Total pages in book: 136
Estimated words: 137326 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 687(@200wpm)___ 549(@250wpm)___ 458(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 137326 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 687(@200wpm)___ 549(@250wpm)___ 458(@300wpm)
“Fucking bitch!” Preston kicks him, but Jude dodges and it barely grazes his leg.
“Enough.” Kane slides a bowl of what looks like soup in front of Preston and another one in front of Jude. “I told you to keep your voices down or I’m kicking you out.”
“Yeah, yeah, Mr. Pussy-Whipped.” Preston mocks as he grabs a spoon.
Is Kane cooking for them? This early?
“Man, this shit’s amazing.” Preston gives up on the spoon and drinks straight from the bowl.
“It’s hot, take it easy.” Jude pulls the bowl away and passes him a napkin. “Wipe your mouth.”
“I made a lot and pizza is on the way.” Kane pours Preston another bowl and places a water bottle by the pills. “Don’t eat fast.”
I frown.
Why are they…treating Preston like that?
I’ve never noticed this before, not even in practice. If anything, I thought Jude and Preston barely get along and always fight, but right now, when it’s only the three of them and Preston has a bruise the size of Texas, they’re…fawning over him?
I don’t know if that’s the right word, but they’re definitely treating him differently.
Especially Jude.
He keeps watching Preston as if looking for something. What, I don’t know.
“Did you at least sleep before or after your nocturnal activities?” Jude asks.
“Nope.” Preston grins. “I found something better than sleep.”
“Catch some in the guest room,” Kane says.
“Nah. I’ll sleep after practice.”
“Can you even survive practice in your state?” Jude says.
“We’ll know once I kick your ass today, big man.”
Jude smiles, but it’s menacing. “Nice dreams to have.”
The scene looks weirdly intimate. I feel like I’m trespassing on their bond or something.
While I think Kane has a way better personality than both Jude and especially Preston, I’m starting to think the three of them share something a lot deeper than Vencor or even hockey.
Standing here seems like I’m intruding, so I clear my throat and walk in.
Three pairs of eyes zoom in on me, but only Kane watches me with that edge. The one I feel would consume me on the spot if given the chance.
His eyes size me up, stopping and narrowing at where his hoodie stops at my thighs.
“Look who we have here.” Preston whistles. “Deborah. The Wolves’ spy.”
“It’s Dahlia, and I’m not a spy.”
“Looked like it when you were rubbing yourself all over their captain a few hours ago.”
I bite my lower lip. “I did that to make Kane jealous. There was no spying whatsoever.”
“I vote a spy.” Preston raises his hand. “A la guillotine.”
Kane knocks his hand down. “Behave yourself, asshole.”
“Pfft, you just don’t want guillotine action. Jude, let’s all boo him again.”
Jude says nothing and focuses on eating.
Weird. I would’ve sworn he’d jump at the idea of dragging me through the mud with Preston.
Actually, Jude hasn’t been antagonizing toward me at all lately and even pulls Preston away when he starts.
Kane rounds the island and comes to my side, wrapping a possessive arm around my waist, then whispers in my ear, “What are you wearing?”
“Your hoodie,” I whisper back.
“It barely covers anything.”
“Are you kidding? It covers everything.”
“I don’t like the idea of other men imagining you naked, Dahlia.”
“You’re being ridiculous. Pretty sure Preston would rather chop my head off instead.”
“Touché, Dakota!” Preston claps his hands and points a finger at me. “Are you interested in testing my experimental new execution device?”
“No, thanks?”
“Aw, and here I thought we could be friends.” He wraps an arm around Jude’s shoulders. “What about you, big man?”
Jude throws his hand off him. “Hard pass.”
“Ouch, you pierced me right where I don’t give a fuck.”
Kane drags me to the stools and helps me hop on one. “I’ll pour you some soup. I also ordered some pizza so the drunks can have something to eat before practice, but you can have some, too.”
“Ew.” Preston makes a face. “I’m getting diabetes.”
“Fuck off, then.” Kane goes to the other side and pours me a bowl.
“And miss seeing you be a domesticated dog?” Preston grins. “Here, little doggie. Who’s a good boy? Is this the part where we give you a treat—”
Kane whacks him with a dish towel. “Shut your mouth.”
“Juuude!” Preston whines. “Did you see that?”
Jude smacks him upside the head. “Take your medicine.”
“You fucking—” He takes a deep breath, then smiles at me. “See how they can’t live without me?”
“I don’t know. Looks like you’re a troublemaker.” I take a sip of the soup and it tastes better than it smells. As expected of Kane.
“Me? Ha. Have you seen Jude on the rink? He’s the troublemaker whose ass we all have to clean up after.”
I lift a shoulder. “Doesn’t look the same off the rink.”
“Even she can tell,” Kane says. “You’re like a bad investment that keeps haunting the rest of the portfolio.”
“Bitch, please. Your lives would be boring without me.”
“I’d take that chance,” Jude says.
“The betrayal is sending me.” Preston smiles again at me, but it’s fake at best and menacing at worst. “Never mind them. Tell me, Daniella. You’re not by any chance fucking both Kane and the Wolves’ dog at the same time, are you?”