Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 56709 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 284(@200wpm)___ 227(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56709 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 284(@200wpm)___ 227(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
“Is everything going okay?” I ask.
“A few incidents. Nothing major.”
“I should be there.”
“This is more important,” Ryan says. “Kay is more important. How is she dealing with things? Is she pissed at me about the argument?”
“I’m not sure,” I reply, not wanting to talk about Kay. Then I’ll have to lie.
“I hope things aren’t too awkward,” he goes on. “I know it’s like the old days, lumbering you with baby sis. If she’s anything like she was then, she probably likes the attention.”
I grit my teeth. I refuse to turn, glance over, and see the woman whose ass I spanked. The woman I’m falling for hard. If it weren’t for Ryan, I’d start a life with her now, without looking back. Ride off into the sunset if that’s what she wanted. Maybe it will come to that. I hope it doesn’t.
“She used to love those bedtime stories,” he says, reminiscing.
“Yeah, she did.”
“I hope she’s not too mad at me. I didn’t want to lie, but what choice did I have?”
“She’s better off away from home. That’s what you said.”
Ryan sighs. I can imagine him just as he was when we were teenagers, with his skinny arms and mop of hair. He had that glint in his eyes like he was ready to take on the world. I remember when one idiot called Kay fat. It’s strange, but I forgot about that until now.
“Are you there? Kai?”
“Yeah, I’m here.”
“I said, Funny how fast time goes. What were you thinking about?”
“Is that why you called?”
“I was just checking in. Stop being so damn prickly.”
I almost groan, running a hand through my hair. He’s right. It’s not his fault that I only want to be with his sister… again. But go all the way this time, strip down her jeans, and reveal the round, creamy globes of her ass.
Dammit, I’m a monster more than a Titan. This is proof of my mind and how it won’t ever stop.
“So?” he says.
“The time that man called Kayla fat. Do you remember? We were at the club, and the drunk idiot heckled over. You were fifteen, and he was twice your size. He said…”
“She’s going to grow up to be a tub of lard. Yeah, I remember.”
“We all watched you kick that guy’s ass.”
“He was drunk.”
“Yeah, Ryan, but he was still twice your size.”
“That’s what big brothers do,” he says. “After, Dad gave me a big old bear hug. He had never done that before. He was so proud of me. Some people would say that’s messed up, being encouraged to fight, but when it comes to family, sometimes, it’s the only way.”
“Amen to that,” I say, thinking of my future children with Kay.
“Anyway, if you’re good, I’ll leave you to it.”
“If you need me home, you give the word.”
“There’s no one else I trust with this,” he replies. “It’s only you. You’re my brother as much as my friend.”
No, I almost say. I’m not your goddamn brother. That would make Kay my sister.
But I can’t say something as deranged as that.
“I…” He hesitates. “I care about you.”
“Are you sure you’re good?” I ask. “If you need me to come home—”
“Kay can’t be here. You know that.”
“Then stop talking like something bad’s going to happen,” I tell him. “I’ll see you in a few days, but for the record…” I swallow, feeling like a traitor, an asshat. “I care about you too, brother.”
We hang up, and I know I’ll never be able to forgive myself. Not that it makes any difference to what I’ve done. Feelings don’t erase actions. No amount of crying, whining, or anything else will fix what I’ve done—what I still want to do.
Hell, if I lose control again, I still might do it. I won’t be able to resist the urge. I have to try, at least, not to snap, not spank her, or forget who I’m supposed to be.
Back at the bike, I find Kayla holding the package. She’s already reached inside and taken it out, and now she stares, her eyes bloodshot, tears glistening. She looks so devastated that my instinct is to find whoever’s responsible and seriously hurt them. Nobody gets to make my woman look like that. Ever.
In her other hand, she’s holding her father’s pocket watch.
“What the hell is this?” she whispers, dropping the brown paper bag.
It almost blows away in the wind, but then she steps on it, leans down, and picks it up. Even now, she doesn’t want to litter and spoil this quiet, deserted place. She’s just so damn perfect.
“Kai?” she snaps.
“It’s your dad’s—”
“I mean, why?” she almost yells. “Is this the package? Don’t get mad at me for snooping, okay? I just… I don’t know. I panicked from the guilt and all that crap. I just wanted to know if we could turn back or how important this trip really was. The stuff about Dad… Is it enough to justify what we’re doing? Okay, so he lied, he lied, and…”