Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 106284 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 531(@200wpm)___ 425(@250wpm)___ 354(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106284 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 531(@200wpm)___ 425(@250wpm)___ 354(@300wpm)
“I gave you four years,” I tell her. This can’t be that much of a surprise. Did she really think we could go on living like this? That our empty marriage would be enough for forever.
“What changed?” She sniffs and swallows.
“What?”
“Between then and now, what’s changed?” Crossing her arms, she lifts a brow. “You agreed to marry me. There were reasons you weren’t with her. Have those gone away?”
“No,” I punch out. Claire’s always known, despite pretending she didn’t. She doesn’t need me to confirm it’s Kitty.
“Then don’t do this,” she pleads, gripping the front of my cut.
“I can’t keep doing this to her—to me—to you. Don’t you want to find someone who will give you what you need?”
“I love you,” she whines.
“Don’t fucking lie. It’s pathetic.” I shrug her off me, and she looks away.
Exhaling harshly, she snaps, “What about Rocco?”
“I’ll always take care of our son.”
“And Jericho? What will he think of this?”
“Claire”—I grab her wrist, forcing her to turn and look at me—“this is happening.”
“He’ll see me as expendable if you leave me,” she pleads.
“It’s been four years. You’ve proven yourself. He won’t touch you, I promise.”
Dropping her eyes to my hand clutching her wrist, she places her hand over it. “Can you give us tomorrow?”
“What’s tomorrow?”
“The family cookout at the club. Rocco is really looking forward to it. Let us have tomorrow as a family,” she begs.
Staring into her tear-blurred eyes, I shrug, releasing her arm and exhaling a frustrated breath. “Fine. What’s one more day?”
“Okay.” She wipes her face with the palms of her hands. “I’ll see you then.” Grabbing her purse, she leaves me standing in the kitchen watching her pull out of the driveway through the window.
Unease settles in my chest. That was too easy.
CHAPTER 28
DADDY BEAR
KITTY
Sitting at the kitchen counter, I push my food around the plate, battling Diamond’s insistent reminders to eat it. “I have cream for you,” she announces into the silence then rushes out of the room. I love her, but I can’t force another morsel of the tasteless egg into my body.
Without warning, Monster appears next to me, bringing his face dangerously close to mine. His breath hot on my cheek, he muses, “Bruises are like blood tears spilling out of broken veins hidden beneath our skin.” His touch sends shivers down my spine as he brushes his finger along my jawbone.
“What the hell, dude?” I groan, dropping my fork with a clank.
“I’ll make every part of him bleed. You just say the word, and he’ll become a kaleidoscope of color on a cold corpse,” he declares, his stare cold, his words dripping with promise, his conviction unmistakable. Intensity radiates from him like a fire in the night sky. Knowing he’s willing to kill for me creates a perturbed satisfaction in my belly.
His eyes are an abyss of darkness. “I’m okay,” I say, a sense of ease coming over me. I nod to reassure him.
“A man shouldn’t put his hands on an innocent woman unless it’s to pleasure or comfort her.” He lazily drags his gaze over my body.
Smiling, I nudge his shoulder. “I like your way of thinking.”
Grinning wolfishly, he steals a piece of bacon off the plate and bites into it. “You know where to find me if you require any of those things.”
“I’m good. But thanks.”
He grunts in response and sidesteps Diamond as she saunters back into the kitchen holding a tube of cream. “Here, put this on your bruising. It’s like magic.” She beams, rubbing my arm. “I had to order more, and it just came in.” She busies herself getting ingredients from the pantry.
“Thanks. I’ll do it when I get back.”
“Where are you going?” She halts her movements and stares over at me, her eyes wide, mouth open.
“Out with Rogue.” Rogue got a location to meet Bear and asked me to go with her.
I pick up the glass of green smoothy shit Diamond spent half an hour concocting and knock it back, trying not to gag.
“Is that wise? After everything that happened last night?” She places a bag of flour down and brushes her hands over her apron. She’s been mumbling under her breath about how many cupcakes she needs to make for the kids coming to tomorrow’s cookout. I don’t know why she doesn’t just get them from the grocery store like everyone else and save herself the headache.
“I won’t be a prisoner or scared victim, Di.” Pushing away from the counter, I slide off my stool and dump the glass by the sink. “You should know me better than that. I’m a Cox.”
“Is Tim going with you?” she asks, ignoring everything I just said.
“Probably,” I lie, swiping my arm across my lips. No one is going but Rogue and me. Bear doesn’t trust the Kings not to kill him even with the pardon from Callan.