Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 104403 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 522(@200wpm)___ 418(@250wpm)___ 348(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104403 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 522(@200wpm)___ 418(@250wpm)___ 348(@300wpm)
She blinked at the insane man before her. “What the hell are you talking about?”
He huffed. “I’m talking about what they did to my baby. It’s goddamn criminal.”
“Jazz had a baby?” No, that couldn’t be right. The throuple of Screw, Gumby, and Jazz had decided to remain kid-free, last she heard.
“What? No. Fuck no. I’m talking about… you know what, fuck it.” He bent forward and gently drove his shoulder into Beth’s stomach as he wrapped a hand around the back of her thighs. She yelped as she folded in half and was hoisted off the ground in a fireman’s carry.
“Screw!” she shouted as laughter bubbled out of her. “What is wrong with you?”
“You just have to see it,” he said as he marched toward the door with her hanging down his back like a sack of potatoes.
Beth laughed until her stomach cramped, and tears dripped down her forehead. But then she caught a glimpse of Saint’s thunderous expression.
Yikes. That was one unhappy man. Screw’s days might be numbered, and he didn’t even know it. Could it be jealousy? A thrill ran through her at the idea, which was probably not what she should be feeling, but the thought of him, possessive and feral, turned her on like nothing else. Jason’s jealousy had been a cage, suffocating, punishing, and designed to control, but Saint’s felt like a claim, like being wanted so fiercely it bordered on desperation. He’d never hurt her or take his frustration out on her, and that gave her the freedom and safety to enjoy the intensity with which he wanted her.
Screw ripped the door open and stormed outside. Hot air and sunshine chased away the air-conditioned chill within five seconds.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Gumby’s voice rang out from somewhere nearby.
“Screw! Put her down. Oh my God, you’re making way too big a deal of this.” Jazz had laughter in her voice.
“Can someone please tell me what’s going on?” A sharp yip had her trying to peer around the side of Screw. “Did you get another dog?”
“She’s a foster. We picked her up last night,” Jazz said as Screw finally set her down.
She grabbed his arm for stability until the world stopped wobbling, then set her gaze on the small white terrier practically bouncing around Gumby’s feet.
Beth crouched down, and the dog bounded toward her. “Oh my gosh,” she gushed as she held her arms out. “What a cut! Holy shit, what the hell happened to her?”
“See,” Screw said to Gumby. “I told you it’s fucking criminal.”
The dog wriggled all around as Beth stroked her horribly cut hair. The poor girl looked like someone hacked at her fur with a machete while blindfolded. The uneven tufts stuck out in all directions. “What happened?”
Screw threw his hands in the air and practically shouted, “She was butchered. That’s what happened.”
“Okay, baby.” Jazz walked over to him and rubbed his back as she kissed his cheek. Her eyes sparkled with laughter, but she wisely appeased her husband. Well, one of her husbands. The other rolled his eyes. “This is Mary Lou. We picked her up from the shelter last night. She was filthy, so Screw took her to the Barking Beautician this morning…”
“And that evil woman destroyed her,” Screw said with a growl.
Beth cringed. This didn’t bode well for her interview later today. Did she really want to work for someone who did such shoddy work?
“Pretty sure she did it on purpose too,” Screw muttered.
Beth blinked up at him. “Really?” Being shitty at her job was one thing, but if the woman were malicious, Beth would cancel the interview in a heartbeat. “Why do you think that?”
The dog rolled to its back, soaking up belly rubs with an adorable wiggle.
“Because when I walked in, she started preaching to me about the family unit and how disgusting it was for me to be with a man and a woman. She got pissed when I told her to shove her opinions up her ass.
Her jaw dropped. Well, that sealed the deal. No way could she work with or for someone who thought that way. Screw, Jazz, and Gumby had one of her favorite relationships on the planet. The three were so over the top in love with each other, even after a decade and a half of being together.
Now what the hell was she supposed to do for work?
“Can you fix her?” Screw asked, sounding near desperate.
“Yes. She won’t be perfect, but I can even her out. It’ll be too short, but at least it will grow in properly, and she won’t look like a gremlin anymore.”
“Thank fuck,” Screw said. He seemed to lose fifty pounds of tension as he put his arm around Jazz’s shoulder and tucked her into his side.
The dog scampered back over to Gumby, so Beth stood. “I’m glad you came by. I was supposed to interview there today.”