Total pages in book: 218
Estimated words: 215412 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1077(@200wpm)___ 862(@250wpm)___ 718(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 215412 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1077(@200wpm)___ 862(@250wpm)___ 718(@300wpm)
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. But the garage burned to the ground. I lost everything. Then I met Gavin, and he was going to help me rebuild after the wedding. Turns out, he’s so broke that he took a bribe to marry me. I can’t go back to California. I have nothing there. Nothing worth salvaging.”
He studies me quietly, all sarcasm gone.
“I need a job,” I say. “I need to earn and save and start over somewhere.”
“You can work here.”
“Doing what? Fixing all the cars on your private island?”
“No.” He laughs. “I meant in town. You can ride with me and look for work when I go to the tattoo shop tomorrow to get my apprenticeship back.”
“Okay.” My shoulders relax. “I’ll do that.”
“We should swap numbers.”
I grab my phone from my backpack, ignoring the missed messages from Jag and Gavin.
Once our numbers are stored, Wolf reaches for the door and pauses with his hand on the knob. “There’s food in the fridge downstairs. Bathroom’s stocked. If you need anything, I’m right next door.”
“Thanks.”
He gives me a long look. Not flirtatious. Not even overly curious. Just… Present. Like he sees me. “You’re not okay.”
“I will be.”
“The island blocks cell signals and scrambles outgoing data. Jag can’t track you here. Even if he did, the island is more heavily guarded than Area 51. No one can abduct you. Not even little green men.” He shrugs. “After what we survived, my family doesn’t fuck around.”
“Good to know.”
He nods once and closes the door behind him.
I crawl onto the soft, oversized bed, covers pulled tight, and melt into the scent of Wolf all around me. That shouldn’t comfort me, goddammit. But it does.
Sleep doesn’t come.
My mind spins, replaying Gavin’s betrayal on a loop. His confession. The one-year whirlwind of dates and promises and polished lies. The horrified look on his face when I packed my bag and left.
He thought I’d still marry him. Like love meant I had to forgive him.
I did love him. That much is true.
But I’m not heartbroken.
I’m fucking furious.
Furious at him.
Furious at myself for letting it happen again. For trusting the wrong people. For thinking this time would be different.
My phone lights up on the nightstand, a steady pulse in the dark, the notifications on silent.
I know who it is.
Jag and Gavin.
Fuck them both to hell.
I roll onto my side, yanking the blanket over my shoulder like it can block out their energy.
It doesn’t help. The light flashes again.
I don’t want to look.
I really, really don’t want to look.
But if I don’t answer, it’ll only make Jag more unhinged.
I reach over, grab the phone, and unlock the screen.
47 unread messages.
Gavin:
Please talk to me.
I messed up. I know that. But you’re overreacting.
It’s over with him. Completely done.
I love you. Doesn’t that mean anything?
Don’t throw everything away because of a mistake.
You’re being cruel.
I’m not the enemy.
You left me.
You don’t get to disappear.
You’re being dramatic. Come home.
Answer me.
Don’t make me come find you.
I clench my jaw. That last one chafes my ass.
Don’t make me come find you?
Like I’m the problem. Like I’m the one who broke him.
I scroll past the rest without reading, knowing the rhythm. The shift from apology to guilt-tripping to threats.
Classic Gavin.
Petulant man-child.
Expelling a breath, I block his number and switch to the messages from Jag.
My scalp chills before I open them. Just seeing his name on the screen feels like a death threat, like he’s staring into my soul and watching me squirm.
Ridiculous. I trade out my phones regularly in case he installs sneaky tracker shit.
Same number. New phone. Location data off.
He can’t see me.
I open the chat.
Jag:
You think you can run? With him?
He can’t protect you.
I fucking raised you. You owe me. Every breath in your lungs is mine.
You don’t get to disappear. Not from me.
Does he know what kind of dirty little stray he dragged onto his yacht?
Get back here. Now.
You’re not thinking straight.
You’re acting like a cheap whore with a new leash.
If you fuck him, I’ll make him regret ever touching what’s mine.
I’m serious, Dove. Come back now. Or I’ll come get you.
You think an island can keep me out?
I built your fucking firewall. I am your firewall.
Don’t make me break it down.
I’m not playing anymore.
I’ve killed for you before.
Don’t make me do it again.
I sit up, clutching the phone, hands shaking.
He knows I left on the yacht.
He knows I’m with Wolf.
Of course, he does.
But he doesn’t know where I am.
Eleven-hundred islands.
And that?
That realization sparks not only fear but a sense of power I’ve never felt before.
For the first time in my life, Jag can’t see me.
He’s losing his mind behind the screen because the cameras he planted, the trackers, the tricks, none of them work here.
He’s blind. And that terrifies him.
I toss the phone face-down on the nightstand and press the heels of my hands to my eyes. My heart pounds like a jackhammer trying to drill its way out of my chest.