Total pages in book: 31
Estimated words: 29738 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 149(@200wpm)___ 119(@250wpm)___ 99(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 29738 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 149(@200wpm)___ 119(@250wpm)___ 99(@300wpm)
“Oh, right, yeah. Ancient,” I tease with a grin.
She makes a face and flips me off, and I roar with laughter and pull her closer to kiss her pouting lips.
A pounding noise brings us jerking apart. I frown and sit up in the bed, and then I hear it again. This time, I look at Layla, and we both know what it is.
“Is that your front door?”
She nods, looking confused. “Yeah, but who the fuck is pounding on it?”
I slide out of her bed and walk to the window. I can’t see the front door, but I can get just enough of a glimpse to see a pair of men’s shoes and jeans. The guy pounds again, and then he steps back off the front porch to glare up at the house. He can’t see me, but I sure as fuck can see him.
It’s Jeremy, her fucking ex.
My lips curl in a snarl as the fucker cups his hands and starts yelling.
“Layla! Layla, you bitch! Open the fucking door!”
She gasps behind me.
“Is that…”
I turn, and her face is white.
“Is that Jeremy?”
I nod, and she swallows. She pulls the sheets up over her and sits up, hugging her knees. The fact that he’s here pisses me off. That he’s scaring her makes me want to bury him.
“Let me take care of this,” I growl.
She looks up sharply and shakes her head. “What? No,” she shivers. “No, God no. That would definitely make this worse.”
I frown. “Embarrassed by me?”
Layla looks up sharply, and she suddenly jumps out of bed and slides right into my arms.
“No,” she hisses sharply, her eyes locked with mine. “No, Mason, I’m not. Not at all.” She sighs. “But I just don’t think you answering my door naked would defuse the situation?”
I grin a lopsided smile and nod. “Fair enough.” My smiles fades into a frown. “But I’m staying close. And if he tries anything, I can’t promise I won’t knock his fucking teeth out.”
She grins hungrily and rakes her teeth over her lip. Her eyes flash mischievously, and I smile curiously.
“Now what’s that about?”
“That,” she purrs. “Is this whole alpha protector thing really turning me on right now,” she says huskily.
“Then how about we get rid of this asshole and hop back into bed.”
“I think that’s a fantastic idea.”
Chapter Ten
Mason
It’s not until she’s halfway down the stairs to answer the douchebag at the door that I realize one little problem. I have every intention of being close, just in case Jeremy tries anything, or if he won’t leave. But my swimsuit is still outside by the pool. But, fuck it. I grab a towel from her bathroom, wrap it around my waist, and jog down the back staircase.
I make my way through the house to the living room next to the front door. Layla looks at me with her hand on the knob, and I nod.
“Just in case,” I growl. “I won’t intervene unless he crosses the line.”
She nods. “Thank you.” She’s wrapped in a robe, and she takes a breath, scowls, and yanks the door open.
“Fucking finally,” I hear Jeremy snarl. Fuck, that alone makes me want to knock his teeth in. But as much as I hate it, I force myself to remember that I can’t just step into Layla’s business.
Try anything, asshole, I think to myself. Give me one reason, and you’re fucked.
Layla sighs, her lips pursed tight.
“What do you want, Jeremy?”
“You’re not answering my fucking calls.”
She rolls her eyes. “Are you still calling to complain about the prenup being ‘biased’?”
Jeremy swears. “Goddamn right I have been.”
“Jeremy, prenups are biased, by definition. Deal with it.”
“Nah, fuck that. You built your business with my help!”
“No,” she snaps. “I built my business in spite of you.”
“Listen you fucking—” I almost lunge out for him, but he stops. I hear him grunt, and I can see Layla frowning.
“What?”
“What?” he grunts. “You seeing someone, Layla?”
She wrinkles her nose. “That’s none of your goddamn business.”
“The fuck it isn’t,” he growls. “Dressed like that?”
“I was about to take a shower.”
“Yeah? With your hair all messed up like that?”
“Get the fuck off my property, Jeremy.”
“Your neck? You gonna tell me those aren’t marks from some fucking guy on your neck?”
“Jeremy,” she says coldly. “It is none of your business what I do or who I see. Especially since you stuck your pathetic excuse for a dick into everything that would let you when we were married. So, for the last fucking time, please fuck off—”
“Fucking cunt.”
Layla gasps as Jeremy shoves her back and storms into the house. He goes to grab her, but I hit him from the side like a fucking truck. The fuck-head grunts and goes stumbling sideways to land on his ass. I snarl, and he looks up at me half in terror and half in confusion.
“Who the fuck is this!?” he bellows.