Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 110089 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 550(@200wpm)___ 440(@250wpm)___ 367(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110089 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 550(@200wpm)___ 440(@250wpm)___ 367(@300wpm)
Not afraid. Not of me.
That’s not good.
She glances at a clock mounted high on the far wall, just beyond the rows of blinking server lights. Her brows pull together. “We can’t leave Leo in the car too long.”
Of course. She’s attached to that dog. “I know.” I study her, waiting. “Any thoughts here?”
She shakes her head, curls shifting around her shoulders. “No, but I promise I’ll start digging. Quietly. Under the radar. I need to research your condition more, even if there’s nothing written about it. Sometimes the key is in the underlying problem, not the name of the ailment. I also want to recheck everything we did for Thorn. Something in that process should have helped you too.”
“Yeah, but we were focused on Thorn,” I say, jaw tightening. “I just haven’t figured it out yet.”
“I know.” Her voice softens, and the weight in it punches straight through my chest while my cock hardens. That sweet, soft sound might kill me. “I know it’s my fault. But I will help you.” Then she tries to negotiate. “But since your apartment was blown up, maybe we meet in a couple of days? Somewhere neutral?”
A low chuckle escapes me before I can catch it. When was the last time I laughed? Genuine amusement slides through me, hot and unfamiliar. “You’re fucking adorable.”
Her head snaps up, eyes flashing. She doesn’t preen. She knows exactly what I mean.
I guess I need to be more direct. “No.”
“Justice, come on—”
“Nope. If you think I’m letting you out of my control, you’ve lost your damn mind.”
She looks like she might stomp her foot, and hell, it’s cute. Too cute. “Listen, buddy—”
“Nope.” I cut her off again, slow and deliberate. “Don’t argue with me, Ella. You won’t win.”
Her glare could scorch a weaker man. “Fine. Then where exactly do you plan on putting me and my dog?”
“You’ll see.” I reach for her hand again.
She narrows her eyes, suspicion etched across her face. “I guess I’m not being clear. It’s time to make a deal. I’ll save you, and you let me go. Full stop.”
“No.” I’m done. I yank my shirt up over her head before she can move.
She hisses, hands on her hips, gorgeous tits tightening in the cold.
Fuck, I like that she doesn’t cover herself and looks like a sex kitten.
Instead, she slides one leg back and barely drops into a fighting stance. If I wasn’t watching her so closely, I would’ve missed it.
Heat spirals down my spine and flicks my balls wide awake. My blood thickens and heats through my veins.
Her chin lifts, and challenge fills her blue eyes. Then she screams. At an ear-splitting decibel.
I frown, waiting until she stops. “You know this room is soundproof.”
Her face falls. “That didn’t hurt you? At all?”
The little brat. She tried to shred my skin with her voice? As an experiment, it isn’t bad. Mean, though. “No. Guess you can’t extort me that way,” I murmur. Fascinating. The screech had just annoyed me. No pain involved. Why just with her?
Her mouth quirks. “Darn it.” She’s disappointed?
I’m caught between being pissed and amused. “Don’t try it again.”
Her eyes light. Wait a minute. Does she think she hurt me? She opens her mouth and shrieks at an even louder and higher tone.
My ears protest like any human’s would. So I dodge forward, lift her up, and plant her over my knee. She struggles, and I lift my leg to the round base of the pedestal, giving me better leverage. Then I smack her ass.
Hard.
She yelps and squirms like a fish on the line.
The clothes are in the way. I tear them off and then smack her several more times. Her ass turns red, and my handprint looks perfect there. Absolutely fucking perfect.
She lets loose with an impressive list of threats and curses, so I start spanking her in time with her words. Finally, she stops with a soft whimper.
I smack her three more times. “Are you done being a brat?”
“I fucking hate you,” she breathes out, face down, her blonde hair brushing the floor.
“Guess not,” I muse, swinging again. Her butt is beetred, and I can smell her arousal. I’m hard, but this is a lesson that needs to be learned. And acknowledged. I give her five more, noting how hard she’s panting. “You done, baby?”
Her body tightens, and I can feel how hard it is for her not to swear at me again. So I give her another good smack to help her out. “Yes,” she blurts, still struggling. “Fine. Yes.”
Good enough. I palm her ass and feel her shudder. Then I slide my hand down between her legs, where she’s so fucking wet my brain almost explodes. I tap her clit, and she moans.
Not good enough.
I flip her over, plant her on the cement floor, drop to my knees, and bury my face between her legs.