Total pages in book: 42
Estimated words: 39829 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 199(@200wpm)___ 159(@250wpm)___ 133(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 39829 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 199(@200wpm)___ 159(@250wpm)___ 133(@300wpm)
“All right, ladies, show me these guys.” My cousin and her bestie walk me around introducing me to several men that I’ve already met over the years but really don’t remember.
“Hey, do you remember Connor?” I wave to him, but he pulls me into a one-armed hug, giving me a good squeeze. How could I forget one of the Steele boys? He’s Jackson’s son, and Will’s cousin. They are like Rider royalty around here.
“Hi, Connor,” I answer with a grunt as I feel my air giving out.
He pulls away from me with a wide grin. “God, you’re gorgeous.”
“Thank you.” I’m not good at flirting, so I stand there as if I don’t know him, which I really don’t. I only come to town like twice a year, and sometimes I don’t see everyone.
“So, I hear you’re going to UNLV.”
I smile and nod. Goodness, every single one of these guys are good looking. “Yeah, that’s right.”
“Smart and beautiful. It’s not going to be long before you’re snapped up. I might have to go visit Vegas.”
“Maybe you should,” my cousin says.
“Where is she?” That deep voice echoes from the distance. I know who it is, but can he be looking for me or someone else? Probably someone else, so I smile at Connor and instantly regret it.
Chapter Three
Miles
I’m seething as I stalk toward the small group. The group that contains one too many unrelated males. The fact that my girl is talking to a single, available man who is eyeing her like candy is pissing me off. He’s a family friend, but that can end right now. Jackson reaches them just as I do. Before I can punch Connor in the face, he says, “Son, let me go over something with you really quickly.”
“Okay, Pops,” he replies with a bit too much mirth. That handsome face needs to be arranged. “Sorry, ladies, catch up with you later.” He winks at me with a smugness that’s deliberate. “Nice to see you, Miles.”
“Whatever. We’ll catch up later,” I reply, my tone even and flat. We’re going to have a nice chat about touching what’s not his.
The second he’s away from us, my eyes return to the woman who has lit a fire in me that only power and success have before. “And you’re in trouble, Princess.”
“For what?” her nosy cousin shouts in her defense. Sometimes there are just too many people around us.
“I wasn’t talking to you, Erica.”
“Rude much?” she adds, annoying me even further.
“Says the person I wasn’t speaking to.” I readdress my obsession. “You ditched your bodyguards.”
She crosses her arms over her ample, yet properly covered chest. Goodness, I’m grateful that she decided not to test my sanity with her outfit today. “I did nothing wrong.”
“You weren’t in Steeleville—you were in Dallas.” It’s not where she was, it’s her lack of concern for her own safety. She doesn’t comprehend the depths to which someone would go to cause her father and myself a lot of pain. Of course, she has no idea that it would obliterate me if something happened to her.
“So. Damn. What. I’m a grown-up.” Each word is punctuated through clenched teeth. “Besides, I told my mom that I was going shopping.”
“You’re still supposed to have security with you.”
Elsa tenses for a moment, understanding my concern until her loudmouth cousin speaks up. “Gosh, Miles, lighten up. Old and grumpy already.”
“You need to stay out of this; you’re already causing trouble,” I warn her accomplice. Their mouths fall open with shock.
“You’re rude,” my adorable princess reminds me, but it doesn’t matter how fucking rude I am because she could have been snagged up in a heartbeat by our enemies, and she has no idea how tempting of a target she is. I’d shown my cards at that dinner. They’d seen the hints of my obsession that has only grown since then.
“You know you’re supposed to be protected.”
“Well, maybe your guys should have done a better job.” She crosses her arms over her waist, lifting her chest. I kept my eyes trained on her face, but I wondered how many other men at the party noticed.
“Yeah, if you want her watched like a damn hawk, then maybe you should do it instead of chasing tail all day, okay?” her cousin continues. Chasing my own tail is more like it. There were matters I had to attend to that required my attention. I would have gladly followed her around, but Simon’s attack last winter left me with some business to handle earlier. Luckily, it’s all taken care of now.
“Now if you’ll excuse us, we have other people to talk to. Come on, Elsa.” Her cousin Erica grips her wrist and starts to walk, but then Elsa stops and smiles up at me.
“We’re safe here, Miles, so why don’t you go and be grumpy somewhere else. You’re killing the party,” Elsa says, patting my shoulder before walking past me. I want to flip her over my shoulder and out of this place and take her somewhere to spank her little ass.