Total pages in book: 177
Estimated words: 176345 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 882(@200wpm)___ 705(@250wpm)___ 588(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 176345 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 882(@200wpm)___ 705(@250wpm)___ 588(@300wpm)
“Aw …” She pouts. “But I like Milo.”
She turns her head to look at him, and he winks at her.
“Do you now?” Nathan muses. “Well, you’re not the only one.”
“He gave me this lollipop,” she says, showing Nathan a bright red one.
“Milo keeps those stashed away in the kitchen for when he’s got one of his midnight cravings again,” Kai whispers into my ear.
And I have to say, I’m not even mad I’m being fed all these details I never knew I needed.
Everything’s suddenly starting to make sense.
“I love strawberry. It’s my favorite!” Rory excitedly waves it around.
“When all of this is over and you’re done living with Auntie, I’ll take you to an ice cream shop and you can have as many strawberry scoops as you like. Okay?”
Her face lights up like fireworks. The kind that brings joy to even the most fucked-up souls. “Really?”
Her smile is contagious as Nathan begins to grin. “Pinky promise.” He hooks his pinky around hers again. “Swear on my life.”
“Yay!”
When he puts her down, he momentarily glances at me, and for a moment, all the pain and darkness in his eyes are back.
As though he means to tell me everything there is to know about him with just one single look.
A guy dead set on protecting the only family he has left.
And it breaks all the resolve and hatred I have burning within me.
Rory grabs his hand and drags him with her. “C’mon! I’ve gotta show you the unicorn in Milo’s room!”
“Unicorn?” Nathan narrows his eyes at Milo.
He simply shrugs with a big old smile as we head toward his room upstairs. Sure enough, there’s a human-sized stuffed unicorn right in the middle of his room. “Bought it on the way to her place. I figured she might want a friend while she waited here for you.”
“You’re nuts,” Nathan jests, shaking his head at Milo.
We all gaze in wonder at a little girl having the time of her life on an imaginary rainbow ride.
Nathan finally approaches us and looks at Kai first. “Thank you for helping out.”
“It was nothing,” Kai says.
“Eh, we just stole some shit and sold it for cash, big deal,” Milo says.
“I mean it,” he adds.
Kai plants a hand on his shoulder. “We’ve got you.”
“Right now, you’re the only family I’ve got left,” Nathan says, sighing. “Let’s just hope they don’t come after the rest of my family too.”
“Won’t let that happen,” Kai says, watching Rory jump off the unicorn’s head, only to jump right back onto its back.
“We’ll be there to cover you both,” Milo says.
They embrace in a sort of bro-hug. “Phantoms stay Phantoms. Even into death.”
Suddenly, my stomach roars, and it’s the worst timing ever.
Because all three of them are now looking at me like I interrupted their private time together.
Milo smiles and lifts his head. “Hungry?”
I feel gawked at. “Well, I … haven’t eaten in a while.”
Milo breaks out of their bro-hug, grabs my hand, and drags me along. “My time to shine.”
He pulls me all the way to the lavish kitchen and sets me down on a stool in front of a bar, then goes to the fridge and pulls out all sorts of food. Cucumbers cut into strips, cooked chicken, avocado, and a whole bucket full of rice.
“You like sushi?” he asks, laying it all out on the counter as he grabs a piece of nori.
“Um, sure?” I mutter, still a bit overwhelmed.
Within seconds, he’s got the nori layered with rice, then drops on some cucumber and avocado, and slices through the chicken like a seasoned chef. I’ve never seen someone assemble a sushi roll that swiftly. Then he slices them into small pieces and throws the mayo around like he’s putting on a show before dabbling them all with the sauce and a little bit of spice.
“There you go,” he says, sliding the plate my way. “Fresh, handmade perfection.” He kisses his own lips with his fingers. “For my hungry lady.”
“Wow …” I mutter, impressed. “Thank you.”
He winks, and for the first time since I met him, I’m actually blushing. “Enjoy.”
It’s been a long time since someone personally cooked for me. Jason would never. The last time I tried his homemade sloppy joe, I almost threw up.
But this … this sushi looks magnificent, and the moment I take a bite, I can’t help the moan that slips from my mouth.
“Well, I’m glad you like it,” Milo says.
And I swiftly plop another one into my mouth to stop the embarrassing blush from spreading. “Why are you doing this for me?”
“Why not?” He frowns, looking at me like I’m crazy. “You didn’t think I’d let you go hungry, right?”
“But we’re—”
“Enemies?” Milo leans across the counter. “I told you … I am yours. I always was. From the moment I laid eyes on you, I knew nothing would please me more than to give myself to you.”