Total pages in book: 156
Estimated words: 160192 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 801(@200wpm)___ 641(@250wpm)___ 534(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 160192 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 801(@200wpm)___ 641(@250wpm)___ 534(@300wpm)
“Yes.”
“Yes?” she repeated breathlessly.
“I’m on board with the plan.” He stepped toward her, forcing her to back up against the wall. “The question is whether you can handle me or whether you’ll run away scared.”
“Is that a challenge?” she asked.
“Hmm. A challenge. A warning. A promise. Aren’t they all the same thing?”
Angie shook her head. “I don’t think so.”
North placed his hands on the wall on either side of her head. Then he leaned in, his mouth close to hers.
“Do you think you can resist me? If I want you, then you’re going to be mine.”
“You guys just can’t keep claiming me. I am a person. I have a mind of my own.”
“Hmm. And what does this mind tell you?” He slid his leg between hers and then bent down slightly, grasping hold of her hips to move her so she was straddling him.
Her lips parted, pleasure filling her face.
“You like that, Angel?”
“Yes,” she breathed out.
“You need to stop doubting that I want you, understand? I know I am not the most expressive person, but I’m telling you now. I want you. And it’s not about Jared anymore. It’s also about me. You have a relationship with him. And you also have one with me.”
This was a stupid idea.
He should have kept his distance.
But that ship had sailed. And if he had a limited time left, then he wanted to spend it with the only two people to ever get under his skin.
“Please, North,” she begged. “Please.”
“Please what?” he asked as she rocked against him. “Please make you come?”
“Yes, yes,” she sobbed.
“Open your eyes and look at me.”
She stared at him, her breathing erratic and her pulse clearly racing. Leaning down, he kissed her. Hot and hard and full of need.
As he drew back, he saw something move across her face. It was barely visible but it was there and he knew he needed to slow things down.
So he stopped moving.
“Nooo,” she cried. “What are you doing?”
“You aren’t ready,” he told her.
Fuck. This was harder than he’d thought it would be.
“I am ready. I think I’m ready. I could be ready.”
Who was she trying to convince? Him or herself?
“No, you aren’t.”
“Well. I came to see what the two of you were doing and then I find this,” Jared said.
North turned his head to look at the other man as he leaned against the wall next to them, watching with that intense gaze.
North held her carefully. As though she was precious.
“She thinks she’s weird because she can’t come,” North explained to Jared who narrowed his gaze as he glanced down at him. “That she’s defective.”
“I am!”
“You are not,” Jared said firmly. “And I’m going to spank you if you say that again.”
North spun them so he had his back to the wall with her held against his chest.
“She also thinks her scars are ugly. I think you need to show her differently.”
What the fuck?
Shit. Had Jared made a mistake last night when she’d told him about the scars? Should he have asked to see them?
He’d just been so fucking furious after what she’d told him that he hadn’t wanted to upset her more.
“Is that true, baby girl?” Jared moved to her side so he could see her face.
But she had it buried in North’s chest. Reaching for her chin, he turned her to face him.
“Yes,” she said quietly. “They’re ugly and I thought that maybe you wouldn’t want to see them.”
Oh, they were going to change that mindset right now.
Moving behind her, he lifted up her exercise top to see them. Fuck. Each mark on her skin made him so mad. But he never wanted her to think that she was anything less than perfect.
He started kissing each one. After he’d kissed them, he ran his tongue over them until she started to relax in North’s arms.
Finally, he took her from the other man, holding her tight as North studied her scars.
“These aren’t ugly,” North told her. “They’re the signs of a fighter. A warrior.”
“They’re the signs of a survivor. We’re all survivors,” Jared said. “And all of your scars, inside and out, are a badge of honor. Wear them proudly, baby girl. Because we are so proud of you.”
She buried her face into his chest and he simply held her tight.
Every word was true.
She was a warrior.
46
Angie was worried about Rex.
Where could he be? She missed him.
He always had a smile or would make a joke. And he was always singing.
Very loudly.
And completely off-key.
She really hoped he was okay, but she had a bad feeling.
As she walked down the stairs, she heard a loud knocking on the door. North moved along the hallway and opened the door. She couldn’t really hear what was being said and she sat on the stairs so North didn’t see her there.
He and Jared were very against her walking up and down the stairs on her own since she’d mentioned her vertigo issues.