Total pages in book: 160
Estimated words: 151097 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 755(@200wpm)___ 604(@250wpm)___ 504(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 151097 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 755(@200wpm)___ 604(@250wpm)___ 504(@300wpm)
I hung up.
“Good girl.”
“Fuck you,” I snapped, ignoring the way my cheeks warmed at his words. “I don’t know what my brother did to upset you, and I don’t care.” Gathering my courage, I moved toward Shaun. “The ambulance will be here any minute. I suggest you get the fuck on.”
“Our business hasn’t concluded, Coby.”
“Your business with Roshaun is none of my concern. My brother is the only thing I care about, and we’re leaving.”
Without regard for Ocean’s personal space or the serious don’t-fuck-with-me vibes he was giving, I wedged myself between them and crouched to help Shaun. It wasn’t easy in heels or with my petite stature, so when I rose with my brother under my arm, I stumbled a little trying to support his weight. Shaun looked moments from passing out, but then he made a sound of protest when we stumbled forward, and I realized too late that it was a warning.
My brother was yanked from my arms and thrown to the ground, leaving him open to vicious kicks while I screamed at them to stop. Arms immediately closed around me the moment I tried to intervene, and I was lifted and pulled away from the violence while I kicked and screamed.
“I see that listening isn’t your strong suit,” Ocean whispered while he carried me away. “My business is with you, mo aingeal1.”
If not for Ocean holding me, I would have collapsed to the ground. “Pleeeease. Let me go,” I sobbed.
“I tried that,” he whispered so fiercely to me that I felt my body relax against my will, “but you kept coming back, Coby. What did you think would happen?”
A chill as I’ve never felt before washed over me, and then I was kicking and clawing again while Ocean simply tightened his hold. I weighed a measly hundred and five pounds, and he easily weighed double that, but still, he let me fight.
If his body was a wall of rock and stone, I was the furious sea crashing against it.
Neither would bend to the other, but at the moment, one clearly had the upper hand.
“Stoop!” I screamed until my throat was ravaged—as if I hadn’t daydreamed about this man holding me just like this since the start. I was short with toned arms and legs and some curves, but I was no match for Ocean’s brute strength, and I wasn’t no damn Karate Kid.
Even if I could disarm him, Ocean seemed crazy as hell. I’d probably have to dodge bullets to get away from him.
If only Hunter was here.
She’d gladly shoot Ocean in the face, fine or not.
“Stop this shit,” Ocean ordered when he realized my corset was slipping down and I was close to flashing my breasts to everyone in the alley.
I didn’t care, I just threw my head back.
Satisfaction and pain rippled through me simultaneously when the back of my skull connected with his nose. Ocean’s grunt was my cue right before his arms loosened, and I dropped to the ground just barely managing to land on my feet. I whirled around to face him and saw blood leaking out of his nose.
Good.
I hope it was broken.
Ocean touched his nose and nodded with carefully banked fury when he saw red on his fingertips. He was still staring at them when his other hand suddenly whipped out, and he grabbed me by my throat. There was no time to react before he dragged me forward and ignored my cries while he wiped his fingers across my face, marking me with his blood. “Tugaimid onóir don fhuil2,” he rumbled deeply. Ocean’s gaze was less patient when he added in English, “Now you are mine.”
The sound of sirens suddenly rent the air.
Ocean calmly set me back on my feet, but I was too shaken to react to the emergency lights I spotted from the street. Feeling Ocean’s blood drying into my skin, I walked unsteadily back over to my brother and collapsed to my knees once I reached him. Gravel sliced into my bare skin, but I was numb to it all.
My mind had already accepted that there was no way out of this.
“Shaun…” I touched his shoulder gently, careful not to jostle him. “Roshaun!” I screamed, losing it a little when I tapped his face and he didn’t respond. “Wake up! Please wake up! Shaun!”
I thought about checking his pulse, but I didn’t know how, so I stared at my brother’s chest rising and falling faintly.
Roshaun was alive, but for how much longer?
The back door of the club burst open, and two paramedics hurried through with a gurney. A grateful sob broke free as I leaned over and kissed my brother’s cheek. “You’re going to be okay,” I whispered. “Just hang on for me, please.”
“Mr. Kilpatrick,” the first paramedic greeted. “Did you call for assistance?”
“No,” I corrected on a shaky breath as I rose to my feet. “I did.” Ignoring me, the paramedics continued regarding Ocean as if waiting for permission. “Why are y’all just standing there?” I screamed. “Fucking help him!”