Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 74670 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 373(@200wpm)___ 299(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74670 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 373(@200wpm)___ 299(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
I sucked in a breath, then let it out. I could breathe again. I wanted to gulp in more air, but I stopped myself from doing it. “Okay,” I whispered, not having an issue with staring at him. I liked having a reason to.
“They’re too damn pretty to eat anyway,” he said. “But I’m still gonna eat it.”
A small laugh bubbled out of me. The man had a magic voice. I’d gone from spiraling to calm just from his words or command.
He appeared pleased. “That’s better.” He released my face and leaned back on the edge of the counter again, but he didn’t stop watching me.
“I’m sorry,” I told him. “I don’t know what that was.”
He picked back up his cupcake. “I’d say you really fucking hate cupcakes, but you can decorate the hell out of them.”
I laughed again as I watched him chew.
“Mmm, damn, that woman can bake,” he said with a slight moan that sent a shiver through me.
It made me want to try it, but after my reaction, it was best I didn’t.
“I have three guest bedrooms on my side of the house. I’ll have Jayda prepare the largest one for you. It’s got the best bathroom. You’re getting around better, and you don’t need a hospital bed anymore. Might as well move upstairs.”
On one hand, I was relieved I wasn’t going to have to go back to the basement after getting to go outside and be around other people all day. There wasn’t always someone down there with me, and it got lonely. Especially once I stopped taking the heavy pain meds and no longer slept all the time.
On the other hand, I was nervous about being up here. Linc was clearly not happy about it. Although he’d said I would be on Luther’s side of the house. Even knowing Linc didn’t want me up here, I couldn’t bring myself to tell Luther it was best I stay downstairs. My desire to be around him overrode all else.
“What are you thinking so hard about?” he asked, and I realized I’d not said anything.
“Oh…well, thank you. I am just…I mean, I’d like that. But Linc…he seems angry about it.”
Luther finished off his cupcake and dusted his hands before crossing his arms over his wide chest. “Linc can be paranoid and overprotective of his girls. Ignore him.”
When I didn’t say anything, he nodded his head toward the door. “Come on. I’ll give you a tour of the west wing. Otherwise known as the better one.”
“Better?” I asked.
“Yes, because that’s where I live, so it’s obviously the better side of the house.”
How big was this house? And was it even that? From what I’d seen already, it felt more like a mansion. It had wings inside it.
“Of course,” I replied. “How silly of me.”
The corner of his mouth curled up at my quip, which had honestly surprised me. I was getting more comfortable around him. He still made me feel all weird and fluttery, but he also made me happy, and that seemed new to me. It was my memory loss, I was sure. I’d not had anything to be happy about since waking up without knowledge of my life or who I was. But other emotions didn’t seem so foreign.
“I’m curious about your name. If Lace is short for something else,” he said, changing the subject.
“I…I don’t know. But I’ve wondered the same thing,” I told him.
Nine
Luther
I probably shouldn’t be in her room, watching her sleep, but fuck it. I rarely did what I should, so why start now? My interest in her was mere concern and curiosity. Linc thought I wanted to fuck her, but she was fragile. I didn’t fuck fragile. I liked it rough. I’d say she was too young, but that was laughable. I’d been fucking college-aged girls since I had been in high school.
I took the unlit cigar I had between my teeth, holding it there just for the feel and taste, and flipped it around between my fingers as I watched her slow, even breathing. The bruising and swelling on her face were fading and leaving behind perfect features. The kind in paintings. The beauty that always sat above. Untouchable, too angelic to tarnish. Understanding why some cocksucker would hurt that kind of beauty was damn near impossible.
Tomorrow, we’d know more about the fucker who had bought Sovereign House. If there was an oil link between him and Lace, we’d find it. Sure, her Texas accent, which she masked with all that refinement she didn’t even realize oozed off her, didn’t mean they were connected. You could live in Texas and not be in the oil business. But, her memory of a horse that belonged to the bastard was a hard clue.
Her reaction to the cupcake bothered me for the rest of the day. I couldn’t shake it. I was going to have Doc come and do an allergy test on her tomorrow. Before Stevie had moved in, food allergies hadn’t been anything I even considered or thought about. I knew the severity now, and I wanted to be sure that Lace wouldn’t accidentally be given something that could fucking kill her. It was the only explanation as to why she’d panic at the suggestion that she take a bite of the cupcake. God knew she’d decorated the damn things like it was her profession in life.