Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 66217 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 331(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66217 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 331(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
The thought makes my thighs clench, which just goes to show that I’m not acting rationally. I don’t care. I’m in a free fall, and I don’t know whether I’ll land safely or smash myself to pieces. It doesn’t matter, because it’s too late to stop. “I’ll text you when I get there and do regular check-ins.”
Michelle worries her full bottom lip. “If something goes wrong—”
“It won’t.”
“You can say that with all the confidence in the world, but that doesn’t mean you can brazen your way out of a bad situation.” She hesitates. “What’s going on with you?”
“If you want to talk about what’s going on with me, then maybe we should talk about what happened last night. Were you pissed because Zayne wanted to fuck Tatiana or because she wanted to fuck us?”
Her expression closes down. “Neither. It had nothing to do with that.”
“Okay, then what was it about?” When she doesn’t immediately answer, I nod. “Thought so. I love you, I appreciate you, and I’ll call you later.”
“Goddamn it, Ruby!”
I hang up and step back, getting a good look at myself in the mirror. Michelle’s right to be worried. I’m out for trouble. My black skirt barely covers the essentials, and I left off panties, as ordered. My crimson top is a faux-leather underbust corset that leaves a slice of stomach exposed and does wonders for my breasts, which are only covered in a matching lace bra. My only practical choice is my footwear; I went with chunky boots instead of heels.
The better to run for my life when this horrible plan inevitably goes south.
Why are you doing this?
I didn’t have an answer when I started getting ready. I still don’t have one an hour later when I walk through the door of the Broken Tree.
Michelle wasn’t joking. This place reeks of trouble. It’s dim and wreathed in smoke. Every single person here, regardless of gender, possesses an air of danger that has me fighting not to make myself smaller. I square my shoulders. I am not prey. I am the heir to the Belmonte territory, and I will not be cowed by a bar full of enforcers.
No one approaches me as I walk to the bar, but I can feel people’s attention trailing in my wake. The woman behind the bar is small and has medium-brown skin and bright teal locs. She raises her brows. “You lost?”
“Taking a different path tonight.”
She shrugs. “Suit yourself. What’ll you have?”
“Bourbon. Straight.”
She smirks a little, but she pours me a stiff drink and accepts the cash I slide across the bar. Then she moves down to the next patron without another word.
I lean against the bar and sip my drink, letting the alcohol take the edges off the fear curling through me. This was a mistake. I shouldn’t be here. What the fuck was I thinking? If I leave now . . .
I feel the change in the bar the moment he walks through the door. Even as I tell myself to maintain my position, I turn and look. Wolf. He has to be.
He’s older than I expected. I tell myself it’s not disappointment I feel at the silver in his long hair. He’s attractive in a brutal sort of way, pale skin weathered from the years. He wears a suit well enough; it’s expensive and tailored to his broad body. I doubt he’s one of ours, but he’s obviously high up in whatever territory he owes allegiance to. His dark eyes land on me, and he doesn’t hesitate to cross to stand in front of me.
I lick my lips. “Wolf?”
“Sure, baby.” His voice is different, coarser, but I suppose that’s to be expected when I’ve only talked to him on the phone.
I’ve come this far. I’m going to see this through. I step closer until our chests nearly brush. “I did what you told me.” I lower my voice. “No panties.”
He grins. “Let’s find out.”
My heart beats too hard as he takes my hand and leads me back through the bar to the bathroom. It’s cleaner than I expected, but that’s about all it has going for it. Wolf shuts the door behind him, and then he’s pinning me to the counter and taking my mouth. He tastes like cigarettes, which is . . . not great. He palms my pussy roughly, which doesn’t feel bad, exactly, but it’s also . . . not great.
Damn, this is disappointing.
“No panties,” he murmurs against my lips. “I like it.”
He lifts me onto the counter and sinks to his knees before me. Okay, this is more like it. He said he’d have me on his cock inside of five minutes, but I guess we haven’t hit that time limit yet. Wolf flips up my skirt. “Nice.” Then his mouth is on my pussy, and yeah, I can get on board with this.