Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 115763 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 579(@200wpm)___ 463(@250wpm)___ 386(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115763 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 579(@200wpm)___ 463(@250wpm)___ 386(@300wpm)
“I know you can. If there’s anyone who would know how to handle her, it’s you.”
I think it’s his way of saying I’m worthy of her, and I appreciate that more than he could possibly know. But there’s one important distinction I need to make. “I can handle whatever disasters come her way, but she doesn’t need handling. She’s good on her own. I just want to be the lucky bastard who gets to watch her shine from the good seats.”
Dominic laughs and points a finger at me. “Use that. Tell her that. It’s some good shit.”
He thinks I’m spitting game, but it’s the truth.
“Speaking of disaster,” Dominic says, letting out an exasperated sigh as we come up the stairs at Penny’s apartment to see a bag sitting in front of her doorway, “I told her not to order food.”
He picks it up before knocking on the door. We wait a few seconds, but she doesn’t answer. I pull at the receipt stapled to the bag, scanning it. “This is over an hour old,” I say, dread starting to build in my gut.
“Shit.” Dominic knocks on the door, harder this time. And as soon as he stops, I start.
“Penny?” When I don’t hear her coming or unlocking the door, I ask Dom, “You have a key?”
“No, she told me she didn’t want me walking in on her with some dude between her legs.” He glances up and down the hallway like she might magically appear from somewhere other than her apartment.
I growl, not liking that image at all, and Dominic chuckles. “This could be fun.”
The tease promises a future full of torment, mostly for me, but Penny will be collateral damage. Not wanting that, I go back hard. “You think so? Because I’m going to be the only man between her legs from now on,” I inform him with an arrogant smirk. That wipes the smile off his face right quick. Back to business, I knock again as I ask, “What about Talia? You have her number?”
“Yeah, but if she’s not here to answer the door, she’s probably at work. You think we should wait?”
Arriving at the same conclusion I’ve already accepted, he asks, “We’re breaking down her door, aren’t we?” I nod. “Okay, but when Penny gets mad, it was your idea, not mine. On three?”
“Like Mississippily?”
“Is there any other way?”
“One, Mississippi . . . two, Mississippi . . . three . . .”
We both lunge at the door, but Dominic stops short, and I’m the only one that hits the solid surface, shouldering it with all my might. It gives way with a concerningly easy crack of the frame that’s definitely going to need repair.
“Your idea and you did it. I’m totally in the clear,” Dominic brags, pumping his fist. “How’s your shoulder?”
I don’t care about the blame, and I sure as hell don’t care about the dull ache in my shoulder. I need to lay eyes on Penny and make sure she’s okay.
Please let her be taking a shower and have not heard us knocking. Or have fallen asleep and forgotten about her food delivery. Hell, I’d take something like she fell and can’t get up at this point, because I would happily carry her wherever she needs to go, even if the hospital is the first destination.
A quick scan of the living room, no Penny. A glance toward the kitchen, empty. I dash toward the bedroom, where her unmade bed taunts me. The bathroom is the last place to check, but that dread is growing rapidly.
She’s not here. Penny is gone.
Back in the living room, I meet Dominic’s eyes, his face a mask of concern the same way I’m sure mine is. “Do you think she would’ve gone out for something?”
“And left her food? That was damn near all she was talking about this morning. She wouldn’t just leave.”
Pursing my lips, I glare at him, because he knows as well as I do that she absolutely would. She’d leave simply because Dominic told her not to.
“What’s all this racket?” a voice grumbles from the hallway. An older woman in a ratty bathrobe, slippers, and glasses appears in Penny’s doorway, seeing us at the same time we see her. She gasps, clutching her robe closed at her neck before remembering that she’s the building’s resident Grumpy Bitch. “I swear these girls are running a whorehouse over here. Guys coming and going all day,” she complains, her lips curled up in distaste.
“Guys? What guys?” I bark.
She scrunches her face, and I fully expect her to tell me to watch my tone, but she just waves a hand toward Dom and me. “Two big guys like you.”
I cut my eyes to Dom to find him looking at me too. We’re on the same page. It had to be Miles Conniver’s guys. And after that bastard told me Penny would be safe.