Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 103413 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 517(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103413 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 517(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
“I could come to your bedroom,” she said. “Although . . .” A hint of concern entered her gaze, and he knew she was thinking about her brothers and their reaction.
This would be a lot simpler if he had her in his house.
“Tomorrow,” he promised her. “You’re going to sleep in. We’ll meet for breakfast at ten. Come in workout gear.”
“What? Nooo.”
“Hush,” he told her firmly. “Yes. We’re going to start self-defense lessons. Nico will be coming too.”
“What? Nooo,” Nico groaned.
Liam just shook his head at them. “Yes. And if you’re both good and do what you’re told without complaint, you’ll get rewarded. If you’re naughty, then it will be punishment. Understand?”
“Yes, Liam,” they said together.
“Nico, stay with Lottie until she goes to sleep. I’m going back down to talk to Regent and Victor,” Liam ordered. He then drew Lottie close and placed his hand lightly behind her neck. “I want you to try to go to sleep. Nico won’t leave until you do. If you have another nightmare, what do you do?”
“Call you,” she said.
“Good girl. If you’re too tired when you wake up, we’ll postpone the self-defense lessons. What’s most important is your health.” He kissed her gently. “Sure you’re not upset with me?”
“I’m just glad to know I wasn’t going insane imagining you there. And I know you were protecting Michael.”
Liam winced. “I don’t know why I did. Little bastard didn’t deserve it.”
“Because you’re a good person, Liam.”
“A good person? Baby, I’m anything but . . .”
“No. I know there’s things you’ve done that weren’t good. But you can’t be bad if you protect those that belong to you. If you love us as fiercely as I know you do.”
“Things could have gone wrong. I should have put you first.”
“You did.”
He shook his head. He wasn’t so sure.
“I wasn’t yours then,” she pointed out. “Michael is your brother. You did the best you could. I’m alive. I’m here. With you and Nico. That’s what matters.”
Finally, he nodded and turned her toward the bathroom. “Off you go.” He smacked her ass, and she gave him a mock-glare over her shoulder.
Liam turned to Nico and crooked a finger at him. Nico walked over with a smug grin.
“Think you know everything, don’t you?”
“I told you she wouldn’t blame you. Or be upset.”
Liam grunted. He pulled him close, pressing his body against his. “It could have backfired.”
“It didn’t.”
“You’re to stay with our girl until she’s asleep. Keep her safe. Then go up to the bedroom and strip. I want you kneeling by the door, waiting for me. If I get back to the room first, then same thing applies. Soon as you get back to the room. Strip and kneel.”
“Whatever you say, Liam. You’re the boss.”
“I am? Sometimes I wonder.”
Liam left and moved downstairs quickly. He wanted to get this part over and done with. Regent was waiting in the office, staring out the window. Victor was on the sofa, his feet on the coffee table, eyes closed. But Liam didn’t believe for a moment that he was asleep.
“Where’s your brother?” Regent asked, turning to face him.
“I don’t know. I don’t want to know.”
“Because then you’d have to tell us?” Victor asked slowly.
“Because I don’t want anything to do with him. When I learned that he was to blame for her being taken, I told him to leave and never return. That we were done.”
“He’s your brother. She was nothing to you.”
“She was an innocent. And . . .”
“And?” Regent pressed.
“There was something there. I tried to deny it for a while, but Nico felt it.”
“So, you only became interested in her because your husband wanted to fuck her?” Regent asked.
Liam ground his teeth together. He was on Regent’s turf. But that didn’t mean he had to fucking take his shit.
Be diplomatic.
Fuck. He should have brought Nico down with him. But he didn’t want Nico exposed to any of this.
“No, you asshole. That’s not why I wanted her.”
“Why do you need her? The two of you love each other, right?” Regent pressed.
“Yes.”
“So, why introduce someone else? Is Nico not enough for you in bed? You need another fuck toy?”
He had Regent pressed to the back wall, his arm across his throat. “Ever talk about Lottie or Nico like that again and you’re dead, got me?”
“Lottie might not like that,” Victor said casually, as though he didn’t have his brother pinned, half-choking him.
“She’ll get over it. I’ll see to that. Lottie will never want for anything, not as long as I’m around.”
“Let him go,” Victor commanded.
So far, Regent hadn’t fought back, he just studied Liam calmly.
“Now, Liam.”
Liam stepped back while Regent straightened his clothes, looking unperturbed. Cold bastard.
“Must be that Irish blood that makes you so hotheaded,” Regent commented.
“Or maybe it’s just that you set me off,” he countered. Turning, he saw that Victor had a gun out, resting on his knee. “You were going to shoot me? And here I thought you liked me.”