Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 102929 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 515(@200wpm)___ 412(@250wpm)___ 343(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102929 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 515(@200wpm)___ 412(@250wpm)___ 343(@300wpm)
So close…
Just one more breath.
Just one more second.
Until I felt his lips on mine.
“You have no idea how bad I want to kiss you, too.”
Was it a warning or a promise?
I didn’t have time to contemplate it because it was Kraven’s voice that sliced through the air, right through our bodies as he snapped, “Am I interrupting?”
His words clung to my skin, but Julius didn’t flinch. Instead, his mouth softly kissed mine.
He chose me.
* * *
Not in defiance, but in certainty, simply daring Kraven to stop him.
Chapter
Twelve
Julius
“The hardest thing is not talking to someone when you used to talk to them every day.” –Positive Inspirational Quotes
* * *
Four months later.
* * *
I stood by Kraven’s door, leaning against it. “I need a favor.”
He turned to face me, eyeing me skeptically. “Sounds like a personal problem.”
Isla was at the library. It was just the two of us, so I was taking the opportunity to ask him without her around.
“Why are you asking me?” he snidely asked. “You must be desperate.”
“Kraven…” I tensed, completely hating this, and I hadn’t even asked him yet.
“Are you sure this isn’t an order?” he griped, encouraging my impatience.
“Since when do you ever listen to me? A favor is my only option.”
“Then why don’t you just ask your stray?”
In a snapped tone, I bit, “Stop calling her that.”
He smirked, shrugging. “How about a pain in the ass instead?”
“You know what?” I pushed off the door. “Forget it.”
To my surprise, he stopped me. “Say what you need, Julius. Just say it quickly so you don’t choke on your words.”
“For fuck’s sake,” I muttered under my breath. “Can you not be so condescending for a minute?”
“That’s rich, coming from you.”
I reluctantly leaned against the door again, folding my arms over my chest. Internally counting to ten. “I have to leave town this weekend.”
“So?”
“So,” I emphasized, “I need you to watch Isla while I’m gone.”
He jerked back, confused. “Watch her? I thought you were her guard dog. What?” he mocked. “You scared she’s going to run away while you’re gone?”
“No,” I firmly stated.
“Then why do I have to babysit?”
“Because I can’t be in two places at once.”
“She’s by herself when you’re not here. What’s the difference?”
“The difference is I’ll be unavailable from Friday to Sunday.”
“Unavailable,” he argued, cocking his head to the side. “What the fuck does that mean? Since when are you unavailable?”
I changed the subject. “Will you do this for me or not?”
“Once again,” he stressed, “why is this my problem?”
“It’s going to be your problem if I don’t pay the property taxes.”
His gaze tapered, and his eyebrows pinched together. “Weren’t they due last month?”
“Exactly my point. Now, are you going to help me?”
“Depends.”
“On what?”
“On what I get out of it.”
“What do you want?”
He smiled, and it reached his eyes. “I want my own street bike.”
In one breath, I snipped, “Hell no.”
“Well…” He paused for effect. “I guess she’s on her own then. I’ll make sure to leave the door wide open for her. Hopefully, she’ll get the hint and run far away.”
I hated that I had to succumb to his threats, but I didn’t have another choice in the matter. It wasn’t that I thought she’d run. I just didn’t want to worry about her while I was gone, and at the end of the day, I knew Kraven would look out for her if I asked him to.
“You’re a real asshole,” I firmly reminded. “You know that, right?”
He beamed. “It’s just part of my charm.”
“Then you’ll do this for me?”
“I’m surprised you trust me with your little pet project.” With a challenging expression, he added, “What if she likes me more than you?”
I didn’t hesitate, simply speaking the truth, “It’s not a competition, little brother.”
Kraven
The black cat walked into the room, and I immediately wondered how much she heard or if she was eavesdropping. I owed her one, and it was the only reason I was going to do this favor, but Julius didn’t need to know that. At least now we’d be even.
She’d been here for half a year, and the only thing we knew about her was her name, and I say we because Julius didn’t know shit either. He would have told me. Besides, Kitty didn’t speak. Still. After all this time. And my dumbass brother didn’t bat an eye about it.
Since what I imagined was their first kiss at the park, I kept my distance. If Julius wanted to date Satan’s familiar, it was on him. Not me.
I chuckled at the thought. I was kidding. Maybe.
“You’re back early,” Julius announced, looking over at her.
She was once again dressed as if she were going to a funeral.
She nodded at me, and I nodded back at her.
This was usually the extent of our encounters, and now my brother was literally asking me to babysit her. How the hell was I supposed to pull this off when she didn’t talk? It would be a struggle I’d have no tolerance for, of that much I was aware.