Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 76953 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 385(@200wpm)___ 308(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76953 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 385(@200wpm)___ 308(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
“About how I expected,” I said as we moved into the kitchen.
“Meaning expensive.”
“What in this house hasn’t been?”
“To be fair, Cain did warn us. He wasn’t even subtle about it.”
He’d called the place a ‘money pit.’
The problem was, we’d been in love with the house, the location, the proximity to the club, and her parents.
Besides, we had the money.
I had more than enough with my savings and the club income. Her business was only getting bigger and bigger. She had staff now.
We could afford to fix the place up.
Which was what we’d been doing since the moment the papers were signed.
Little by little, we’d handled any structural issues, got a new HVAC, furnace, hot water heater, and some old electrical. Then we’d started on the more aesthetic stuff: refinishing floors, changing cabinets, and putting up crown molding.
The bathrooms had been nearly last on our list. But thanks to a leak in the primary shower, we had to move it up.
“Might as well just have them do all three bathrooms then,” Gracie said, exhaling hard.
We both hated having strangers in and out of our space all the time. Not to mention the mess.
“I was thinking…”
“About?”
“Using the hall shower for the next two months. Then we can have them come in and do the construction while we’re off on the honeymoon.”
“That,” she said, giving me a smile, “might be the best idea you’ve ever had.”
“To make it even better, we have the club prospects come in and clean everything top to bottom before we get back.”
“You might just be a genius,” she decided. The cold stuff put away, she abandoned the rest to come to me and run her hands up my chest.
The club had quite a few new prospects these days with Roderick and Liv’s and Camden and Annie’s kids finally joining the ranks. They needed some work to keep them busy. We needed a clean house to come home to.
It was a win/win.
“I have my good qualities,” I said.
“Mmmhmm,” she agreed, eyes going warm.
“Want me to remind you of another?”
There was no mistaking the heat in my voice.
“Yes,” she said, then watched me lower to my knees in front of her.
“Fucking love these damn dresses,” I said as my fingers teased up her thighs. “Such easy access.”
I slipped under, slid her panties to the side, and licked until her thighs were shaking and she was begging for my cock.
Then I went ahead and bent her over our brand new island and gave her exactly what she needed.
Gracie - 14 months
“See? This is why I eloped,” Layna said as I helped my assistant fix a minor catastrophe that popped up.
The problem was, this was at my wedding. And each ‘tiny problem’ someone brought to me made my stomach feel like it was bottoming out.
Even though I knew from experience that almost everything could be fixed with relative ease, from catering issues to alcohol shortages, I’d seen and handled it all. Just not while, you know, trying to enjoy the festivities.
“Sure,” Violet said, rolling her eyes at Layna. “That’s why you eloped.”
Layna’s situation was a whole story. But one for another time.
“Have I thanked you and Wick for letting us use your house?” I asked, smiling at Violet.
And by ‘house,’ I meant their private island. Complete with its own boat in case we wanted or needed to get to one of the mainlands on our stay. Perish had actually been taking lessons for both boating and survival, just in case we had any issues.
We wouldn’t.
The house was state-of-the-art, complete with solar power and fully stocked cupboards and refrigerators, not to mention an island full of fruit trees.
But I loved how proactive he was, how he was always trying to make sure he was prepared for the worst so he could protect me from that fate.
“He’s gonna get a kick out of the birds,” Violet said with a knowing smile.
“You know him well.”
“Hey, baby,” my mom said, ducking back into the room in her pretty baby pink gown. She was the prettiest mother of the bride I’d ever seen. “Your father is just outside. We’re about ready.”
I slowly stood, flattening a hand down my belly.
I’d always loved a full princess gown but was too short for the style.
I’d gone with a soft A-line dress with a deep V neckline, structured lace with floral appliqués, and a skirt made of layers of fine tulle.
It was modern but romantic and ethereal.
My hair was down, with a waist-length headband veil that didn’t cover my face.
Makeup was subtle.
The only jewelry I had was the borrowed earrings my mother had given me.
The whole look I felt fit the venue.
Which was, as no surprise to anyone, at the Grassi’s barn where Perish had saved me the first time.
When I’d walked around earlier, I had a few moments of remembering the divorce party I’d been working on that night: the damn castrated ice sculpture, the table of sex toys.