Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 119942 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 600(@200wpm)___ 480(@250wpm)___ 400(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 119942 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 600(@200wpm)___ 480(@250wpm)___ 400(@300wpm)
The crowd once more turned quiet, no doubt confused as to why a mere slice and a single hit had taken Mona down.
Harper squatted in front of her. “No one fucks with my family. Go near any of them again, and this pain will seem like a fucking slap on the wrist. You got me?”
Mona fell onto her side and curled into a fetal position, sobbing, just as the umpire dashed over. “What’s happening?” he asked.
Harper returned her blade to her boot. “She’s getting what she deserved.” With that, she strode out of the combat circle. It took a few minutes to squeeze through the cheering, congratulatory crowd before she reached her cousins near the exit of the dome.
Keeping in step with her, Khloë fanned her face. “I’m so happy, I could cry.”
Ciaran looked pissed. “I can’t believe the bitch sent her friends to—” They halted as two demons suddenly planted themselves in front of them. The male was broad shouldered and dark-haired with golden eyes that made her think of a wolf. The female was tall, slender, and had a stunningly sleek braid hanging over her shoulder. Harper had seen them patrolling the Underground many times, knew exactly what they were – sentinels.
The male told Harper, “Mr. Thorne would like to talk to you.”
Fuck. “Oh yeah? I’m not really the chatty type.”
The female smiled, genuinely amused. “I’m sure you won’t mind sparing Mr. Thorne a few minutes.”
Well, actually, Harper did mind. Given everything she knew about Knox Thorne, the prospect of meeting him didn’t exactly fill her with joy – especially since there was a little something else about him that bugged their kind: no one seemed to know what breed of demon he was. Harper didn’t like blind spots. But it was vital to never show weakness to a predator, and backing away from the challenge in his sentinels’ eyes would definitely make her look weak. “Fine.”
“Just you,” the male said.
Harper inclined her head. “Wait at the Xpress bar,” she told her cousins. “I’ll be back soon.”
Without giving them a chance to object, she followed the two sentinels behind the dome and up a flight of stairs. When they finally stopped outside a door marked ‘Office’, the male rapped his knuckles on it. She could feel Knox’s power from there. It reached out, and encased the door almost protectively. When a shockingly sensual voice summoned them to enter, the male sentinel opened the door and signaled for her to enter. Then the two sentinels backed away and left her.
Inhaling deeply, Harper slipped inside…and found herself fighting the urge to stare in awe at the tall, imposing figure standing behind a glass desk. Deep-set dark eyes that matched the color of his hair locked on Harper, and the intensity there rocked her. Her body instantly responded. Molten lust licked at her, making her breasts ache, her nipples harden, and every inch of her skin suddenly feel hypersensitive. Well, shit.
All demons had natural sex appeal, and she’d heard that Knox’s effect was more potent than most, but Harper still hadn’t been prepared for the sheer impact of him. He radiated alpha energy, projected a raw sexual magnetism that would make any girl sensually starving. As she took in his bold stare, powerful stance, and air of self-possession, lots of words came to mind: Powerful. Forceful. Confident. Controlled. Dauntless. Determined.
Damn if it didn’t make him intimidating.
Refusing to buckle under the force of it all, Harper shut the door and waited. He said nothing. Didn’t greet her. Didn’t invite her to sit. Just stared at her with that dark, penetrating gaze that was sizing her up, and the atmosphere seemed to thicken with tension. But there was no chance that she would avert her eyes. This was a test of her strength, and she wasn’t prepared to fail it.
Finally, looking like he’d just stepped out of a GQ magazine, Knox slowly rounded the desk and walked towards her. No, walked wasn’t the right word. He breezed, glided – moved with an animal grace that demanded attention and could easily keep it.
Her inner demon froze, feeling threatened by this male that exuded danger. And he was dangerous – it was apparent in the way he moved, in his posture, in the tension coiled in his muscles that rippled beneath his black suit. She would bet that suit cost more than her entire wardrobe.
“I’m Knox Thorne.” He tilted his head, those dark eyes still locked on her. He was even more imposing up close. “And you are…?”
“Harper Wallis.” It worried her that he unnerved her demon, who was rarely rattled by anything. To Harper’s utter frustration, she couldn’t get a read on him, couldn’t identify what breed of demon he was. But every instinct she had told her to tread carefully; that she was in the presence of a very powerful predator.