Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 75323 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 301(@250wpm)___ 251(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75323 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 301(@250wpm)___ 251(@300wpm)
It was something that had also been a strike against him. Because as long as my list was for desirable traits I’d want a partner to have, my list of red flags or traits I would never accept in a partner was even longer. Pretty damn high on that list was being a heavy drinker. It was right there below: long-term unemployed, drowning in debt, and one of those guys who is always ‘going to’ start a business and never actually doing it. But above things like mediocre personal style or having a beard—both things I figured I could change or learn to work with.
There were other small things I’d learned about him that I found intriguing. I’d always found him kind of silly and unserious, maybe even too laid-back. He was, in many ways, all those things. But I’d also seen him spring into action—gun in hand—when he’d heard me screaming. When we were walking down a busy street and a fight broke out, he shoved me behind him and wouldn’t let me move until the threat passed. He’d spent a whole hour active-listening to an unhoused man tell him his life story before giving him a rolled-up wad of cash that had to be close to a thousand dollars.
He was very… present, engaged, empathetic, protective, and, yes, full of life.
I almost forgot what that looked like.
I was a workaholic, someone so invested in my future that I often overlooked the present. And the person I was around the most—Cillian—was just the male version of me. I didn’t get to see someone just… alive like that often. Doing so with Raff had created this strange ache inside me that I didn’t fully understand but could no longer deny as it seemed to grow stronger by the day.
“Maybe a little fun,” I conceded.
“That’s my girl.”
It was a throwaway comment.
It meant nothing.
But try telling that to my fluttering heart.
I needed to get Drake found, have whatever confrontation I was going to with him, then get on a plane and get back home as soon as possible. I couldn’t let myself keep softening toward Raff, keep wanting things I knew didn’t fit in with my plans.
“So, which obnoxiously expensive hotel are we staying in here?” I asked, watching the water as we seemed to be driving further away from all the hotels in the heart of town.
“We’re not.”
“What do you mean we’re not? Where are we—oh, God. We’re not staying with your sister club, are we?”
“They have a nice clubhouse, but no. I asked another buddy of mine if we could crash at one of his places.”
“One of? You know someone who has multiple pieces of real estate in this area?” This area where most places cost in the millions.
“I know a couple people with multiple pieces of real estate in this area—among other places—actually. Plus yachts. Of the mega variety.”
“Who are you?”
Raff glanced over, that playful smile on his lips again. “If I knew you’d be so impressed with my rich friends, I’d have boasted about them sooner. This friend is Teddy. Theodore Kane, actually.”
“Theodore Kane. Teddy Kane. Of the Kane billionaires. That’s your friend?”
“To be fair, he’s more of a friend of the Golden Glades club. But we’ve hung out a few times. He’s good people.”
“He’s the generational, can’t-burn-through-this-kind-of-money-if-they-tried kind of wealthy.”
“So you can imagine how nice this place is gonna be. Though, he’s using the big house for some charity thing this weekend, so we’re getting one of the smaller ones.”
The ‘smaller’ one was still three floors of stone and glass. Right on the water. With a breathtaking infinity pool.
The interior was all white walls, wooden floors and ceilings, and understated, classy furniture.
“I’m almost afraid to ask how much a house like this costs.”
“I think when he bought it, it was for eighteen million.”
Eighteen million dollars just burning a hole in his pocket. That was insane.
“Why does he have multiple properties in the same area?” I asked as we both naturally gravitated toward the pool on the back patio, overlooking the ocean.
“He mostly lives at his penthouse and the big mansion if he’s looking for more privacy. I think he buys up these properties just as investments. Sits on them until the market is right, then sells them for a profit.”
I pulled up my skirt and lowered down next to the pool, dropping my legs into the water and letting out a groan at the coolness.
“You have a plan for a pool in that future house of yours?”
“I do. It would never have this kind of view, but I need somewhere to cool off with these awful heat waves we’ve been having.”
“You don’t need views like this. These are vacation views. What you need is a pool with enough room to fill with inflatable flamingos, beach balls, noodles, and one of those nets so you can spend hot days playing pool volleyball with the kids.”