Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 69365 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 347(@200wpm)___ 277(@250wpm)___ 231(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69365 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 347(@200wpm)___ 277(@250wpm)___ 231(@300wpm)
“Zero,” Garcia airily croaks out in both relief and worry. “You’re still alive.”
There isn’t time to open my mouth before Temperance states, “He is, but you won’t be it seems.” Her displeased glare is attached to the whirl of her lifted, pointed finger, an action that has the gunmen repositioning the weapons to be aimed at their foreheads. “I’d like to say I’m surprised; however, I am not.” Each man roughly grabs one of my partners. “I have found relying on men to be quite predictably disappointing.”
Again.
Ouch.
“It is such a shame you value your life more than theirs.”
“I don’t,” escapes without reluctance.
The corner of her lip kicks upward in premature victory leading her brother to gripe, “You forced me here to allow you to say your permanent goodbye then?”
“I didn’t,” leaves my lips at the same pace.
“What exactly is your move, Mr. Fiorenzo?” Temperance huffs, arms folding firmly across her chest. “Because my patience is growing ridiculously thin for you as much as my dear brother.”
“And my tolerance for you as much as my cunt sister is also growing paper slim.”
“And I am thankful that I’m an only child,” a female voice I was expecting suddenly interjects, although much later than I was anticipating.
I guess I should’ve factored in the time the twins would waste going at each other like they were.
Learned that shit from Garcia and his sister.
They basically act like otters.
Squabble.
Verbally wrestle.
Eventually squash the shit and share a glass of wine.
Not that otters drink wine.
Or any alcohol.
But I bet if they did it’d be rum.
They just feel like a rum type of species.
“Who the bloody hell are you?” loudly scoffs Temperance from across the deck. “And how the bloody hell did you get onto my ship?”
“Tone.” Ravencroft disapprovingly points in her direction resulting in the male holding Salay hostage to abandon his hold and roughly grab her arm instead. “Volume.” The other man repeats the action to the opposite appendage. “Delivery.” Both of the men at Thad’s side fixate their gun on Temperance’s face as well. “I don’t like any of it.”
“Who-”
One single shake of her head has the guard to her left wedging the barrel of his baretta into her cheek at the same time Ravencroft commands, “Sh.”
“I do not know who you are,” Thad boldly states during his turning to face her, “but I do love your attitude.”
He won’t for long.
“I’m-”
“Prince Thaddeus Ernest Weslington – Ernest being that from Ernest Hemmingway who your father was a very large fan of, which is why your sister Temperance’s middle name is Mary, after his wife.”
“Impressive,” he purrs and turns his palm upward. “And correct.”
“He is such a huge fan,” she carefully places her hand in his, allowing him to plant his lips on the back of it, “that he secretly used to dress up as him on the man’s birthday to honor him since he couldn’t join the celebrations out of Florida,” his hold vanishes post the slobbering, “and had your mother – whose mysterious death is much less so when you’re familiar with natural poisons like myself – along with his mistresses – and later his pay to play pieces – use a butt plug on him that released small jolts to provide an ‘electroshock therapy’ experience further connecting him to his obsession; albeit shorter than he likely anticipated considering how quickly a little buzz up the ass made him come.”
Disgust and curiosity amalgamate in his expression. “How exactly do you know that?”
“Desearás no haber preguntado eso,” mutters Garcia loud enough to tempt me into smirking.
He certainly wished he hadn’t asked that when he first met her.
That he would’ve just heeded my warning.
Respected the hierarchy.
That same hierarchy the Weslington family has mistakenly believed they are at the top of for far too long.
“I know about everyone and everything that crosses my territory, solo prince of Hoalkey, who is second to inherit the throne by birthright yet first if he manages to fulfill his father’s seemingly foolish treasure hunt, the same treasure that has his twin sister,” a small finger wave is delivered to the woman being held at gunpoint, “spending an outrageous amount of cash not only to prevent him from completing the expedition, but actively damaging my things.”
All of a sudden, Thad begins lightly touching his lips. “Mlipsargtingly.”
“And I do not take kindly to people damaging my things…” she coldly continues.
“Bbbbrrrnnn,” he croaks out, frame beginning to sway.
“I also do not take kindly to people playing where they do not have permission to play.”
He stumbles towards the railing taking everyone’s attention with him.
“And I especially do not take kindly to people trying to take from me that which is not theirs to take, Weslington.”
His mouth tumbles open in desperation to relieve the agony.
Gasp for air.
“You did not ask to play in my waters. Zero did.”
“Very politely too, my guy,” I interject in a low volume.