completely unattainable and would only break my heart.
But that kiss…
Admittedly, that was my first kiss. Living in a group home with a bunch of girls wasn’t exactly a place to meet guys. At least, not of the non-creepy variety. There were always the couples coming to visit and see if there were children they were interested in. The only ones interested in me and Jerrica were men and sometimes women who had plans in mind for one or both of us that weren’t limited to providing a nurturing home environment.