Total pages in book: 174
Estimated words: 172061 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 860(@200wpm)___ 688(@250wpm)___ 574(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 172061 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 860(@200wpm)___ 688(@250wpm)___ 574(@300wpm)
“You wike my car?” Finn bounced as he waved a toy Camero in Colin’s face.
Colin laughed like it was the funniest thing he’d ever heard. “Of course, I like your car. It’s so fast it’s like a race car. I’m gonna have a real one when I grow up.”
“I’m gonna have a motorcycle like my Daddy-O and my uncles when I grow up,” Nolan said as he carefully stacked another block on the fort they were building on the floor. “They’re the fastest.”
“Well, I’m gonna have a car and a motorcycle like my Mr. Cash,” Colin corrected like he needed to catch up.
“My Big Gwumpy Giant got a mower-cycle,” Eva drawled as she danced a doll on its feet on the floor beside the boys. “I go wide wif him.”
My chest squeezed so fuckin’ tight I was in physical pain.
Feeling like I was going to split apart at their sweet voices. At the way they looked at me when I didn’t deserve an ounce of their affection.
My brothers caught what Eva had said, and Otto swiveled back to me, shock on his face.
“Did you just let that kid call you my big grumpy giant?” He kept his voice low as he cocked his head.
I grunted.
Kane laughed low. “What else are they supposed to call him? About the most fitting name I’ve ever heard. Think you should get it changed on your birth certificate.”
I sent him a glare that had no heat behind it.
Disbelief filled his chuckle. “Seriously, though, man. This shit is insane. Way you just strolled in here like the four of them belong to you.”
There was no stopping the way my eyes traveled to Daisy. No question she was getting bombarded by the girls who clearly took making her feel welcome to heart, though I wasn’t so sure they were reconciled to the whole ‘don’t get attached’ part.
Their voices hushed and the cut of their gazes in my direction made it plain they were scheming.
Scheming in that sweet way that set them apart from anyone I’d ever met.
This family tight and supportive. Their hearts pure and their intentions honorable.
But what we all needed to remember was that Daisy and the kids couldn’t remain a part of it, and any ideas they were conjuring up in their heads were going to lead to nowhere good.
“Like I said, I have a part to play, and that part starts today.” The words were gravel.
“Huh, never knew you were such a good actor.” River eyed me up and down. Usually, I only had to grapple with Otto, Kane, and Theo giving me shit, but apparently, my whole crew was in for this.
“Think the fact that we still walk around free says that we’re all decent actors,” I said like it was going to distract from the issue at hand.
“You think everyone doesn’t walk by us and not know? We’re not good actors. We’re just good at not getting caught.” Theo punted me a menacing grin.
“And you, my friend, are the worst actor around.” Kane gripped me by the shoulder and gave me a jostle. “Look at you, standing there, twitching like a fiend. Wanting to claw your way through this room to get to your girl. You want to claim her right in front of us, don’t you?”
I swatted his hand away. “Do not want to claim her.”
Unfortunately, my cock had other things to say about that. Fucker straining in my jeans and aching for a replay of last night.
Stupid, going there. Letting myself cross that line.
Because now that I’d done it, I didn’t think I was ever going to stop wanting to do it again.
Her sweet scent and her soft skin and the taste of—
Otto cracked up. “Sure, brother. You’re as cool as a fucking cucumber over there.”
I roughed a flustered hand through my hair. “Only thing that matters is keeping them safe. From her bastard ex and from my world,” I reiterated, before my voice dipped in emphasis. “Worried one of them caught up to us last night.”
They all went rigid when I said it, the easiness draining away in a beat. “How so?” River demanded.
I blew out some of the strain, but it didn’t do anything to relieve the tension. “Thought I saw something in the woods last night after I got back from Sanctum’s meeting.”
“Thought?” Kane hissed, then his eyes blew wide when he suddenly noticed the gash taped closed on my temple. “Someone get to you?”
The shake of my head was harsh. “No. At least I don’t think so. I took off into the woods, trying to find whatever it was that I saw or sensed. It was pitch as fuck out. Tripped and fell down a ravine and busted myself up a bit.”
At least, that’s what I thought had happened. But I couldn’t shun the idea that it might have been more. That someone might have been right there, under my nose.