Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 80643 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 323(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80643 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 323(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
“You think I don’t give a fuck?” I ask him. “You’re shaking.”
“I just had a gun pointed at me. Who fucking cares if I’m shaking?”
“Yeah, and I just took care of the guy who had that gun pointed at you, so relax. You’re like a scared deer.”
He shoves me back all of a sudden, his hands connecting with my shoulders so fast it takes me by surprise.
I give him a warning glare but his gaze is pure fire now, rimmed with tears that aren’t falling anymore.
Then the fucker reaches out and does it again.
This time he shoves me even harder, pushing me back against the wall. My back connects with the edge of a framed portrait nearby, and it rattles against the wood paneling.
He brings his face close to mine.
“Call me that again and I’ll put that knife to your throat,” he says under his breath. “I’m not a scared deer. I could have fucking died tonight, and I might still fucking die because now those guys are going to have a serious problem with the fact that we knocked one of them unconscious.”
“You’d rather end up in their black car instead?”
“You didn’t have to hurt him that badly.”
“They were trying to shove you into their SUV before I did that. They had a problem with you already, and you know that.”
He bites his lower lip and then exhales, shaking his head a little. But he doesn’t let me go.
My senses are heightened again.
Noah keeps his arm in a bar across my chest, shoving me up against the wall, and he still smells like fresh, clean laundry even after escaping a goddamn gunfight and kidnapping.
I inhale slowly, trying not to focus on his scent.
I know I could retaliate, shove him back, and have him in a headlock on the floor in about three seconds flat, but instead I stay still for a moment.
I hold his gaze.
Watching closely.
I glance over the rosy edges of his cheeks and soft skin, down to his lips.
What is it about that mouth that makes me think about seeing it wrapped around my cock?
Even now, at a moment when that’s the last thing I should be thinking about?
Maybe the way it’s almost in a pout… or the fact that his lips are naturally so deep red in a way people usually need makeup to achieve.
Straight boys aren’t usually catnip to me, but fuck, Noah is giving me fucking problems, lately.
Because he denies me.
Denies so much about himself, too, I’m starting to learn.
Like a bird with a broken wing.
Fallen way too far from its nest.
Like any bird I’d have to rescue, even if it’s flapping and flailing and doesn’t trust me at all.
“You’re on edge,” I say. “But when you calm down I know you’ll realize that I wasn’t going to let you die. Understand me?”
He searches my face for a moment. “Why would it matter to you if I did?”
“I don’t know, Noah. Because my mom likes you. I don’t want to see her upset. If it were just up to me, sure, I’d let you get tortured and used as mafia war bait—”
“Fuck you,” he murmurs.
“I’m joking.”
“Are you?”
I exhale. “I know we aren’t loving stepbrothers, but you’re no good to me dead.”
He lessens his pressure on me a little, but keeps his arm across my chest. “Meaning you want to stalk me around campus late at night?”
I cock my head to one side. “You went through my things first.”
He glances at my lips for a moment and I swear if he were anyone else, I’d think it looks like he’s going to kiss me.
Wish you’d try it.
See what fucking happens if you kiss me.
You might like it a little too much, Daisy.
“Yo. Wait, Noah?” a voice comes from the hall as someone steps out from the end of the hall, down by the kitchen entrance.
Noah immediately backs off, dropping his arm from across my chest.
He puts distance between the two of us and waves over toward Hunter and Rayne coming down the hall.
“Hey,” Noah calls over to them, bringing a hand up to quickly wipe at his cheeks, but any stray tears are long gone. “Ah, what’s up?”
“Roman was looking for you. Said you wouldn’t respond to his texts,” Hunter tells him. “You might wanna go chat with him out by the fire pit.”
Noah nods, trying to hide anything grim from his expression.
“Got it. You guys going to bed?”
“Yes. I’m stealing him away,” Rayne says as he comes up behind Hunter. “Don’t expect us to come back.” He wraps his arms around the back of Hunter’s waist and presses a kiss to the side of his neck. Hunter waggles his eyebrows at me before the two of them head up the staircase together.
“Couples really have a way of making you sick, don’t they?” I say to Noah after the other guys are upstairs.