Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 94692 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94692 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
He flicked me a glance. “And you are…? Oh hell. You’re the newcomer—the guy who’s a makeup artist.”
Uh. That wasn’t weird. Did he know anything about the entertainment industry?
“Yeah, and no amount of makeup can fix what you’ve got going on there.” I gestured vaguely at his face.
He clenched his jaw when Noa cracked up.
“I think we all know I’m not the one who needs to level up in that department,” Axel bit out, eyes fixed on Noa.
“Ohh, so you look like that on purpose,” I said, nodding. “Got it. My bad.”
My pulse started drumming faster as Axel took a step toward us.
“Did you fucking want something?” he snapped. “It’s bad enough I gotta see your ugly mug online all the time.”
Noa smiled. “First of all, my Daddy says I’m adorable. Most recently, this morning when I swallowed his cock. Second of all, bless your little garbage heart—isn’t it obvious? I’m here to let you apologize to my face.”
Good lord, that one pushed a button. He’d brought up the blow job for a reason.
Axel glared at Noa and took another step toward him.
Noa didn’t look fazed one bit.
I would’ve at least tried to de-escalate a little. Things were getting out of hand, and…and I really wanted to answer my phone!
“Do you honestly believe I will apologize to you?” Axel asked quietly.
“I didn’t say that,” Noa stated. “I’m giving you the chance. Trust me, my expectations of you are extremely low. Like, the basement-has-a-basement low.”
Come on, Noa! He’s almost a head taller than you. And possibly three sizes larger!
With only a few inches between them, Axel chuckled under his breath and gave Noa a light shove.
“Or you can fuck off.”
Noa clenched his jaw and flinched forward again. “The first one’s free, fuckface. Try it again and—” He didn’t even get to finish the sentence before Axel pushed him a second time.
I stiffened and balled my hands into fists.
Noa had barely righted himself before Axel moved in for the third strike, and it made me see red. Without even thinking, with blind anger pummeling through me, I swooped in and rammed my elbow up Axel’s jaw, and he shouted a curse and staggered back.
“Don’t! He’s mine!” Noa snarled.
He pushed past me and flew right into Axel, sending them both tumbling to the ground. My heart was suddenly pounding, and my anger dissipated as quickly as it’d appeared. This wasn’t right. I had to end it somehow. Noa wasn’t gonna last long in the fight, and—
“Fuck this.” The friend shook his head and walked toward the house.
“How’s this for fending for myself, huh?” Noa punched Axel repeatedly in the face, and I sucked in a breath and widened my eyes. Holy fuck, he was doing just fine in a physical fight. It was Axel who wasn’t gonna last long. He tried to defend himself against the blows, but Noa was too fast. “I’m so fucking sick of people telling me I can’t do shit on my own.” He heaved a breath and put enough force into the next punch that I had to intervene. “Tiny little Noa—what does he know?”
“Noa!” I gripped his shoulder and tried to pull him back, but he was undeterred.
Axel grunted and struggled to get out from underneath Noa.
“You don’t know what the fuck I’ve lived through,” Noa gritted out.
I swallowed, queasy—
“Ay, knock it off!” someone yelled.
I whipped around and spotted a man on the porch, and he didn’t waste a second. He headed down the porch steps and came toward us in a run. At the same time, I heard a car approaching. Scratch that—two cars. My heart hammered faster and faster, and everything became overwhelming as I tried to register what was going on. One car, one truck. Finally, finally, finally, it was James and Ash! They were in Ash’s work truck.
The man who was running was almost here. He had copper-brown hair and didn’t look happy. I swallowed again, nerves kicking in, my stomach a knotted mess, and just stood there, useless.
Right when he reached us, Kit’s Daddy Dom rushed out on the porch too.
“Noa—quit it.” Copperhead had greater success than me. He wrapped his arms around Noa’s middle and pulled him off Axel. Not that it stopped Noa from kicking and thrashing in the air. “Stop, Noa!”
“No!” Noa shouted. “Let me go, Reese! I’m not done!”
Acting on instinct, I planted my foot on Axel’s shoulder when he tried to get up.
“Stay down,” I snapped.
Mister Colt came running too, and the second car didn’t stop in the driveway. Whoever it was drove onto the lawn and didn’t slow down until they were mere feet away. By now, Ash and James had left the truck and were jogging over as well.
I exhaled shakily and racked my brain, trying to think ahead, and my stare landed on Axel again.