Total pages in book: 42
Estimated words: 39829 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 199(@200wpm)___ 159(@250wpm)___ 133(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 39829 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 199(@200wpm)___ 159(@250wpm)___ 133(@300wpm)
“Are you excited to see your cousins?”
“Yes,” I answer my mom. “We have some plans to hang out today and visit a couple of shops before the barbecue tomorrow.”
“Good. Just stay together and safe.”
I roll my eyes. “It’s Steeleville. The place is like a fortress.”
“Yes, but you know how they are.”
“Exactly, and that’s why I’m sure we’ll be more than safe. Half the town are Riders, and the other half know to keep their hands off of us.” It’s been easy to stay single even though I’m nineteen when there are beastly guards lurking. Uncle Blade is just as bad as my dad. My only boyfriend, if you could call him that, was Jacob. He asked me out two weeks before prom. We went out like five times, but it was always supervised by my father’s loyal spies, and nothing happened.
Jacob took me to prom, and everything was going great until the middle of the night. I started to feel lightheaded. He pulled me off to a corner of the room and became a little too physical. I told him I needed to use the bathroom. Snagging my drink and purse, I used my special test strips, and I realized he drugged it. So, I texted my mother, and before I knew it, I was whisked away moments later and taken home. I didn’t see Jacob again.
“Don’t take that for granted, Elsa. There are creeps who always have something to prove.”
“I won’t. It’s not like I’m careless.”
“I know.” She smiles and takes my hand, giving it a squeeze. “You’re always so considerate and wise. It’s like I’ve been raising an adult since you were ten, but that doesn’t mean I don’t worry. The boys are just like your father, which is another kind of headache.” She rolls her eyes. My oldest brother runs the hotel with Miles, but he isn’t coming this weekend because he has a meeting in Europe.
When we land, my uncle picks us up and Cyber picks up Miles. Finally, we have a break from Miles and I can breathe. I spend the day with my family, and it’s so much fun. Tomorrow before the barbecue we are going out shopping all day.
****
We bought too much and our bags are heavy, so we load them into the trunk of Missy’s hybrid. “Girl, I am having way too much fun, but we should get back because I know they’re going to be looking for us.”
“Relax. My daddy knows where I’m at, and I’m sure your dad knows where you are. Besides, the party doesn’t start for an hour, and we don’t want to be the first ones there.”
“Of course he does, but still.”
“Does it have to do with your hot godbrother because, I mean, that guy is intense?”
“It has nothing to do with him,” I insist, lying to myself.
“Girl, you’re lying,” Missy says.
“We know you’ve had a crush on him for like forever,” her younger sister Erica says.
“Come on, we all know that.”
“Just because I had a crush on him before doesn’t mean anything. I’m so ready to be over everything. I’ve got to move on from these feelings because I know he doesn’t feel the same way.”
“Are you serious? Are you sure? Because I totally get a different vibe. When he’s around you, it’s like he’s totally digging you.”
I shake my head. “No, he’s my father’s guard dog. I learned that he’s just looking out for me. My father asked him to make sure that we’re safe, so don’t take my protection as anything more than just that.”
“Your father told you that?”
“No, my brother did after an embarrassing moment between Miles and I. Trust me—I’m sure he doesn’t want me.”
“Damn, that sucks. I’m sorry, girl. Well, we have a lot of hot guys that are Riders now, so we can just introduce you to the rest of them, or maybe you’ll meet some of the other guys in town while you’re here,” Missy offers. I nod.
Erica grips my forearm and squeezes. “Yeah, there’s going to be a lot of hot guys at the party, and you can forget all about that jackass.”
I smile and cave. “I’m going to try.”
“That’s the spirit. Let’s head back now.” We hop into her car and pick up some Starbucks on the way back.
“Ooh, girl, this is just what I needed.”
We get back to the party, and involuntarily my eyes look out for Miles even though I’m supposed to meet other men. My gut tells me that it’s wrong to want anyone else; still, I can’t help how I feel.
We move through the crowd, being greeted by everyone. After about thirty minutes, Missy whispers, “He’s not here.” He should have been here with his family, but the man does whatever he wants.
I don’t know why I expected him to be here. Maybe he’s found somebody else to see. After all, he’s a hot commodity. I’m sure there’s plenty of women in town that would love to hook up with him. Perhaps that’s why he pushed me away.