Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 56410 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 282(@200wpm)___ 226(@250wpm)___ 188(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56410 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 282(@200wpm)___ 226(@250wpm)___ 188(@300wpm)
“Shit,” he slurred out. “You hear all that. You eavesdropping?”
“No,” she said instantly.
His eyes narrowed again, so much it was almost as if they were closed now. He opened his eyes fully and stumbled over to her, the stench of beer and something sour coming from him in the worst kind of way. “It’s cool,” he said and grinned, his front teeth slightly crooked. “I’m cool.”
He’s cool? He’s the king of assholes tonight, it seemed.
He reached in his pocket and produced a lighter. And a joint. He said nothing else as he put it between his lips and lit the end. The only real way out of here was past him, and having to be that close made her skin crawl. Any other way would have her trampling through the flowers, but right now, she really didn’t care about ruining Alistor’s parents' landscaping.
He held the joint out, and she shook her head. She needed to get out of here. She went to stand and started walking past him, but he took a step to the side, blocking her path.
“What’s your name?”
“I need to get back to my friend… and my boyfriend,” she threw in there for good measure.
“I’m Josh,” he said as if she hadn’t just told him she needed to go.
“My boyfriend will be looking for me. He gets pissed when he can’t find me.” She looked into his eyes, which she could see were unfocused and glossy. “He’s kind of a possessive asshole.”
He inhaled deeply from the joint then exhaled directly in her face, the smoke surrounding her in a cloud. She coughed and waved her hand in front of her face. “I really need to go,” she said again, harder this time, with more firmness in her voice.
“Just chill.” He took another hit, and Keira started to grow increasingly uncomfortable. He wouldn’t move, and every time she shifted, he followed suit. “You sure you don’t want a little hit, you know, to loosen you up?” He tried to give her the joint again.
“I said I’m good.” He blew another mouthful of smoke in her face, and she realized she started to feel lightheaded, maybe from the alcohol, but definitely not helped by the pot. “My boyfriend is jealous.” She was going to keep trying with the boyfriend act. Maybe thinking his balls would get rearranged would set him straight.
“Boyfriend, huh?” He grinned and shook his head. “Nah, I don’t think you got a boyfriend at all. And even if you did, I know rich bitches like you will take dick from guys like me any day. You like something you ain’t never had.”
Her heart started racing as she thought about being stuck out here with him.
Away from everyone.
This prick thinking she wanted whatever this was.
A buzzing started in her ears, and she took another step away from him, almost losing her balance, because dizziness assaulted her. Josh reached out, snagged her wrist in a tight hold, and pulled her forward with enough force she stumbled, her body slamming hard against his. He smelled like booze and old sweat.
“Wanna play the good girl, hard to get act?”
She brought her knee up, but for a drunk and high asshole, he blocked her pretty well.
“Calm down, damn,” he mumbled.
“I said let me go,” she said louder, bringing her arm back and slapping him across the face.
He grunted and then immediately cursed. “You little bitch. I’m going to make you pay for that.” He had his hand at the collar of her shirt, and she knew he was about to tear at the material. “I dig you playing hard to get—” Those words died in his throat as he was suddenly wrenched away from her and tossed across the garden.
And that’s when she knew all hell was about to break loose.
5
Keira took a step back as she watched the scene before her. The shadows in the garden were thick, even with the glow from the lamps, but she could still make out the guy absolutely kicking the shit out of Josh.
Holy shit.
Reese’s expression couldn’t be called anything but fierce and rage-filled. The savage look on his face should have put fear in her, but a sense of relief flooded Keira instead.
For several seconds, she could only stare in shock as Reese stood over Josh’s sprawled body. He bent down and a moment later had Josh’s shirt in one hand, using it as leverage to lift his upper body from the ground. Reese used his other fist to slam it into Josh’s face repeatedly.
Oh my God.
She should stop this. Reese was going to kill him.
The sight and smell of blood filled the air and made Keira gag.
She snapped out of whatever trance she was in and blinked just in time to see a body rush past her.
Nate.
He pulled Reese off Josh, who slumped to the ground, unmoving.