Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 95049 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95049 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
Lorenzo chuckles and shakes my hand. “Lorenzo, the grump who has no desire to get married.”
He orders a whiskey and Coke, and I raise a brow.
“Figured one couldn’t hurt.” He shrugs. “And after watching them exchange their vows, I need something stronger than Coke.”
“I hear ya,” I tell him, just as my phone buzzes in my clutch.
I pull it out, assuming it’s my mother again, only to find a text from Eric.
Asshole (Eric)
This little stunt isn’t going to keep you safe.
The room begins to spin.
And my head goes fuzzy.
My heart pounds erratically behind my rib cage.
He knows that I know …
What else could he mean?
I reach into my clutch and discreetly grab one of my nondrowsy pills, popping it into my mouth and swallowing it down with a sip of my drink.
He knows … and he’s going to come for me if I don’t do something to stop him.
I look over at Lorenzo, who’s once again staring at his phone.
“I need to take this,” he murmurs, stepping away from the bar to take the call.
I glance at his drink, and a horrible idea comes to me as I recall what Nicole said the other day.
“They’re loyal to those they care about.… When you’re linked to them, they’ll make sure you’re protected.”
I reach into my clutch once again, grabbing three of my nighttime antianxiety pills. I quickly drop them into Lorenzo’s drink and then say a silent prayer, asking for forgiveness for what I’m about to do.
6
Lorenzo
Fuck, my head.
I can’t remember the last time I was this hungover.
Only I don’t even remember drinking that much.
I had one Jack and Coke. Actually, two.
And then I called it a night.
Right?
I attempt to pry my eyes open, but the sunlight shining in causes my head to throb, and I quickly shut my lids, groaning in pain.
And then it hits me …
It’s daylight out.
Shit, Leo!
I open my eyes, needing to get to my son because there’s no way he’s still asleep. Sure, he’s a good sleeper, sleeping through the night, but he’s up by six every morning like a human alarm clock.
Only when I sit up and glance around, I’m not in my room in my condo, but in a hotel room, and I’m not alone.
Long brown hair.
Slender, tanned back.
Who the fuck is in my bed?
I lift the blanket and find I’m in only my boxers, and she’s …
Fuck, she’s naked.
Who the hell did I sleep with?
As if to answer my silent question, she stretches and rolls over, and my eyes go straight to her soft stomach and slide up to her perky tits. Her rose-dusted nipples hit the cool air and pebble, and as she slides the sheet up, my gaze ascends, meeting the eyes of a woman I don’t know.
Well, technically, I know her.
I met her two days ago.
Bantered with her a bit.
But there’s no way I spent the night with her.
Especially since I’d made it clear I wasn’t interested.
“Morning,” she croaks out, her violet eyes meeting mine.
“What the hell are you doing in my bed?”
She flinches at my harsh tone, but I don’t give a shit because her being in my room, in my bed, naked, makes no sense.
“Umm …” She glances around. “Do you not remember last night?” she asks slowly.
“What about last night?” I slide out of bed, needing some space. “And if you try to tell me we fucked, I’m going to call bullshit because I don’t do one-night stands ever. And I told you that.”
She wraps the sheet around her body and then stands as well. “I understand that.” She lifts her left hand. “But I don’t think it’s considered a one-night stand if we’re married.”
She smiles hesitantly, and it takes me several seconds to wrap my head around her words and then several more for me to comprehend that on her left hand is a wedding band.
“What the fuck are you talking about?” I bark, wondering if someone’s playing a goddamn joke on me. And if they are, it’s not funny. “We didn’t get married.” I stalk over to the door and swing it open. “Get the hell out of my room. I don’t know what games you’re playing, but I’m not participating.”
“I think it’s a little late for that,” Vanessa says softly.
Before I can respond, a door down the hall opens, and Bri and Kane step out.
“Is everything okay?” Bri asks.
“No!” I boom, freaking out. “This crazy bitch is trying to tell me that we got married last night.” I lift my hand to point at Vanessa, and the ring on my finger hits the light.
A simple silver ring that looks suspiciously like a wedding band.
“Fuck,” I hiss. “I got married last night.”
Bri and Kane step closer, probably to see who I’m referring to, but when Kane sees that Vanessa only has a blanket wrapped around her, he retreats, closing the door behind him.