Total pages in book: 160
Estimated words: 149137 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 746(@200wpm)___ 597(@250wpm)___ 497(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 149137 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 746(@200wpm)___ 597(@250wpm)___ 497(@300wpm)
Take him apart. Bathe in his blood. Show that fucker a real smile. Yeah, he would be smiling at the end, and wasn’t that the best part? Everyone got what they wanted.
“Step back, Mr. Hunt.”
Declan Burke put his big body between him and his target.
“Get out of my way.”
Burke looked back at the photographer. “You need to run and fucking now.”
“But my camera,” the asshole complained.
“You’re about to look a whole lot like it,” Burke shot back. “Get the fuck out and next time I see you, I’ll let my boss here take you apart. Hell, next time I might help him.” He turned to Josh. “Calm the fuck down now. That tour group hasn’t noticed yet, but they will.”
“I don’t care.” He watched as the paparazzo ran out toward the street. Getting away.
Declan’s big body blocked the sight. “You think I don’t know that look? I know that look, man. I know it because I see it in the fucking mirror when I wake up.”
Maybe they would be well matched then. “You don’t know a fucking thing.”
“I know you feel out of control and deep down there’s this instinct inside you telling you how to get it back. It’s the alpha dog that lives in our guts. That alpha dog knows how to handle shit. He shows every single fucking yappy POS who the boss is. He bares his teeth and takes his hunk of flesh, and they either fall in line or they don’t get the fuck up again. Alpha dog doesn’t care. But man, the police do. Take a deep breath or better yet, do the other thing that will help.”
His hands were shaking but Burke made sense.
“Go inside that store and find Kay.”
His breath hitched. Kayla, who was sweet and submissive during sex and who was absolutely the alpha female. “I’m on the edge.”
“And she can bring you back.” Burke seemed to relax a bit. “At least that’s what she tells me. I think she cares about you and wouldn’t want you to hurt someone else.”
“And if I hurt her?”
“You won’t if you’re the Dom you say you are.” Burke took a step back. “Or we can go get a drink, but first off I’m going to get rid of that camera. When the cops show up, you can decide how to handle it, but they won’t have any evidence against you.”
“Keep them out of the dressing rooms until I’m done.” He heard the words come out of his mouth but his mind was already on her.
Yes, she was exactly what he fucking needed.
Chapter Eight
Kayla looked at herself in the gorgeous lace-pleated chiffon evening gown. An elegant velvet belt cinched her waist in, the deep V of the bodice showing off her golden skin. The color was what drew her to the floor-length gown. It was a lovely ocean blue. The long skirt of the gown and slightly lighter lace panels made her think of waves as she moved.
“It’s stunning,” one of the saleswomen said, shaking her head as though she’d never quite seen anything like it.
“So beautiful. That is from our fall line. Straight off the runway,” another commented. “Everyone will be talking about this gown. It’s perfect for red-carpet events.”
Or private formal events. Josh had told her his friend liked to dress for dinner and she would need several formal gowns. She’d found a couple, but nothing that suited her the way this one did. This was the one. This was the one she would be wearing on the night she completed her operation. There would be a big party to celebrate Josh and she would sneak away, find the Commander’s office and get the intelligence she needed, and look perfectly stylish while she did it.
“We need a private dressing room.”
Her whole body went still because she knew that voice. Deep, dark, with the edge of a growl. Predatory.
Her Dom was in the house.
Around her, the saleswomen were fluttering as though they suddenly found themselves sharing tight space with a hungry tiger.
Kayla caught his stare in the three-paneled mirror she stood in front of. His eyes were dark, his jaw tight. And was that a bit of blood on his fist? Her first thought was to run to him, see where he was hurt, try to baby him.
That was not what he needed. Not even close.
A thrill went through her system. A totally selfish thrill. Josh was on edge and this was one of the ways he brought himself back. Something had happened and he likely wouldn’t talk about it. At least he wouldn’t until he’d regained control. If she refused him, he would probably walk away, find a gym and punish his body until he passed out.
Or he could punish hers. Punishing her body ended in her screaming out his name when she came, so she knew which path she was voting for.