Total pages in book: 31
Estimated words: 29034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 145(@200wpm)___ 116(@250wpm)___ 97(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 29034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 145(@200wpm)___ 116(@250wpm)___ 97(@300wpm)
He chuckled, the deep sound sending a shiver of awareness down my spine. “I like ’em however the chef wants to make them.”
“I should bake you a batch as a thank you for rescuing me, Echo.”
“I wouldn’t turn them down,” he assured me. “But call me Brodie. Echo’s my road name.”
“Then I guess I know what I’ll be doing this afternoon, Brodie.” I padded over to the door and peered through the peephole. “The coast is clear. You should be good to head back to your apartment without Jeff seeing you. Just let me know which number you are so I can bring you those brownies later.”
“Appreciate you looking out for me.” His lips curved into a grin as he shrugged. “But I don’t live here.”
“You don’t?” I asked, my brows drawing together.
“Nope,” he confirmed with a shake of his head. “I was just in the right place at the right time to swoop in and rescue you.”
“Lucky me.” I probably should’ve felt at risk having a strange man in my apartment, but something about his presence was comforting.
“Glad you think so since I’m in this for the long haul. I hope you’re ready for our relationship to move to the next level because I’m moving in.”
3
ECHO
“Moving in?” Violet squeaked, her hands fluttering at her sides.
Satisfaction swept through me when I didn’t see a speck of fear in her gaze. There was apprehension but also a spark of excitement. I was confident that she felt the same chemistry as I did when I touched her.
I nodded as I took a step closer to her. “I need you.”
Violet’s breathing kicked up, and I held back a wicked smile. “Need me?”
I didn’t want to scare her away by going too fast, so I backed off even though it was the opposite of what I wanted to do. “I need your help to take down that asshole.”
Violet’s brow furrowed, and she cocked her head to the side. “Pardon? Take down Jeff?”
“Yeah. He’s dangerous, and he’s fucked over the wrong people. We’re gonna nail his ass to the wall, and it will go a fuck of a lot faster if I’m as close to him as possible.”
She raised her eyebrows and pointed at the floor. “Here?”
Grinning, I took a step closer, forcing her back against the counter, then caged her in by resting a hand on both sides. “Can’t get any closer than next door, and you’ve given me the perfect opportunity. I’m thinking it’s a fair trade,” I said with a wink.
“A trade for what?”
“I get to use your proximity to your neighbor, and you get him to stay away from you by thinking you have a live-in boyfriend.”
“I see your point,” she conceded.
My smile faded, replaced by a frown as I explained the situation. “Jeff is a conman. He’s been praying on women with money, getting close and then stealing everything they’ve got.”
Violet rubbed her lips together as she digested what I’d told her. “No wonder I always got such a creepy vibe from him when he hit on me,” she murmured.
My hands clenched into fists at her comment. It wasn’t like I hadn’t known he was pursuing her, but it still made me furious to hear it out loud.
Her expression turned puzzled, and she asked, “But why is he bothering with me? I’m not rich.”
I hesitated to tell her my conclusion, knowing it would probably freak her out. Still, it honestly seemed the best route, especially if it kept her guard up around Jeff.
“I don’t think it’s about money, baby,” I told her softly.
“What else could it be?” Her genuine confusion made me frown. Didn’t she know how gorgeous she was?
I gestured up and down her body. “Your sexy-as-fuck body, for starters.”
Violet’s cheeks turned adorably red as she dropped her eyes to my chest. “It’s not that I’m unhappy with how I look. But I don’t think guys…”
She trailed off when I put a finger beneath her chin and raised her head so she was staring at my face. “Trust me, Violet.”
Her blush deepened, and her dimples appeared, her eyes sparkling with pleasure when she nodded. “Okay.” After a few seconds, her nose wrinkled as her expression soured. “You think he wants to date me? Ew.”
I chuckled and barely resisted the urge to brush a kiss across her plump lips. “Don’t worry. I won’t let him get near you.”
Violet’s eyes swept down my body before meeting mine again, and she snickered, her smile making her sexy dimples deepen. “I doubt he’ll try anything if he thinks you’re my man.” Damn, I loved the sound of that. “I mean…a huge, badass, sexy biker guy seems like the sort he would run away from.”
“You think I’m sexy?” I asked with a smirk.
She scoffed, “Like you don’t know that. I’m sure you have women falling all over themselves to be with you.”