Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 49814 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 249(@200wpm)___ 199(@250wpm)___ 166(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 49814 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 249(@200wpm)___ 199(@250wpm)___ 166(@300wpm)
She's not wrong about that.
"You know we almost went under once?"
"What?" She gapes at me like I'm speaking a foreign language.
"Right after Jareth and I were born," I murmur. "Massive storms damaged the fields. Our parents lost an entire year's worth of crops. They were still recovering from an employee trying to sabotage this place and couldn't afford a hit like that. It damn near wiped them out, but they poured everything they had into rebuilding. My dad was a cop at the time, but he quit to help out around here because they needed all hands on deck." I pause for a moment. "They managed to save the vineyard when a lot of others in the area went under. Hell, they managed to turn it into what it is today, but it took a helluva lot of effort to make it happen."
"I didn't know that," she whispers.
"Not many do," I admit. "I only found out when I started digging through business records when I was trying to get ready to take over. My mom told me what happened. Even though it was well in the past by then, knowing they came so close to losing the vineyard still made her cry." I swallow, catching Constance's gaze. "So, yeah, I am a controlling asshole when it comes to this place, baby. But I'm an asshole because my family has poured everything into this place. This land is our past and our future. I'm not going to be the one who fucks it up and loses the land that we've poured blood, sweat, and tears into for generations."
"Bastian," she whispers, her heels clicking softly against the floor as she sashays toward me. She rounds the desk, stopping right in front of me. Her hand brushes the side of my cheek. "You aren't going to lose this place."
"I know." I turn my head, nuzzling my face against her palm. "I work my ass off every day to ensure we're at a point where a bad year or a bad batch of years won't break us. This place means everything to my family. It's our livelihood, but it's also our home. I have to ensure it survives." I nip her palm and then tug her down onto my lap. "But that doesn't mean I don't know a good idea when I hear it."
"I should have brought it to you."
"Yeah, you should have," I grunt, burying my face in her throat. "I'm not going to shoot you down for the hell of it. You're smart, baby. I know that. I see it every fucking day. And we hired you because we trust you. I need you to trust me, too."
She sighs softly, melting against my chest. "I'm trying. I just…"
"What?"
"Don't want to screw it up. It matters, Bastian." She peeks up at me, chewing on her bottom lip, and I know she isn't talking about her job. She's talking about this—us. "I don't want us to break it."
I sink my hand into her hair, craning her head back. "We aren't going to break it."
I will never break you.
I don't say that part out loud, but I think she knows. Christ, I hope she knows.
Asking Constance to come with me to karaoke was a mistake, I decide, glaring at her as she dances with my cousins in the middle of the dance floor. She's all sunshine and smiles. And she looks fucking edible in a dress far too short and tight. The clingy red fabric skims every delicious curve, and I'm not the only one noticing. Every prick in the bar has been throwing appreciative looks her way since we got here.
I'm ready to plow my fist into their faces and then drag her to her back on the floor to fuck my kid into her. Maybe then they'll all know she's taken.
She peeks over her shoulder at me, flashing a taunting smile, and my blood boils. She knows what she's doing to me. She knew the minute she chose that dress.
She wants to play with fire tonight.
No, she wants to burn.
"When is Jareth getting back from Tennessee?" Ridley asks from beside me while I'm staring at Constance. I have no idea what the fuck he and the rest of my cousins are talking about. I tuned them out after Oliver launched into a lecture about dresses being a woman's battle armor, mostly because he's not wrong. Constance is dressed for a war tonight, and I'm already losing.
"Two weeks. They decided to spend a few weeks with Zoya's family since Nadia and Teo are there with the baby," I reply, my eyes still locked on my girl as she lifts her arms over her head, her hips swaying to the beat.
"Hey!" Lucy waddles up to the table with her hands on her hips. "Why are we dancing alone?"