Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 141428 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 707(@200wpm)___ 566(@250wpm)___ 471(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 141428 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 707(@200wpm)___ 566(@250wpm)___ 471(@300wpm)
“Why can’t I wash my hand? Hayes?” she questioned after he didn’t say anything.
He sighed and glanced down at her. His gaze was on her cheek and she stiffened.
Shit.
Why didn’t she think of that?
“It’s because I’m hideous, isn’t it?” she whispered. “And you don’t want me to see how hideous I am.”
The scowl that overtook his face made her breath hitch. Oh, he looked mad.
What did you do?
“I don’t want to hear that shit coming out of your mouth again, understand?”
Devi nodded, not capable of speaking right now.
Then he sighed and she watched as he wiped the scowl off his face. Although she wasn’t fooled into thinking that he suddenly wasn’t mad anymore. It was more that he was trying to hide it so he didn’t . . . so he didn’t scare her?
Was that what he was doing?
Why would he do that?
I care about you, Devi.
Holy crap. She let those words sink in, fill her up. Maybe he truly did care about her.
And he was mad because she was calling herself hideous.
Because . . .
“You don’t think I am hideous.”
“Honest to fucking Christ, Devi . . . in no possible universe could you ever be considered hideous,” he snarled. “Understand me? Tell me you understand. And then promise me that you will never say shit like that again. Because you are not allowed to put yourself down.”
29
Way to tread lightly.
Good job of being considerate of her feelings.
Of not pushing too much too fast.
Fuck it. Just ten minutes ago, she’d been fighting off tears because she’d been worried she’d upset Kent and now . . . now he was growling at her like a bear with a thorn in its paw and he couldn’t seem to stop himself.
But hideous?
Holy fuck. If she was any more beautiful then his head might explode.
The nightgown she wore was new. He didn’t know where she’d found something like . . . this. But it looked like something his grandmother wore.
And even that wasn’t helping him get his dick under control around her.
She’s recovering from being attacked. She’s in pain. She can’t even go to the bathroom on her own.
And you shouldn’t be lusting after her, you lame fucker.
Fuck.
Nothing was working.
He carried her out to the bed.
“I’m not allowed to put myself down?” she asked.
“No, you’re not. It’s a rule.”
“I have rules?”
Was that . . . enthusiasm in her voice? Most people didn’t want rules. Most Littles that he’d met really weren’t into rules.
“Have you ever had rules?” he asked.
“Everyone has rules,” she told him.
“I don’t mean society's rules or laws,” he told her. “I mean, just for you.” He set her down on the bed and then glanced around for a washcloth to wipe her hands.
“I, uh, I guess I must have.”
He wet the cloth and lathered up some soap, then returned to wash her hand.
“You guess?” he said.
She leaned back, staring up at him tiredly. Fuck, she looked exhausted and so pale that it worried him. She’d lost quite a bit of blood and it would take a while for her to recover, even with the blood transfusion.
“When I was younger, maybe. Before Mom got ill. After that . . .”
“Did you never have a curfew as a teenager? Things like no dating before sixteen?”
“I never dated. And I didn’t need a curfew as I didn’t have friends.”
“What?” It was hard to believe that someone as warm and kind as Devi didn’t have friends.
“I think I told you that I was a bit of an outcast at school. I was still grieving my mom and I kind of withdrew. Then by the time I came out of my grief, everyone else had their groups of friends and they weren’t interested in me. I mean, nobody was really mean, but that was because most people didn’t know I existed. Until a teacher started picking on me, that is. Then people noticed me. But not in a good way. She was a very mean woman who picked on me because of Rohan. I think she . . . I think she wanted him.”
“That’s fucking sick. Did you tell him that she was bullying you?”
“No, But Marcus did. He heard about what she was doing to me and told Rohan. He questioned me and then a few days later she was arrested. For having questionable images on her school computer. I don’t know if Rohan and Marcus did that. But once she was gone, school was a lot better. However, dear old Derick kept calling me Mouse which is the name she gave me.”
“Asshole,” he grumbled.
“I’ve never been good at being able to, uh, hold on when I need to go to the toilet. When I need to go . . . I need to go and she would take great enjoyment in telling me that I couldn’t have a hall pass. Then I’d have to run to the toilet. I’d always get detention, of course. And she’d always make some snide remarks to the class that would make them laugh.”