Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 127484 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 637(@200wpm)___ 510(@250wpm)___ 425(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 127484 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 637(@200wpm)___ 510(@250wpm)___ 425(@300wpm)
She immediately looked at me, her cheeks flushed from my touch. Despite the overall situation, my cock swelled. A simple touch from her did that to me. The way Piper’s eyes lit up, her body leaned toward me, opened for me. My gaze stuttered on the angry swollen bruise on her eye, the split lip, recalling the purple-black spots I knew lay underneath her white, cotton blouse.
Fire crawled up my throat as I reminded myself why I was risking this. To get my revenge.
“The people who own this house are not friends.” It took immense effort to keep my voice flat. I wasn’t going to scare her by telling her who they really were, but I needed her to be mindful. “People in my business don’t have friends.” I glanced up to see the door already opening. Hopefully, he wouldn’t shoot first and ask questions later. “But you will be safe with them.”
This was an unannounced visit. Surprising people like this wasn’t wise, but I was desperate. And I was more than happy to risk my life for Piper’s safety. Though this man had few morals and killed without hesitation, I knew he wouldn’t kill Piper without reason. Though he had plenty of reasons to kill me.
She licked her lips, and I followed the entire journey of her perfect, pink tongue. “I am safe with you.” Her statement was firm, argumentative. She thought we were going there for help; she didn’t know I planned on leaving her behind.
I caught hold of her hand, bringing it to my mouth, relaxing somewhat with her skin at my lips.
“Yes, you are.” The lie singed my tongue.
“Stay in the car,” I ordered, then I got out, Lukyan’s eyes watchful as I rounded it, going to Piper in the passenger seat, who smiled and waved at him.
I caught the slight twitch to his eyebrow, surprised that she was smiling and waving at him. That she seemed happy, normal, utterly stunning… And she was with me.
His posture was tense as I approached, and I knew he was armed, ready to fire if he so much as didn’t like the way my lips moved.
My expression was, as always, carefully blank.
“Lukyan,” I greeted.
His eyes were chips of ice, his dark brows raised. “You must be entirely fucked if you’re coming here, uninvited and unannounced. With a civilian.” His eyes slid to the passenger seat again.
I hated his eyes being on her. It went against everything inside of me to have a man like Lukyan—a man like me—touching her with his gaze.
“I came to ask a favor,” I replied, voice tight. I was unaccustomed to asking for help, and it was physically painful. Admitting weakness in front of a threat such as this went against all of my instincts. But for Piper, I would’ve done anything. For Piper, I would’ve begged at his fucking feet.
His left eyebrow shot up. Then his gaze returned to the car, where I heard the telltale sound of a door slam.
“Hi,” Piper greeted cheerfully, her hand slipping into mine with ease while the other stretched out to Lukyan to shake his hand.
Of course. Of fucking course, she didn’t listen to me. She was far too stubborn for that. Not afraid of me. And I’d liked that. Fucking loved it. Only then, I wished she was at least a little bit goddamn afraid of me.
“I told you to stay in the car.” My grip on her hand tightened to the point of pain, but she barely winced.
She gave me a megawatt smile. “I don’t do what I’m told.” Her hand was still outstretched. “I love your house,” she spoke to Lukyan then. “You have to tell me about how you maintain such a lovely garden.”
Lukyan looked at Piper, examining her black eye, the marks on her wrists where the handcuffs had rubbed them raw. The blemishes on perfect skin that still haunted me even though the ones who’d put them there were rotting in a cheap motel room.
Because the man who ordered her suffering was still breathing air.
Lukyan took it all in, Piper, her state, my presence. I saw him putting the pieces together.
I watched him on the precipice. Of killing me despite the audience, despite Piper’s warm smile. That’s what his true nature hungered for. And he was a man who rarely deprived himself of that.
My body was nothing but a taut fucking wire in those handful of moments, Piper’s hand in mine while my fingers twitched for the gun in the holster at my shoulder.
It would be the smallest tell, enough for Lukyan to decide to kill me, scant seconds for me to decide to kill him first. In front of his home. And then we would’ve been shit out of luck.
I squeezed Piper’s hand even tighter as I waited for Lukyan to make a decision.