Total pages in book: 767
Estimated words: 732023 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 3660(@200wpm)___ 2928(@250wpm)___ 2440(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 732023 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 3660(@200wpm)___ 2928(@250wpm)___ 2440(@300wpm)
The atmosphere snapped around her, and she turned her head. Not that she needed to. His voice was unmistakable, as was his threatening tone. Jax. Of course.
Scowling, the Dom pivoted to face the taller and much more muscled Jax. In the years since she’d seen him, he’d gotten leaner. He wore his trademark black T-shirt and black boots, but tonight he’d switched out jeans for tailored black trousers.
Apparently he was not friends with a razor, and his hair was longer than she remembered. Willow twisted her fingers together to fight off the ridiculous urge to run them through his thick locks, maybe muss them to make him seem less formidable.
“She appears to be alone,” the Dom said.
“Ask her.” Jax shrugged.
Willow exhaled. They were having a ridiculous territorial battle, as if she was some sort of prize.
The bartender placed her drink on the remnants of the napkin. “Everything okay?”
She nodded a silent lie. Nothing about Jax was okay.
“The club code word is red,” he reminded her. “Use it and I’ll send both of these men home.” The bartender directed his gaze at the Dom then at Jax. “I’ll be right here.” He folded his arms and remained in place.
“What’s it going to be?” Jax asked, voice easy, apparently confident of her response.
He loved being the center of attention. And in the end, he would win. All he had to do was call her dad. Then the wrath of hell would descend. Worse, if he told her mother, the gentle Andrea would collapse in a pile of disappointment. After all, Willow was their only child. For the first ten years of their marriage, Brian and Andrea had tried to have children. She’d spent agonizing years not conceiving, and when she finally did, she endured two miscarriages. To say they’d do anything to protect Willow from the world was an understatement. She sighed. With a smile so fake her teeth ached, she turned toward Stefan. “I’m with him.”
“Good night, Stefan.” Using his impressive frame, Jax nudged the other man aside to take possession of the seat next to her.
“Sorry to have interrupted.” With a firm scowl in place, Stefan nodded.
“Give my regards to Leah.”
“Fuck you, Mills.”
It took several seconds for Stefan to walk off. Then the bartender gave her another pointed look. “I’m here until eleven if you need anything.”
“Thank you.” She appreciated knowing the club’s staff and monitors paid attention to every interaction, no matter how important the member.
He rapped a knuckle on the bar top before leaving to pour a beer requested by another customer.
All of a sudden, she was alone with Jax. “Who’s Leah?”
“His girlfriend.”
“Oh my God.” She pulled her straw from the piña colada and stabbed it back in. “I didn’t know. I hate cheaters.” After being the one duped, it was especially painful. She’d never be a participant in hurting another woman.
“I figured it might make a difference to you.”
It did. She supposed she should be grateful to Jax for saving her from making a mistake. “Is his girlfriend a submissive?”
Jax lifted a shoulder in a noncommittal shrug. He sat close enough that she inhaled his scent. Power spiced with arrogance. Jaxon Mills was a man who took what he wanted.
“Are you?” His approving gaze lingered on her.
“Am I…what?”
“Submissive?”
Even though she didn’t want to have a reaction other than disdain for him, her traitorous heart rapped out a dangerous sexual tattoo. “We’re not having this conversation.”
“No?”
“Look, Jax…” Desperate for a distraction, she took a big drink of the nonalcoholic piña colada. The freezing cold gave her an instant headache at the back of her skull. “You think you’re being a hero, but I don’t need someone to cockblock for me. Thanks.“ If only he knew how ridiculous that idea was. For her BDSM had nothing to do with sex. She loved impact play. There was a lick of pain, followed by a rush of pleasure. Enough of it vanquished all other thoughts from her mind, sweeping away her worries and helping her lock away stress for days. Scening was better than a hot bath or a kick-ass cocktail. It was as meditative as it was restorative. And she wasn’t about to let Jax stand in her way. “Go find someone to play with, Jax.”
“I’m afraid I’m not going to be able to do that, princess.”
Chapter Two
Damn him. His words, flat and emotionless, took her breath, even though she should have expected them. “Look…” Willow shoved away her drink. “There’s no reason for you to behave this way.”
“Which way?”
“As if…” You own me. He sat close to her. Too close for her comfort. A little more distance would make it easier for her to think. She desperately needed that, because right now, she wanted to be across his lap, pretending to be fighting to get away as he paddled her. And of course, he was so much bigger and stronger. She could struggle all she wanted, and he’d be able to subdue her.