Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 109086 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 545(@200wpm)___ 436(@250wpm)___ 364(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109086 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 545(@200wpm)___ 436(@250wpm)___ 364(@300wpm)
Clara snorted softly. “Get in line. Or I’ll take the other big one with the dark brown skin. He looks like he could handle a roll with Miss Clara here. He could eat me for breakfast, which I would find delightful.”
Oliver stifled a laugh.
Graham snickered before he whispered sharply, “Who is that?”
Oliver agreed. “Mmmmm mmmm.”
I angled my head a little more so I could see better. Jake moved to the side and two beast-like men came into the room. He motioned and they went upstairs, but another man stepped in behind them. This man was almost startlingly handsome, looking as if he’d stepped out of a boardroom where he was a CEO of a top 100 company that Forbes would cover in their magazine. Caucasian. Square jawline. He was the same height as Jake, with a smoothness that Jake didn’t have. This guy came off smooth and sleek with an aura of danger too.
“I didn’t call for you.” Jake’s tone was pitched low.
Jake did not like him.
The other guy shrugged before lifting his head to look up the stairs. “I was the closer option. Ashton felt speed was more important than made-up grudges—”
“Fuck made-up.” Jake took a step toward him, his voice rising.
The other guy registered all of that, his gaze glancing to Jake before doing another longer sweep around the first floor, finding our closed door and holding.
We all went still.
He pulled his gaze away, but shifted on his feet so we could see his face. His eyebrows arched. “Do you want to hash out facts from how your brother died or do you want to move forward? Ashton’s kept me abreast. I’m the one who compiled that nice little file you received earlier on our mutual threat.”
“Oh, fuck off, West,” Jake growled, pulling his gun again. He didn’t raise it, but the gesture was noted by the other man, who grew still. Jake added, “My brother wouldn’t have died if he never met your woman’s fr—”
“I am done with you blaming Jess for what your cousin did—”
Jake pushed back, not fazed. His words were savage. “Justin would’ve handled it differently if he hadn’t been with her. She’s the reason he was considered a threat.”
“Your family killed your brother, and they’re the reason why your little girlfriend is locked up in that room over there. Stop putting the blame on other houses and start looking within your own.” The other guy was like ice.
“Trust me. I am.” Jake’s tone sent a shiver down my spine. The tightly held promise of violence and bloodshed. I suppressed a second shiver, feeling the heat from his anger.
Clara and Bess were both panting.
Oliver noticed and snorted, trying to smother it but failing.
Graham glanced his way and Oliver gestured toward my aunts.
Some drool was happening.
A grin cracked on Graham’s face, his laughing eyes finding mine and for a moment, the stifling threat of violence and hatred from the other room dissipated, lifting off my chest.
I couldn’t hold back a chuckle, but then squeaked and clapped a hand over my own mouth.
“What?” Clara was looking between all of us.
Bess was chewing on her bottom lip, trying not to laugh too. Her forehead dipped toward the door. “I can’t help it. They are both fine. I don’t know who your new boyfriend is, but Beck is going to shit his pants when he sees him. He walks and breathes violence.” She shared a look with her sister, dropping her voice. “I bet he fucks violence too.”
“Aunt Bess!”
Aunt Bess only grinned at me, not admonished one bit.
“Hmmm mmm.” Clara’s head bopped along, agreeing. “The other one looks like he’s from a GQ magazine. They’re both top shelf.”
Graham’s hand went to his husband’s shoulder. “You aren’t seeing us arguing.”
“Oh, god. Another one came in.”
We all looked at Bess’s groan.
Those four were now enjoying all of this. They weren’t realizing the real danger that was lingering and falling down over me like a fire blanket. I didn’t know who those other men were. A part of me didn’t want to know. They belonged to that world. No police badges were being flashed.
That other guy came into the brownstone. Two more men followed him, going upstairs like they’d been told ahead of time where to go.
Clara and Bess were oohing and aahing over this latest addition, and I could see the appeal. He was a little leaner than the Forbes Magazine guy, but he was no less dangerous. He held the same authority and power the other did, but his eyes had a darker and meaner glint in them, matching the smirk on his face. He clasped hands with Jake, whose shoulders relaxed an inch.
This guy was who Jake had called. He was the one Jake wanted to be here.
He walked around to stand in front of Jake and Forbes, his eyes zeroing in on us and staying. He shouldn’t be able to see us. The door was barely open. His smirk went up another notch before his shoulders lowered. He faced the other two, his back now to us and blocking our view. All three of their heads folded together, their voices as well. We couldn’t hear a thing.