Total pages in book: 159
Estimated words: 155775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 779(@200wpm)___ 623(@250wpm)___ 519(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 155775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 779(@200wpm)___ 623(@250wpm)___ 519(@300wpm)
“That’s Daddy’s good girl,” he told her.
She preened under the praise. She was his good girl.
“I hate that you experienced that growing up, baby girl. Are your mother and father still alive?”
She shook her head. “My mother died a few years ago. A heart attack. As for my father, well, he disappeared. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s fathered a few more children, but Dotty’s never been able to find them. We think he left the country entirely.”
Cash nodded. “You’re better off without him.”
“What about your family?” she asked.
“My father died when we were young,” he said. “Aidan looked after us a lot after that because my mother had to work so much. Unfortunately, she died while I was . . . in hiding, I guess you’d say.”
She frowned slightly. What did he mean by ‘in hiding’?
“When I was younger, I hung out with the wrong kind of people, and I saw something that I wasn’t supposed to. Ralen and I both went on the run because we were worried that we would be killed, or that our families would be.”
Wow, that was not what she’d expected him to say.
“We went and lived with Ralen’s family in Mexico. We worked there for his cousin. We still work for him, but we moved here to keep watch over his stepsister, Bonnie.”
Oh, that made so much sense now.
“So you watch over Bonnie for your boss?” she asked. “You and Ralen?”
“Most of the time it’s a pretty easy job. In fact, it can be almost boring. We’re just moving stuff around for her.”
Yeah, that didn’t seem like a good fit for Cash or for Ralen. She wondered why they still worked for Bonnie’s stepbrother.
“Does that mean Ralen and Bonnie are cousins?”
“No, that whole family tree is a bit of a mess. Almost as strange as your family tree, I guess.”
That was fair enough.
“Right, it’s time to go to sleep, baby girl. You’re exhausted. We need to get you on a better sleep schedule. Do you want me to lie beside you?”
He would do that? Amazement filled her, and she found herself nodding. She really wanted that. So he climbed on top of the bed on the other side, and she rolled toward him.
“Want to put your head on my chest?” he asked.
She didn’t need to be asked twice. She rested her head against his chest, and he placed his arm around her. A sense of safety fell over her.
That night, Addie fell asleep more quickly than she had on any other night that she could remember.
Cash knew he should go back to his own bedroom as soon as her soft snores filled the room. But he decided just to wait a bit longer. The last thing he wanted was to disturb her, and he was concerned that she’d have a nightmare. So he stayed, his eyes closing, just a bit longer . . .
37
Addie woke up slightly confused about where she was, and the fact that there was someone in the bed with her.
It had to be Monroe.
Sometimes she’d climb into bed with Addie if she was cold or lonely.
Addie didn’t mind, although occasionally Monroe did like to kick. There was something a bit off about her, though. Her presence in the bed felt heavier. Addie rolled onto her side and reached over to touch Monroe.
This body felt different. Bigger than Monroe. Harder? And warmer. Monroe always ran cold which is why she liked living in Las Vegas.
But this person was hot . . . she started running her hand down their body. If she’d been awake, she really wouldn’t have done it, no matter who it was in the bed with her.
However, her brain wasn’t fully functioning at that moment.
Her hand landed on something firm and strong. What was that?
She slid her hand up higher. Now, it was on something softer. No, it was starting to become harder. What went soft, then hard?
Oh. My. God.
Addie froze. She was barely breathing. If she stopped breathing and passed out could she escape the embarrassment that was about to hit her?
“I’m going to guess by the way you just tensed that you’re awake,” a sleep-roughened voice said.
She let out a small squeak.
“And that it’s possible you’ve realized exactly where your hand is.”
Another quiet squeak escaped that she hoped he didn’t hear, but he probably did.
“So it might be a good idea to remove your hand from where it is right now. I’m rather attached to it, and it’s rather attached to my body. You squeeze it much harder, and I’m scared the blood’s going to stop flowing to it.”
What was he talking about?
Was he trying to say . . . oh my God. She just realized what he meant.
Why the hell did she have her hand on his cock? Humiliation flooded her. This was just too much. Without opening her eyes, she let go then drew herself further under the covers, curling herself up like a turtle.