Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 88580 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 443(@200wpm)___ 354(@250wpm)___ 295(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88580 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 443(@200wpm)___ 354(@250wpm)___ 295(@300wpm)
“Dad.” I close my eyes, rubbing my forehead. “Just don’t get in their way, all right?”
“Why shouldn’t I? You can’t just spring this shit on me now, Casey, god damn it. I’m gonna—”
“Dad, they’re Adler Costa’s men. I just married him, and if you make a stink, they’re going to hurt you. So please, just keep your mouth shut for once, okay?”
I’m talking too loud. Everyone’s staring at me now, including Roxie, though she knows my situation better than most. Adler’s eyes are narrowed and he doesn’t look happy, and I’m willing to bet he’d be livid if he knew the way my father spoke to me.
It’s always been like this. Dad’s disabled, in pain, and he takes it out on me. I wait on him the best I can, along with mom’s help, but it’s never enough. Shane fucked off a while ago and doesn’t care if Dad yells at him, which means I’m stuck acting as the maid, the cook, and the punching bag.
I’m used to it. I’ve become numb to the constant abuse. Dad’s got his own demons to deal with and I know it’s not really about me. But still—I can see the unnerving way Adler’s staring at me, and I know what that means.
Fortunately, Dad hears my urgency. “Adler Costa?” he asks, sounding worried now. “Are you serious, Casey? The hotel guy?”
“Yes, the hotel guy. Don’t make a scene, please. I’ll tell you and Mom more about it later. I’ve got to go.” I hang up before he can say more.
Adler comes to my side. “That didn’t sound like it went well.”
“Family’s complicated.” I give him a cold, level look. “Do you get along perfectly with everyone in yours?”
His head tilts. “Conlan can be a prick sometimes.”
“There you go.” I shove my phone back into my bag. “All right, so we’re married. Now can you please call off the hunt for my brother?”
“Already done.” The SUV pulls up to the curb and Adler helps me to the door.
Before we leave, Roxie runs over and kisses my cheek. “Call me later,” she says as I get into back seat.
Adler slides in beside me, so close that our knees touch. I glance at him and shuffle further away.
“Do you remember how you got to make demands of me?” he asks as we drive back toward the Sunrise.
“Don’t tell me this is the part where you ruin an already terrible day.”
His smirk does not reassure me.
“Now it’s my turn to set down some rules, my new wife, and I hope you’re ready to follow them, because I can be very—” He leans closer, so closer I think he’s about to kiss me again. “I can be very strict.”
The emphasis he puts on that last word is obscene, and I’m terrified of what I’ve gotten myself into.
Chapter 11
Casey
Everyone’s staring as I walk through the lobby of the Sunrise with Adler. Will veers away and goes about his own business, but I struggle to keep up with Adler as he approaches the magic elevator. The front desk girl gapes as I stick with him, and Adler uses his own key to summon our ride up to his apartment.
“The gossip is going to go insane now, you know that, right?” I say as the elevator doors slide shut.
“Don’t worry what they think.”
“I have to work with them, I am very worried about what they think.”
He glances at me, frowning slightly. “You weren’t joking about still keeping your job?”
My eyebrows shoot up. “You really thought I wasn’t serious?”
“I thought you had more sense.”
“Clearly, you were wrong about that.”
He’s about to say something, but the elevator reaches his floor and the doors slide open. I limp out after him, my knees already killing me, a knot in my back aching like hell. Adler turns right and heads for the stairs.
“Hold on,” I say, not ready to climb just yet. “Where are you going?”
“To get you settled.” He glances back at me. “Do you need help? I can have a lift installed.”
My hands ball into fists. “That might actually be nice,” I admit, feeling helpless and stubborn all at the same time. “But I’ll suffer for now, thank you. Why are we going upstairs?”
“You’ve seen the downstairs, now it’s time to see where you’ll be sleeping.” He turns and comes toward me. “Maybe I’m going about this all wrong.”
“You think? You’ve basically been dragging me around all day without any regard for how this looks or what I’m feeling. Maybe you could, like, I don’t know, tell me what’s going on before you—”
I don’t finish that sentence because he sweeps me off my feet.
Literally. The massive bastard reaches down and lifts me up into his arms like I’m a tiny child. I yelp in shock and wrap my arms around his neck automatically before I even register what’s going on.