Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 94716 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 474(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94716 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 474(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
This particular one was of him deciding that I looked a lot like the ‘grown up’ version of Orphan Annie; from that day forward, he didn’t call me by anything else. I always argued that my hair was quite a bit darker and longer than Annie’s, but he begged to differ.
He always used to say, “Red is red. Curly is curly. Yours is both.”
It was a little hard to argue with that logic and I just let him have it. It was easier. The Stoker men could argue with a fricking brick wall.
Jolting from my memories from a particularly nasty threat from the woman, I stepped out into the hall and was practically shoved up against the glass door. The woman was pissed by the looks of it, but if Tai didn’t want her there, she wouldn’t be there. No if’s, and’s, or but’s about it.
The woman was giving me crazy eyes and I seriously thought she could totally resemble Hannibal Lector if she put her mind to it.
“Can I help you?” I asked sweetly.
Her mouth pursed and she took one-step closer to me before raising her finger and poked me in the chest. “You can get out of my way so I can go see my husband.”
“Lady, I don’t know who you are, but Tai wants you to leave, so you’re gone.” I replied sharply.
Anger was evident in my voice, but I couldn’t control it. Tai was mine, as was Jack. I loved them both and I wouldn’t tolerate some bitch upsetting him. I didn’t want to have to kick this girl’s ass but I sure wasn’t against the idea. In fact, with each poke in the chest she gave me, I lost more and more of the desire to be nice.
“He is my husband. Not yours, even though you probably think he’s going to give you something. Well to bad fire crotch, he’s mine.” She sneered.
“Fire crotch?” I asked confused.
“If the panties fit.” She confirmed with a nod.
“What the hell? Who do you think you are? Obviously, you’re not his wife. Oh, you may carry his last name, but you aren’t his wife. No, a wife,” I said with emphasis on wife. “A wife would be at her husband’s bedside for the past two days. A wife would know about his brother’s wife. A wife would be doing absolutely anything to get to her husband’s side, instead throwing a little bitch fit about not getting what she wants.”
I wasn’t poking her, but I was backing her away from the door, with my body, towards the other side of the hallway. I kept my voice at a controllable level, unlike Bimbo Barbie.
The elevator dinging drew my attention away from BB and I wasn’t ready for the slap that she leveled across the right side of my cheek. Freezing for all of two seconds, I came unstuck in a snap, reared back my left arm, and let fly.
My fist struck her nose with a resounding crunch that was music to my ears. Blood launched itself out of her nose as her head whipped to the side and I was pleasantly pleased with the sight if I did say so myself.
It wasn’t often that I got physical. In fact, it was near impossible. However, the attitude she was throwing to the nurses and myself, as well as the derogatory names, didn’t instill any patience in me. It only flamed my desire to wipe that snotty little smirk right off her face. And so I did.
“Nice,” A lazy, amused voice said from behind me. “Glad all my advice paid off.”
I turned and came face to neck with Jack. Stepping back, I looked at his face and saw the coldness lurking in his eyes and knew that if Bimbo Barbie was smart, she’d stay on the floor.
Unfortunately, she wasn’t.
She came up with a flurry and launched herself at me. Jack didn’t move until she was inches from my face; and move he did. He had his large hand pinned against her chest holding her to the wall. Blood was slowly leaking out of her nose onto the designer white pea coat she was wearing and I let a smile slide across my face.
“You red headed bitch!” She snarled.
“Oh, how original. I’ll have to remember that one.” I said with a roll of my eyes.
“Let me tell you something, Marissa.” He said very quietly. So quiet that I could barely even hear it. “My brother may put up with your bullshit because he has to, but I don’t. Daddy can’t hold my job over my head. Daddy can’t blackmail me into marrying your ass. I’ve been working on my brother for four years now to divorce your bony ass but it wasn’t until this past month that he finally decided to do it. And guess what? You’re almost fucking divorced. Congrats.”
He finished on a hiss and I held my smile in check so I didn’t start anything again.
“You-you can’t do that!” She whispered.
“Oh, do it I did. This time next week, you will be a free woman. Your daddy isn’t the only one with connections.” He said, pushing away from her and turning around.
He wasted no time grabbing my hand and leading me back into Tai’s room. Once there, he lowered the blinds so she couldn’t see in and turned to face his brother.
Questions were burning through my mind, but I held my tongue. They needed this moment. I backed away and sat in the furthest corner I could without actually leaving the room.
The next hour went the way it should. They were quiet for a long time before Tai finally broke and apologized for not saving Adam.
Jack’s response filled my heart with such love for him that I thought I’d burst.
“Taima, I know you’re hurting, but you need to realize that there are things in this world that you have no control over. Adam was a good man and we need to remember the good times. Don’t hang his death on your shoulders. We all know that you did everything you could to help him. It’s why you almost died yourself.”