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)
He sighs. “I love what Rayne and Hunter have. I’d say you were being homophobic if I didn’t know better.”
I snort. “Men can fuck other men in front of me every day for the rest of my life. I just don’t care to see anyone’s sappy affection in my presence.”
Noah looks down as he kicks off his shoes, taking a deep breath. “Not everyone can be as bitter as you, Torin. Fucking get over it. I’m happy when my friends find their soulmates.”
“Soulmates don’t exist. But knock yourself out trying to find one.”
“Have fun being alone for the rest of your life.”
I hum. “And you can keep on waiting for the perfect woman who doesn’t exist while I fuck anybody I damn well please.”
“Don’t you have some wood to carve or some shit? I’m going to go talk to Roman. Alone.”
I ignore his attempt at shoving me out of this.
“I’m going with you.”
He waves a hand through the air. “You’re not going to get involved.”
“Very funny.”
He pauses for a moment, but finally turns around, probably realizing that I’m not going to take no for an answer.
“Whatever,” he says.
He takes off down the hall and I follow after him.
“You don’t like my carvings?” I ask him. “Maybe I’ll carve you one that’s the outline of my cock and you’ll be a little more interested.”
“Has anyone ever told you you’re awful?” he mutters.
“All the time. More people tell me I’m fucking awesome, though, and I just listen to them instead.”
He leads me down past the reading room, the front room with the fireplace, and then eventually past the grand staircase and into the kitchen and dining area. Being in Onyx House right now feels like entering a house of royalty and knowing that it’s corrupt. I had no idea how close to danger the Onyx Society guys were, at all times.
We continue on to the big doors that lead into the backyard. Right before we go outside Noah looks back at me.
“I wasn’t trying to talk shit about the carvings,” he tells me, like he’s physically incapable of lying to me. “I’ve been using one of the wood-carved little mugs for my espresso every morning.”
“Coffee addict.”
“And I’m proud of it.”
“I knew you liked those mugs,” I tell him. “Those are made of walnut, so congratulations, even your taste in wood is expensive.”
“Just because you’re talented at some things doesn’t mean you aren’t a dickhead. But I do like them.”
I tip my head back in mock pleasure, moaning a little. “Fuck, Noah. You should try complimenting me more often. I’m a big fan of that.”
He gives me a blank expression, then continues outside.
Out in the backyard, Ollie and Niko are over on one end of the long covered patio playing ping-pong, but otherwise, it’s fairly serene out here.
There’s a low, smoldering fire still going in the fire pit and Roman is sitting back on one of the chairs that surround it, flipping through a small paperback book.
“Noah,” Roman says the moment he sees him. “Did you…”
Roman doesn’t finish his sentence.
He eyes me, instead, and I realize he doesn’t want to bring up whatever task Noah was supposed to do, because I’m not meant to know about it.
“It was bad,” Noah says, taking a seat next to Roman. “You haven’t talked to your cousin yet?”
“Did something happen with Maks?” Roman asks, frowning. He glances at me again, and I swear he’s two seconds away from shooing me away like a fly. “Hey, Torin. Noah and I need to talk in private right now.”
“It’s okay,” Noah interjects, reluctantly telling the truth. “Torin was there. He helped, actually.”
I wonder how much it pains Noah to have to admit that.
Does it pain Roman to hear about it, too?
Does he wish I’d leave so he could get his one-on-one time with Noah?
I relish hearing those words come out of his mouth. I’m staying right here. Roman looks down at my hand, eyeing the blood that I forgot was still smeared there.
Both of us sit down around the fire and I listen quietly as Noah tells Roman the whole story.
I like the way Noah tells it.
He doesn’t embellish. He doesn’t leave anything out. He gives it to Roman straight, and I realize that Noah Vancliff is many things, but he certainly isn’t a liar.
The expression on Roman’s face falls the moment he finds out the extent of what happened. Since I got to Onyx, Roman has been one of the hardest people to read. He’s usually pretty serious, unless he overdoes it on the vodka and gets a little bit silly. He’s obviously fond of Noah, but I don’t know if it’s a friendly kind of affection or something else. No clue if he’s straight, either. He’s covered in tattoos, all of which are done in black ink, and he looks like he could single-handedly beat up about six guys on his own.